US Returns Seized Venezuelan Oil Tanker to Caracas

The United States has returned a seized Venezuelan oil tanker to authorities in Caracas, marking the first known instance in which the Trump administration has handed back a vessel intercepted amid its campaign to enforce sanctions on the country's oil exports. The Panama-flagged supertanker MT Sophia, interdicted by the U.S. Coast Guard and military forces on January 7 in international waters, was transferred without explanation, according to two U.S. officials who spoke on condition of anonymity.

The officials, cited in reports from Washington, provided few details on the handover. They confirmed the Sophia was carrying oil at the time of its seizure but said it remained unclear whether the cargo was still aboard when the vessel was returned. The U.S. government had previously described the Sophia as a sanctioned member of the "dark fleet," a shadowy network of aging tankers used to evade restrictions on Venezuelan petroleum shipments. These vessels often lack proper safety certifications and insurance, raising concerns about potential environmental risks and maritime hazards.

The transfer of the Sophia comes as the United States adjusts its approach to Venezuela following a...