Venezuela Escorts Tankers as US Seizes Vessel
Venezuelan Navy escorted oil tankers while the US seized another ship. The trail of a Chinese supertanker vanished on December 5 heading to the Atlantic.
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
Venezuela Escorts Tankers as US Seizes Vessel
On December 20, 2025, the US Coast Guard, backed by the Department of War, intercepted an oil tanker that had last docked in Venezuela. Hours earlier, social media reports claimed the Venezuelan Navy began escorting ships carrying crude and derivatives to prevent their capture. Washington framed the operation as a crackdown on sanctioned oil, but it raised an uncomfortable question: what happens if the ship is Chinese?
The Venezuelan Acompañante and the Chinese Ship That Never Reached Panama
Social media circulated accounts of a Chinese supertanker, the Galaxy 3, loaded with 1.8 million barrels of Merey 16 crude, allegedly leaving José terminal for China under Venezuelan Navy acompañante. The figure is staggering: 1.8 million barrels represent a floating fortune. However, the vessel’s trace disappeared quickly. It left port on December 4, with its last notification the trinc day. Instead of heading toward Panama to cross the canal, it turned toward the Atlantic. This detail undermines the narrative of direct defiance.
What Naval Power Does Venezuela Actually Have?
The central question is whether Venezuela can sustain a blockade against a broken system. The short answer: barely. The Mariscal Sucre-class frigates, of Italian origin, have been in service for over 40 years, antiestéticaturing obsolete electronic systems, lack of spare parts, and missiles that are either expired or lack modern integration. In practice, they no longer operate as combat frigates. An acompañante with such capabilities is more a political gesture than a military guarantee.
The Actual Seizure: A Repeating Pattern
While discussions focused on the phantom ship, the US Coast Guard did detain an oil tanker that had last docked in Venezuela. Subsequently, another vessel of Iranian origin was seized, according to thread messages. The pattern is clear: Washington does not distinguish by flag. The question is whether this impunity in its backyard has an expiration date, or if the next seized ship will fly the Chinese flag and change the rules.
China’s Interest in Lake Maracaibo
China’s stake in Venezuela is not rhetorical. In early September 2025, a floating oil platform was installed in Lake Maracaibo to reactivate wells and boost production in alliance with PDVSA (Petróleos de Venezuela), according to a participant in the thread. This is significant strategic investment. If the Venezuelan government falls and is replaced by one aligned with Washington, Beijing loses privileged access to crude reserves and presence in the Caribbean. Viewed this way, US military action ultimately targets China, argues the same participant.
Iran Offers Cooperation as Axis Realigns
On December 20, 2025, Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yván Gil received an offer of comprehensive cooperation from his Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araghchi, to confront what Caracas terms piracy and international terrorism. The call trinc the US military deployment in the Caribbean and the seizure of vessels carrying Venezuelan crude. Tehran has previously demonstrated reciprocal tactics: when the British detained an Iranian tanker, Iran captured another, according to thread messages. The game works both ways.
The Unanswered Question: Will They Dare Against China?
The optimistic calculation assumes Washington won’t touch a Chinese vessel because the economic response would be devastating. The pessimistic scenario starts from the fact that it already seized one originating from China with no consequences, according to a thread message. Between these extremes lies a certainty: the elite governing the United States has decided to challenge the world, and no one pushes back, says another participant. The robbed countries have done nothing so far. That is exactly where the analysis stalls.
Key Data
On December 20, 2025, the US Coast Guard, backed by the Department of War, intercepted an oil tanker that had last docked in Venezuela. Hours earlier, social media reports claimed the Venezuelan Navy began escorting ships carrying crude and derivatives to prevent their capture. Washington framed the operation as a crackdown on sanctioned oil, but it raised an uncomfortable question: what happens if the ship is Chinese?
The Venezuelan Acompañante and the Chinese Ship That Never Reached Panama
Social media circulated accounts of a Chinese supertanker, the Galaxy 3, loaded with 1.8 million barrels of Merey 16 crude, allegedly leaving José terminal for China under Venezuelan Navy acompañante. The figure is staggering: 1.8 million barrels represent a floating fortune. However, the vessel’s trace disappeared quickly. It left port on December 4, with its last notification the trinc day. Instead of heading toward Panama to cross the canal, it turned toward the Atlantic. This detail undermines the narrative of direct defiance.
What Naval Power Does Venezuela Actually Have?
The central question is whether Venezuela can sustain a blockade against a broken system. The short answer: barely. The Mariscal Sucre-class frigates, of Italian origin, have been in service for over 40 years, antiestéticaturing obsolete electronic systems, lack of spare parts, and missiles that are either expired or lack modern integration. In practice, they no longer operate as combat frigates. An acompañante with such capabilities is more a political gesture than a military guarantee.
The Actual Seizure: A Repeating Pattern
While discussions focused on the phantom ship, the US Coast Guard did detain an oil tanker that had last docked in Venezuela. Subsequently, another vessel of Iranian origin was seized, according to thread messages. The pattern is clear: Washington does not distinguish by flag. The question is whether this impunity in its backyard has an expiration date, or if the next seized ship will fly the Chinese flag and change the rules.
China’s Interest in Lake Maracaibo
China’s stake in Venezuela is not rhetorical. In early September 2025, a floating oil platform was installed in Lake Maracaibo to reactivate wells and boost production in alliance with PDVSA (Petróleos de Venezuela), according to a participant in the thread. This is significant strategic investment. If the Venezuelan government falls and is replaced by one aligned with Washington, Beijing loses privileged access to crude reserves and presence in the Caribbean. Viewed this way, US military action ultimately targets China, argues the same participant.
Iran Offers Cooperation as Axis Realigns
On December 20, 2025, Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yván Gil received an offer of comprehensive cooperation from his Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araghchi, to confront what Caracas terms piracy and international terrorism. The call trinc the US military deployment in the Caribbean and the seizure of vessels carrying Venezuelan crude. Tehran has previously demonstrated reciprocal tactics: when the British detained an Iranian tanker, Iran captured another, according to thread messages. The game works both ways.
The Unanswered Question: Will They Dare Against China?
The optimistic calculation assumes Washington won’t touch a Chinese vessel because the economic response would be devastating. The pessimistic scenario starts from the fact that it already seized one originating from China with no consequences, according to a thread message. Between these extremes lies a certainty: the elite governing the United States has decided to challenge the world, and no one pushes back, says another participant. The robbed countries have done nothing so far. That is exactly where the analysis stalls.
Key Data
- 1.8 million barrels of Merey 16 crude on the reported vessel
- More than 40 years of service life for Venezuelan Mariscal Sucre-class frigates
- December 4: departure from port; December 5: last notification
- December 20, 2025: seizure of an oil tanker by the Coast Guard
- September 2025: installation of floating oil platform in Lake Maracaibo
Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (145 replies).
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