US Seeks Warrants to Seize Dozens More Venezuela-Linked Oil Tankers

• The U.S. government has filed for court warrants to seize dozens more tankers linked to the Venezuelan oil trade, aiming to consolidate control over oil shipments.
• The U.S. military and Coast Guard have already seized five vessels in recent weeks, part of a campaign to oust Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.
• President Trump's administration plans to control Venezuela's oil resources indefinitely to rebuild the country's oil industry.
• Civil forfeiture actions have been filed in district courts, primarily in Washington, D.C., enabling the seizure of oil cargoes and ships involved in the trade.
• The U.S. is targeting both vessels and their cargoes, an escalation from previous seizures of Iranian cargoes where only the oil was confiscated.

Why It Matters: The U.S. is aggressively expanding its seizure of Venezuela-linked oil tankers to control oil trade and pressure Maduro.