{"id":2537784,"date":"2026-01-15T11:10:01","date_gmt":"2026-01-15T16:10:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/us-seizes-venezuelan-oil-tanker-as-relations-improve-with-rodriguez\/"},"modified":"2026-01-15T11:10:01","modified_gmt":"2026-01-15T16:10:01","slug":"us-seizes-venezuelan-oil-tanker-as-relations-improve-with-rodriguez","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/us-seizes-venezuelan-oil-tanker-as-relations-improve-with-rodriguez\/","title":{"rendered":"US seizes Venezuelan oil tanker as relations improve with Rodriguez"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">20<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fus-seizes-venezuelan-oil-tanker-as-relations-improve-with-rodriguez%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2537784&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">US seizes Venezuelan oil tanker as relations improve with new president<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2472828\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>The United States seized its sixth <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/venezuela\/\">Venezuelan<\/a> oil tanker despite marked improvements in Washington&rsquo;s relationship with acting President Delcy Rodriguez.<\/p>\n<p>U.S. Marines and sailors seized the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/oil\/\">oil tanker<\/a> <em>Veronica<\/em> in the early hours of Thursday, U.S. Southern Command confirmed. The seizure was part of Operation Southern Spear, and occurred &ldquo;without incident.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/world\/4419796\/graham-iran-death-toll-mounting-uncertainty-over-potential-strikes\/\">Graham insists Iran death toll is &#8216;mounting&#8217; after uncertainty over potential strikes<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/world\/4418378\/two-venezuelan-women-vying-for-trump-support-to-lead-country\/\">The two Venezuelan women vying for Trump&#8217;s support to lead the country after Maduro capture<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/world\/4418849\/iran-promises-trump-not-hang-protesters\/\">Iran promised Trump not to execute any protesters on day of expected hanging<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>&ldquo;The Veronica is the latest tanker operating in defiance of President Trump&rsquo;s established quarantine of sanctioned vessels in the Caribbean, proving the effectiveness of Operation Southern Spear yet again,&rdquo; SOUTHCOM&rsquo;s X account said in a statement.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;The only oil leaving Venezuela will be oil that is coordinated properly and lawfully. The <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/DeptofWar\">@DeptofWar<\/a>, in coordination with interagency partners, will defend our homeland by ending illicit activity and restoring security in the Western Hemisphere,&rdquo; it concluded.<\/p>\n<p>A video of the operation was attached to the post, showing thermal footage of U.S. Marines fast-roping from helicopters onto the ship.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Through <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/OpSouthernSpear?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#OpSouthernSpear<\/a>, the Department of War is unwavering in its mission to crush illicit activity in the Western Hemisphere in partnership with <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/USCG?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@USCG<\/a> through <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/DHSgov?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@DHSgov<\/a> and <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/TheJusticeDept?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@TheJusticeDept<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>In another pre-dawn action, Marines and Sailors from Joint Task Force Southern Spear,&hellip; <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/brxO9xXUu3\">pic.twitter.com\/brxO9xXUu3<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; U.S. Southern Command (@Southcom) <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Southcom\/status\/2011798070816612578?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">January 15, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script> <\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p>Homeland Security Secretary <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/kristi-noem\/\">Kristi Noem<\/a> provided further details in a post on X, saying the <em>Veronica<\/em> had <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/Sec_Noem\/status\/2011803374807547909\">traveled through Venezuelan waters<\/a> and was operating in &ldquo;defiance of President Trump&rsquo;s established quarantine of sanctioned vessels in the Caribbean.&rdquo; She praised the &ldquo;heroic&rdquo; personnel who &ldquo;ensured a flawlessly executed operation&rdquo; in line with international law.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;As we&rsquo;ve now demonstrated through multiple boardings, there is no outrunning or escaping American justice &mdash; period. Our resolve is unshakeable and our mission coordination has never been better. America&rsquo;s <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/coast-guard\/\">Coast Guard<\/a> remains Always Ready to apply the full force of its unique authorities and specialized capabilities against this threat anywhere, anytime,&rdquo; Noem said.<\/p>\n<p>The seizure is notable for coming after an oil deal was struck with Caracas, and after President <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/donald-trump\/\">Donald Trump&rsquo;s<\/a> relationship with Rodriguez improved markedly.<\/p>\n<p>The two spoke by phone on Wednesday, a call the U.S. president&nbsp;<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/truthsocial.com\/@realDonaldTrump\/posts\/115895806350456434\">relayed<\/a>&nbsp;in gushing terms on Truth Social.<\/p>\n<p>He described the call as &ldquo;very good,&rdquo; saying, &ldquo;We are making tremendous progress, as we help Venezuela stabilize and recover. Many topics were discussed, including Oil, Minerals, Trade and, of course, National Security.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/world\/4418378\/two-venezuelan-women-vying-for-trump-support-to-lead-country\/\">THE TWO VENEZUELAN WOMEN VYING FOR TRUMP&rsquo;S SUPPORT TO LEAD THE COUNTRY AFTER MADURO CAPTURE<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;This partnership between the United States of America and Venezuela will be a spectacular one FOR ALL. Venezuela will soon be great and prosperous again, perhaps more so than ever before!&rdquo; Trump said.<\/p>\n<p>As part of the oil deal, all Venezuelan oil will be sold through the U.S., but all revenue will go back to Caracas. This ensures that the U.S. decides to whom the oil will be sold.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>US seizes Venezuelan oil tanker as relations improve with new president The United States seized its sixth Venezuelan oil tanker despite marked improvements in Washington\u2019s relationship with acting President Delcy Rodriguez. U.S. Marines and sailors seized the oil tanker Veronica in the early hours of Thursday, U.S. Southern Command confirmed. The seizure was part of<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2653,"featured_media":2537785,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/AP26008707214369.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[538],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2537784","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-washington-examiner"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/AP26008707214369.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2537784","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2653"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2537784"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2537784\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2537785"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2537784"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2537784"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2537784"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}