• The US seized the Skipper tanker, marking its first capture of Venezuelan oil since 2019 sanctions.
• Venezuelan oil exports have sharply declined as US military pressure increases.
• Opposition leader Maria Corina Machado promises political change following her Nobel Peace Prize win.
• The Venezuelan government decries the seizure as 'international piracy' and plans to file complaints.
• Tensions in the region could escalate as the US prepares for further military actions against Venezuelan assets.

The recent seizure of the M/T Skipper by the U.S. off the coast of Venezuela has intensified already strained relations, marking a significant escalation in tensions. This move, paired with a military buildup in the Caribbean, is part of President Donald Trump’s campaign to remove Nicolás Maduro from power. The Skipper is the first Venezuelan oil tanker captured by the U.S. since sanctions were imposed in 2019 and is now en route to Houston for offloading its cargo, according to Reuters and Channel News Asia.

In the aftermath of the seizure, Venezuelan oil exports have dramatically declined, causing significant disruptions in tanker movements both into and out of Venezuelan waters. Estimates indicate that around 11 million barrels of oil are now stuck, with only U.S. oil giant Chevron managing to navigate around these sanctions due to specific U.S. government permissions for operations within the country. The U.S. has highlighted that this seizure is part of a broader strategy to disrupt illicit oil shipments tied to both Venezuela and Iran, as stated by officials including FBI Director Kash Patel, according to Al Jazeera and Reuters.

Amid these geopolitical shifts, Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, who recently secured the Nobel Peace Prize, has voiced her commitment to driving political change in Venezuela. In her first statements after returning from Norway, she declared that Maduro would eventually leave power, whether through negotiated means or otherwise, even expressing gratitude for U.S. support. Machado's emergence in the current political climate reinforces the ongoing tensions, as she interacts closely with U.S. hardliners who support intervention in Venezuela. This complex situation draws attention, particularly as the U.S. has indicated plans for more aggressive military actions, according to Channel News Asia and India Times.