On December 10th, 2025, a colossal oil tanker, Skipper, was seized by U.S. commandos near the coast of Venezuela. The capture of the vessel symbolizes President Trump’s increased aggression in the region of Venezuela and Guyana. The president’s actions come at no surprise due to his vehement criticism of Maduro’s (President of Venezuela) leadership. Trump believes that Maduro is enabling the influx of drugs coming into the United States from Venezuela and speculates his affiliation with criminal organizations and drug cartels. Many international analysts are formulating conclusions about the implications of the US attack on Skipper.
Maritime intelligence revealed that the tanker purported under the flag of Guyana while traveling to Venezuela. The tanker is just one of other oil vessels that Venezuela relies on to smuggle crude into other countries. Oil comprises over 90 percent of Venezuela’s total exports which in the past served as a reliable natural resource. However, in recent months, Venezuela’s oil production decreased to less than one percent of global output due to a lack of investment. The recent interception of the Skipper will likely deter more investment from other traders in the illegal oil industry.
Others argue that the seizure indicates Trump’s decisiveness to hold Maduro accountable for illegal narcotics coming into the U.S.. Within the last few months, the Trump administration launched numerous strikes against suspected drug-smuggling boats in the Caribbean and the Eastern Pacific, killing dozens of people. Many lawmakers question Trump and Hegseth’s (U.S. Secretary of Defense) labeling the boat’s occupants–“narco-terroists”, despite released footage of potential innocent people waving their hands before assaults occurred. Given the president’s history of broadly accusing Hispanic and Latino groups as threatening, many consider it an act of hate and not in the interest of national security. The Trump administration uses speculation of Maduro leading the “Cartel of the Suns” or funding of guerilla groups to justify their violent intervention. Trump’s engagement in the Southcom area received commendation from Venezuelan opposition leader Marina Corina Machado, who affirmed Trump’s actions as necessary to combat corruption.
Overall, the Skipper incident serves as just one example of the Trump administration’s efforts to increase pressure on Maduro and exert the U.S.’s influence further in South America. There is also the possibility that Trump’s heightened antagonism marks a shift from U.S. involvement in the Venezuelan-Guyanese conflict from strategic ambiguity to outright opposition towards Venezuela.
