Dozen oil tankers quietly leave Venezuela amid US pressure

Monday 05 January 2026 - 14:00

By: Sahili Aya

Dozen oil tankers quietly leave Venezuela amid US pressure

Around a dozen oil tankers loaded with Venezuelan crude oil and fuel have discreetly departed the country’s territorial waters in recent days, according to maritime monitoring service TankerTrackers.com. The movements come amid tight US pressure that intensified prior to the capture of ousted Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro.

Satellite imagery reviewed by TankerTrackers.com shows that at least four tankers followed a route north of Margarita Island, briefly pausing near Venezuela’s maritime border before leaving. A source familiar with the administrative procedures told Reuters that at least four supertankers were authorized by Venezuelan authorities to depart during nighttime operations.

It remains unclear whether these departures violate US sanctions. On Saturday, the administration of President Donald Trump stated that the oil embargo on Venezuela was fully in force, while allowing major clients — including China — to continue receiving oil as part of an anticipated transition.

All identified tankers are currently under US sanctions. Additional sanctioned vessels have also left Venezuelan waters after unloading imports or completing domestic transport operations. These departures could ease pressure on PDVSA, Venezuela’s state oil company, which has accumulated large stockpiles following the US blockade imposed last month that severely disrupted exports.

Oil exports remain Venezuela’s primary source of revenue, and an interim government led by the oil minister and Vice President Delcy Rodríguez is expected to rely heavily on these revenues to finance public spending and maintain domestic stability.