The United States has intensified pressure on Venezuela's oil sector by intercepting the tanker Bella 1 in international waters near the country. Although this vessel is not formally on the list of sanctioned ships, the White House confirmed it was transporting oil extracted by state-owned Petróleos de Venezuela S.A. (PDVSA), one of the companies most affected by Washington's economic sanctions. White House press secretary Anna Kelly stated on social media X that the cargo originated from PDVSA, justifying the intervention. The reinforcement of the oil blockade not only increases pressure on Caracas but also sends a clear signal to the international energy market about the risks of operating with Venezuelan oil under the current geopolitical scenario. In official statements, Venezuela has denounced that Washington seeks to deepen the economic blockade and force political changes in the country and the region, using the energy sector as the primary tool of pressure. The impact of these measures is particularly sensitive for Venezuela. The measure confirms the strengthening of the blockade ordered by the Trump administration and tightens the ring around the main source of income for the Nicolás Maduro regime. According to information reported by Bloomberg News and replicated by international agencies, the Panamanian-flagged tanker Bella 1, subject to U.S. sanctions, was intercepted by American forces while en route to load Venezuelan crude. The boarding took place in international waters near the Caribbean nation and adds to other similar actions carried out in the last week. The sequence of operations began days earlier, when the U.S. Coast Guard boarded the supertanker Centuries, also under the Panamanian flag, in the vicinity of Venezuela. Each vessel detained or deterred from operating on Venezuelan routes implies a direct blow to state revenues and exacerbates internal financial tensions. With three vessels intercepted in less than two weeks and an increasingly broad sanctions framework, the U.S. offensive marks a new chapter in the confrontation with the Chavist regime. Miami, December 21, 2025 - Total News Agency - TNA - The U.S. pressure policy on Venezuela's oil sector has taken a new escalatory step in recent hours, with the interception of a third tanker in international waters near Venezuela, in less than two weeks. In parallel, its government took another step by designating the Maduro administration as a 'foreign terrorist organization,' a high-impact political and legal classification that expands the scope of action for U.S. authorities. According to data from the specialized site TankerTrackers.com, dozens of sanctioned vessels remain currently anchored or sailing in Caribbean waters associated with Venezuelan export routes, signaling the growing fear of shipping companies of being caught in the hardening of the blockade. From Caracas, the Venezuelan government reacted harshly and described the interception of the ships as an act of 'piracy.' The immediate precedent was the seizure on December 10 of the vessel Skipper, whose crude was retained by U.S. authorities as part of the same pressure scheme. The escalation is framed in a decision adopted on December 16, when Trump ordered a 'total and complete' blockade to prevent sanctioned ships from entering and leaving Venezuelan ports. Oil exports represent the country's main source of foreign currency and constitute a central pillar of its already fragile economic stability.
