Following the capture of Nicolás Maduro last Saturday, the United States War Department activated “Operation Southern Spear,” a relentless naval blockade designed to take full control of Venezuela’s oil.
According to satellite reports and surveillance companies such as TankerTrackers, at least 16 sanctioned oil tankers fled Venezuelan waters as soon as Maduro’s arrest was confirmed.
Thirteen of these vessels carry a cargo of 12 million barrels of crude oil bound for China, but they are under siege by the US Coast Guard.
“Ghost fleets will not evade justice,” stated governor and official Kristi Noem, highlighting the absolute dominance of the US in the Caribbean.
Vessels such as the Aquila II, Bertha, Verónica III and Vesna have been detected carrying out “spoofing” maneuvers (transmission of false GPS signals) and turning off their identification systems to try to circumvent the siege. However, the technology of the European Copernicus program already has them in its sights.
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The blockade not only affects ships in Caribbean waters, but also puts in check almost 600 sanctioned oil tankers around the world, including ships with suspicious links to Russia and Iran.
While the covert fleet tries to escape, Donald Trump’s administration is already moving its chips to handle 12.7% of Venezuelan crude oil, a move that seeks to stabilize the region’s economy and restore security.
At the same time, countries like Switzerland have ordered the blocking of Maduro’s assets, closing the financial siege on the deposed president’s circle.
Once again, our joint interagency forces sent a clear message this morning: “there is no safe haven for criminals.”
In a pre-dawn action, Marines and Sailors from Joint Task Force Southern Spear, in support of the Department of Homeland Security, launched from the USS Gerald R.… pic.twitter.com/StHo4ufcdx
— US Southern Command (@Southcom) January 9, 2026
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