The United States is returning to Venezuela a supertanker it seized three weeks ago. Two US officials did not explain why the Panama-flagged M/T Sophia was being handed back, but the context is clear: Venezuela yielded to American pressure. Russia hasn’t—and current enforcement methods aren’t enough to change that.
The Sophia was interdicted in the Caribbean carrying Venezuelan crude.
On 7 January, US forces captured both the Sophia and the Russian-flagged Marinera in back-to-back operations hours apart. The Sophia was interdicted in the Caribbean carrying Venezuelan crude, Reuters reported.
The Marinera—formerly known as Bella-1—was seized in the North Atlantic after a dramatic two-week chase during which its crew painted a Russian flag on the hull, and Moscow dispatched a submarine to intercept. The submarine arrived too late.
Three weeks later, the fates have diverged. Sophia goes home. The Marinera remains in US custody.
Venezuela yields
Secretary of State Marco Rubio explained the logic on the day of the seizures. Venezuela’s interim authorities, he told reporters, had already asked for the Sophia’s oil to be “part of this deal.”
“They understand that the only way they can move oil and generate revenue and not have economic collapse is if they cooperate and work with the United States,” Rubio said.
Acting President Delcy Rodríguez is now assisting Washington in seizing illegal oil shipments—a complete reversal from the Maduro era.
Russia requires more
Russia’s response to the Marinera seizure was notably weak: the Foreign Ministry demanded “humane treatment” for the crew rather than threatening retaliation. But weakness isn’t compliance. Moscow continues funding its war through a shadow fleet of over 1,100 tankers—and current Western enforcement hasn’t stopped it.
The pressure is mounting. Approximately 140 million barrels of Russian crude now sit stranded on tankers at sea as Indian refiners pull back and European navies intercept vessels. France seized the tanker Grinch last week; two other Russia-bound tankers promptly turned around.
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But Russia isn’t Venezuela. It has a larger fleet, deeper reserves, and no post-Maduro moment forcing capitulation. Bringing Moscow’s oil revenues to heel will require sustained pressure—and possibly the kind of “kinetic sanctions” Ukraine has delivered through drone strikes on tankers and port infrastructure.
Rubio made the leverage calculation explicit: “That gives us tremendous leverage.”
Over Venezuela, that leverage was enough. Over Russia, it’s a start.
