In the age-old philosophical question of whether a falling tree makes a sound if no one is there to hear it, we can ponder a modern equivalent: If the United States claims to seize a tanker in a blockade against Venezuela, but the action hasn’t taken place, what does this say about American military strength? If the bravado is diminished, what might be the U.S. government’s next move?
As of now, the latest significant media coverage on the Bella-1, the third of three oil tankers allegedly flagged for U.S. seizure, indicates that it remains unharmed and is currently under Chinese ownership. Sources suggest that it is set to transport oil from Venezuela to China. Reports from sources like Bloomberg have claimed that the vessel had been boarded, following a recent capture of another tanker. However, updated headlines now reflect that the Bella-1 is still being pursued. A recent article from the BBC states, “Trump says U.S. is pursuing third oil tanker linked to Venezuela,” which outlines the ongoing chase:
The U.S. Coast Guard is still pursuing a vessel in international waters near Venezuela as tensions in the region escalate, President Donald Trump has confirmed.
“We’re actually pursuing” the tanker, Trump said on Monday….
The current chase is related to a “sanctioned dark fleet vessel that is part of Venezuela’s illegal sanctions evasion,” a U.S. official told CBS News, which is partnered with the BBC.
On Saturday, the U.S. Coast Guard approached an oil tanker not flying a valid national flag, according to the New York Times.
Confirming the pursuit on Monday, President Trump stated: “It’s moving along. We’ll end up getting it.”
The president added that the U.S. would retain possession of the seized oil and the vessels carrying it.
“We’re going to keep it… maybe we’ll sell it, maybe we’ll keep it,” he noted.
“Maybe we’ll use it in the strategic reserves. We’re keeping it, we’re keeping the ships also.”
Trump has a track record of declaring victories before they materialize, as seen in various situations, from Ukraine to Iran. Thus, skepticism remains until credible outcomes are achieved.
Additional insights from Twitter reveal:
🚨 BREAKING: High-seas pursuit underway! The US Coast Guard is currently chasing the “Bella 1” oil tanker near Venezuela after the vessel refused a boarding order.
This is the 3rd tanker targeted in 12 days as Trump’s “total blockade” hits the high seas. 🚢💨 #Venezuela #USCG… pic.twitter.com/Y1x7g7Jxni
— True Crime Updates (@TrueCrimeUpdat) December 21, 2025
A contact with extensive relationships in the Global South diplomatic community mentioned that the Bella managed to evade capture, utilizing booms to deflect U.S. helicopters. A related BBC clip provided visual documentation of the U.S. involuntarily seizing the previous tanker, which lends some credence to this assertion. Furthermore, it is reported that a substantial portion of the U.K.’s navy was dispatched to the Caribbean.
Despite lacking expertise in commercial shipping and naval operations, it seems plausible that if the Bella has escaped thus far, it might successfully evade capture. Helicopters usually operate within limited ranges, and the U.S. is unlikely to reposition any aircraft carriers significantly just for one seizure while still managing the blockade.
Should the Bella-1 indeed make its escape, the implications for future operations could be significant. Other ship captains might be emboldened to disregard U.S. boarding efforts, incentivized by the possibility of evasion and a delayed seizure. This raises urgent questions: Will helicopter crews consider deploying small arms against the ship’s crew next time? After all, Pete Hegseth has previously advocated for extreme measures to bypass so-called tedious regulations. Still, such actions could provoke armed responses from crew members, especially considering they likely have some form of weaponry onboard due to piracy risks.
Interestingly, some accounts even suggest that U.S. forces halted the pursuit of Bella-1 despite continued media reports asserting the chase was ongoing:
12/22 VENEZUELA
US FORCES ARE NO LONGER PURSUING THIRD TANKER, BELLA1 (AXIOS/M Allen)
U.S. WAS NEVER ABOARD
Since ship was empty
Easy to find out: draft above water2024 US Treasury sanctioned Bella 1 f/allegedly transporting cargo aiming Hezbollah and Iran’s elite Quds Force
PJ pic.twitter.com/vNdBjaWC9H— Paulo Jorge (photo P.J., LA 1989) (@PauloCruzJCO) December 22, 2025
The claim that the ship was empty aligns with speculation about its voyage from Iran to Venezuela, a route that might seem illogical otherwise. Readers with expertise in maritime operations could provide insights into whether it is unconventional for a tanker to navigate such a long distance for cargo:
🚨🇻🇪🇺🇸US forces were unable to seize the oil tanker Bella 1, and it continued its journey from Iran to Venezuela. The ship remains en route, indicating that it completely avoided any interception during its transit.
#Venezuela #USA #Iran pic.twitter.com/jOCHSmAECu
— Venezuela Brief (@venezbrief) December 22, 2025
Further insights are emerging:
Although (to our best knowledge) BELLA 1 (9230880) still hasn’t been seized, she faces another challenge.
