The vessel, known as "The Skipper," was seized by the U.S. Coast Guard and other U.S. agencies on Wednesday. It was sanctioned by the U.S. in 2022. According to a 2022 Treasury Department notice, the tanker was one of several vessels used for illicit oil shipments by a Gulf-based businessman named Viktor Artemov.

By Daphne Psaledakis, Marianna Parraga and Timothy Gardner WASHINGTON, Dec 11 (Reuters) - The United States on Thursday issued new sanctions targeting Venezuela, imposing curbs on three nephews of President Nicolas Maduro's wife,

President Donald Trump said Wednesday that the United States has seized an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela as tensions mount with the government of President Nicolás Maduro.

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has called for direct negotiations with President Donald Trump in response to U.S. military strikes. Both leaders spoke by phone, which Maduro described as “cordial” and potentially a step toward dialogue.

President Donald Trump has indicated that the U.S. is planning to initiate land-based actions against drug-trafficking networks in Venezuela after a military buildup in the region. He suggested that operations,