US Said to Board Third Tanker Off Venezuela as Tensions Rise (1)

December 21, 2025, 4:48 PM UTC

Another oil tanker has been boarded by the US near Venezuela, according to people with knowledge of the matter, as President Donald Trump intensifies an oil blockade on Nicolás Maduro’s government.

The Bella 1 tanker, a Panamanian-flagged vessel sanctioned by the US, was en route to Venezuela to load, one of the people said, asking not to be identified. The interdiction follows the boarding of the Centuries supertanker early Saturday and the Skipper on Dec. 10.

The White House didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.

Trump has been stepping up pressure on Maduro by trying to choke ...

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