She has been in transit for 39 days, and at 11 knots average speed, she has maybe another 28-35 days of fuel available unless her speed drops. This might happen if the US Coast… pic.twitter.com/VuK86kndxc
— TankerTrackers.com, Inc. (@TankerTrackers) December 23, 2025
In light of recent disputes with China, questions arise about U.S. intentions toward fleets engaged in the Venezuelan oil trade. The administration’s embargo appears to be more nuanced than it outwardly claims, as it reportedly targets only “sanctioned” tankers, which does not encompass all of those operating in Venezuela. According to a report from Reuters highlighted on qCaptain,
Venezuela on Thursday authorized two very large crude carriers (VLCC) to set sail for China, according to two sources familiar with Venezuela’s oil export operations, which would be only the second and third supertankers to depart the country since the U.S. seized a ship carrying Venezuelan oil last week.
The U.S. has said it would not allow vessels under sanction to leave Venezuelan waters. The departing tankers, each carrying around 1.9 million barrels of Venezuelan Merey heavy crude, are not on the U.S. current sanctions list.
Of 75 oil tankers currently in Venezuela that are part of a “shadow fleet” of ships that typically navigate with transponders off to disguise their locations, around 38 have been sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury, according to data from TankerTrackers.com, updated this week. Of those, at least 15 are loaded with crude and fuel, it added.
This raises further questions: Was this blockade always intended to be porous, aimed more at maintaining appearances than achieving a complete chokehold on Venezuela’s oil flow? Or is the goal to inflict substantial harm on an already faltering Venezuelan economy through a limited blockade?
In a related development regarding Russia:
Sweden boards and releases sanctioned Russian vessel off its coast
Swedish authorities boarded a sanctioned Russian freighter off the country’s west coast after she stopped in Swedish waters due to reported engine trouble, according to media reports. #MarineTraffic data shows… pic.twitter.com/97pdpZmXWh
— MarineTraffic (@MarineTraffic) December 22, 2025
In the U.S. political sphere, some are entertaining the prospect of reinstating letters of marque to encourage piracy aimed at cartel-related shipping. As President Trump has labeled Venezuelan President Maduro a “narco-terrorist,” could this notion expand to permit privateers to partake in the blockade?
The current proposal articulated in the Washington Post outlines:
As President Donald Trump ramps up tensions with Venezuela, U.S. lawmakers have introduced legislation to bring back a scourge of the high seas banished since the age of sails: privateers, authorized by government-issued letters of marque to conduct piracy in their country’s service by targeting enemy ships.
These modern-day privateers, under proposed legislation by Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah), would be authorized by Trump to seize foreign vessels from anyone who “is a member of a cartel, a member of a cartel-linked organization, or a conspirator associated with a cartel or a cartel-linked organization.”
“Cartels have replaced corsairs in the modern era, but we can still give private American citizens and their businesses a stake in the fight against these murderous foreign criminals,” Sen. Lee stated, announcing the bill. “The Cartel Marque and Reprisal Reauthorization Act will revive this historic practice to defend our shores and seize cartel assets.”
The aim appears to be to engage ordinary citizens in the effort to enforce the embargo against Venezuela:
The U.S. has accumulated a fleet of warships, surveillance aircraft, and personnel in the Caribbean, including the USS Gerald R. Ford, the Pentagon’s largest aircraft carrier. Thousands of soldiers, including elite Special Forces units, have also been deployed to the region.
With the enactment of Lee’s “Cartel Marque and Reprisal Authorization Act of 2025,” average American citizens could join them in intercepting vessels.
The proposal has drawn varying reactions on social media:
Letters of Marque: The Sword Unsheathed for National Salvation
In the arsenal of forgotten American remedies lies the Letter of Marque and Reprisal—a constitutional weapon sharper than any tariff, more direct than diplomacy, and truer to the frontier spirit than endless… pic.twitter.com/yNPt69d8g1
— American Steppe 🦬🇺🇸 (@HarryFStoggs) December 22, 2025
Just a AK wielding Privateer waiting for my Letter of Marque to fight cartels in the Caribbean! pic.twitter.com/bnVPIewyWw
— BRINK (@BRINK_____) December 20, 2025
Conversely, some voices have cautioned against the perils of such a move:
Under a Letter of Marque, you literally get the freedom to violate other people’s freedoms, take their stuff, sell it, lie on your taxes, and the government will mostly take your word for it that “you didn’t find anything” “of value” on the vessel once you turn it in. This… pic.twitter.com/wrJGwanYEj
— MiamiViceGOP (@MiamiViceGOP) December 19, 2025
It’s unfortunate that the U.S. is currently at odds with Somalia, a nation renowned for piracy, that could theoretically assist in these endeavors. The history of pragmatic alliances suggests that even designated threats can, at times, become strategic partners.
The draft text of this contentious bill is embedded at the end of this article. Following a legacy of encouraging intellectual property theft, money laundering, and tax evasion via cryptocurrencies, the shift towards sanctioned lawlessness is a troubling reflection of recent American policy developments.
00 Letters of Marque and Reprisal – Text
