President Donald Trump convened top national security officials Monday while the U.S. Coast Guard continued its hunt for Venezuelan shadow-fleet oil tankers.
Coast Guard’s Shadow Fleet Pursuit
The Coast Guard chased a sanctioned tanker on Monday, the second day of a series of interdictions aimed at a “dark fleet” Venezuela uses to evade U.S. sanctions. The tanker flies a false flag and is under a U.S. judicial seizure order. It is the third vessel pursued; on Saturday the agency seized the Panama-flagged Centuries, and on Dec. 10 it seized the Skipper, also registered in Panama.
Trump’s Naval Ambitions and Political Message
At Mar-a-Lago, Trump, joined by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Navy Secretary John Phelan, announced plans to build two large warships he called battleships. He framed the move as part of a “Golden Fleet” vision and reiterated that Maduro’s days in power are numbered. The announcement followed Trump’s declaration of a blockade against sanctioned Venezuelan oil tankers and his demand that Venezuela return assets seized from U.S. oil companies.
Russian Diplomatic Evacuations and Venezuelan Response
Russia’s Foreign Ministry has begun evacuating families of diplomats in Venezuela. A European intelligence official, speaking anonymously, said the evacuations include women and children and started on Friday. The ministry’s X post stated it was not evacuating the embassy, while the official described the situation in Venezuela as “very grim.”
Venezuela’s Foreign Minister Yván Gil said he spoke with Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov, who expressed Russia’s support for Venezuela against the U.S. blockade. Gil added: “We reviewed the aggressions and flagrant violations of international law that have been committed in the Caribbean: attacks against vessels and extrajudicial executions, and the unlawful acts of piracy carried out by the United States government.”
More than ten vehicles with diplomatic license plates parked outside Russia’s embassy in Caracas on Monday morning were seen moving by early afternoon, with no people entering or leaving.
Impact on Venezuelan Communities
In the Caribbean, U.S. forces targeted vessels in international waters while a shadow-fleet tanker moved between Venezuelan refineries, including one about three hours west of Caracas. The tanker remained at the El Palito refinery through Sunday, where families went to the beach for a break from school. Manuel Salazar, who has parked cars at the beach for over three decades, noted the decline in tanker traffic: “Up to nine or 10 tankers would wait out there in the bay. One would leave, another would come in,” he said. “Now, look, one.”
Salazar also recalled that during vacations, tankers would sound horns at midnight New Year’s Eve and sometimes fire fireworks. He said, “Before, during vacations, they’d have barbecues; now all you see is bread with bologna. Things are expensive. Food prices keep going up and up every day.”
The tanker at El Palito has been identified by Transparencia Venezuela as part of the shadow fleet.
Strikes on Small Vessels and Human Rights Concerns
Under Trump’s orders, the Defense Department continues attacks on smaller vessels in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific that it alleges carry drugs. Since early September, at least 104 people have been killed in 28 known strikes. U.S. lawmakers and human rights activists have criticized the strikes, citing a lack of evidence that the targets are drug smugglers and labeling the fatalities as extrajudicial killings.
Key Takeaways
- The U.S. Coast Guard is actively interdicting a Venezuelan shadow-fleet of oil tankers.
- Trump announced plans for two new battleships and reaffirmed a blockade against Venezuela.
- Russia has evacuated families of diplomats in Venezuela amid a grim assessment of the situation.
The meeting of Trump and his national security team underscores a broader U.S. strategy aimed at pressuring Venezuela, while diplomatic tensions and human rights concerns continue to intensify.
