The United States seized a fifth oil tanker allegedly linked to Venezuela early Friday morning, escalating tensions even as both nations signaled cautious steps toward dialogue. The vessel was intercepted in the Caribbean Sea by U.S. forces in a pre-dawn operation, according to U.S. Southern Command.
The move coincided with the arrival of a U.S. delegation in Caracas to assess reopening the embassy, closed since 2019. This follows the January 3 detention of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife in a U.S. raid, an event that has intensified regional scrutiny.
Former U.S. President Donald Trump claimed on social media that further military action would be paused due to cooperation from Venezuelan authorities, including the release of political prisoners and plans for U.S. oil firms to invest $100 billion in rebuilding Venezuela’s energy infrastructure. U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright confirmed plans to control Venezuela’s oil sales indefinitely.
Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil announced exploratory talks with Washington to address "the consequences of aggression" and establish a "working agenda." Acting President Delcy Rodríguez separately engaged leaders from Brazil, Colombia, and Spain, framing U.S. actions as "illegitimate aggression" while advocating for regional cooperation.
Analysts note the Caribbean’s heightened U.S. military presence, now at its largest in over 30 years, underscores the strategic stakes of Venezuela’s oil reserves—the world’s largest. With diplomatic channels cautiously reopening, 2026 could mark a pivotal year for cross-hemisphere energy politics.
