Oil exports from Venezuela have fallen significantly since the US seized a tanker this week, according to shipping data and maritime sources.
Special forces and the coastguard raided the ship, which America said was being used to carry sanctioned oil from Venezuela and Iran.
President Nicolas Maduro called Wednesday’s seizure an act of “piracy”, and Venezuelan officials claim President Trump‘s true motivation is regime change.
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The ship was loaded with some 1.8 million barrels of Venezuela’s Merey heavy crude when it was boarded about 70 miles off the coast.
The US further increased pressure on Mr Maduro this week by bringing in new sanctions on six supertankers and shipping firms dealing with Venezuela, as well as three of the president’s nephews.
Tanker movements in and out of the South American country are now said to have ground to a virtual standstill amid fears more ships could be seized.
About 11 million barrels of oil and fuel are currently stuck in Venezuelan waters, according to the Reuters news agency, which cited sources and data.
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The ship seized this week, the Skipper, had carried both Iranian and Venezuelan oil, and the raid was the first on a Venezuelan tanker – although the country has been under sanctions since 2019.
US company Chevron is the exception, and has special government permission to deal with state-run oil company PDVS.
It has exported two Venezuelan cargoes this month, both after the seizure, and data showed two more were being prepared on Friday.
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Prior to the seizure, Venezuela exported 952,000 barrels per day in November – about 80% of it bound for China. The revenues are crucial for propping up President Maduro’s regime.
Most Western governments regard him as a dictator who jails opponents and has cheated elections to stay in power.
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The raid on the tanker took place the same day a warrant to seize the ship was due to expire, according the document, which was unsealed on Friday.
It showed that Magistrate Judge Zia Faruqui last month gave the Trump administration until 10 December to seize the vessel.
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The Skipper had been trying to sail unnoticed using a method called “spoofing”, transmitting a false location to hide its movements, Sky News analysis found.
The seizure followed a large US naval build-up in the region, which has destroyed multiple boats purported to be smuggling drugs to America over the last few months.
However, no firm evidence to back up the claims has been provided and President Maduro denies he is involved in the narcotics trade.
