By Patricia Garip and Eric Martin
Dec 20, 2025 (Bloomberg) – Early on Saturday, the US Coast Guard intercepted and boarded an oil tanker in the Caribbean that had recently been docked in Venezuela. This action followed a blockade order from President Donald Trump, according to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.
The tanker, named Centuries, was carrying up to 2 million barrels of Venezuelan crude oil and was flying a Panamanian flag, as stated by sources familiar with the situation. A Chinese company is said to own the oil.
This is the second tanker that US authorities have stopped this month. Unlike the first vessel, which was stopped on December 10, Centuries was not previously listed under US sanctions.
Noem mentioned in a social media post that the Defense Department played a role in this operation carried out in the early morning hours.
On December 10, the Trump administration had detained another tanker called the Skipper. This vessel had also docked at a Venezuelan port and was classified as a "stateless vessel" by US officials for allegedly being part of an "illicit oil shipping network that supports foreign terrorist organizations."
Trump has been intensifying efforts against Nicolás Maduro’s government to cut off a major source of income for Venezuela. He has labeled Maduro’s regime as a foreign terrorist organization, accusing it of drug trafficking.
This latest incident could raise tensions further with Venezuela. Trump reportedly stated that he does not rule out the possibility of war with Venezuela, according to NBC news from a phone interview with the president. When asked if US military strikes could lead to war, he responded, "I don’t discuss it."
The Defense Department directed inquiries to the White House, which has not responded to several requests for comments. Venezuela’s Information Ministry also did not reply to requests for comment.
In a separate development, Trump nominated Marine Corps Lieutenant General Francis Donovan to lead US Southern Command, responsible for operations related to the blockade on Venezuela. Donovan is currently the vice commander of US Special Operations Command.
Venezuela’s Vice President and Oil Minister, Delcy Rodriguez, announced on social media that the country’s oil production has reached the target of 1.2 million barrels per day.
She stated this achievement "confronts and defeats the harassment, hostility, and imperialist illegality that attacks and violates Venezuelans’ human rights," in a post on her Telegram account.