The official statement emphasizes that this detention confirms the intention of the USA to ensure that the only oil leaving Venezuela is exported legally and in compliance with all necessary procedures.
The tanker "Sagitta" was added to the sanctions list of the U.S. Department of the Treasury as of October 1, 2025, where it is classified as a "shadow fleet" vessel that transports sanctioned oil under the Panamanian flag. The reason for its inclusion in this list was the sanctions against Russia due to the conflict in Ukraine.
Since December of last year, the USA has begun active actions against tankers transporting Venezuelan oil that is under sanctions, and has already detained at least seven vessels. Among them was the tanker "Bella 1," which was pursued by U.S. military forces for several days. This tanker, originally under the Panamanian flag, changed it to a Russian one and was renamed "Marinera," after which it was registered in the Russian maritime registry. On January 7, it was seized, and two days later, the Russian Foreign Ministry reported that U.S. President Donald Trump had decided to release two Russians who were part of the crew of this vessel. However, on January 20, Sergey Lavrov noted that the Russian sailors were still in captivity and accused the USA of failing to fulfill its obligations, although the American side did not confirm its intentions regarding the release of the Russians.
