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The United States Coast Guard is now in active pursuit of a third oil tanker linked to Venezuela’s sanction-evasion network, a bold move that should make every patriot proud that our government is finally enforcing the rule of law on the high seas. This latest target — publicly identified by reporting as the Bella 1 — reportedly sailed under a false flag and was the subject of judicial seizure orders, showing that intelligence and legal tools are being used together to choke off Maduro’s lifeline.
This action follows two recent interdictions — the seizure of the Skipper and the boarding of the Panamanian-flagged Centuries — operations that disrupted millions of barrels of crude headed to backers of the Maduro regime. Those moves sent a clear message that the United States will no longer tolerate a shadow “dark fleet” that smuggles oil to hostile actors and bankrolls repression; Americans who demand accountability should applaud that posture.
On Fox & Friends First, former Deputy National Security Advisor Victoria Coates discussed the legal framework for these seizures, correctly pointing out that when vessels operate under false flags or to evade sanctions they are no longer anonymous pirates but targets for lawful interdiction. Conservatives understand that national security requires decisive action — when the courts and military work together to uphold sanctions, that’s not lawlessness, it’s the restoration of order against kleptocrats and their criminal networks.
Critics on the left and some isolationist voices will howl about escalation, but let’s be blunt: Venezuela’s oil has bankrolled narcoterrorism, corruption, and the Castro-Maduro axis that props up anti-American actors in the hemisphere. Choking off those revenues is a strategic blow that weakens dictators and their patrons, protects regional stability, and reduces the flow of funds to Iran-linked networks that have long exploited Venezuela’s resources.
Yes, there are risks — any kinetic or law enforcement operation at sea carries consequences — and some Republicans have urged caution about inadvertent escalation. Those are reasonable cautions, but they cannot be a cover for paralysis; prudence plus resolve beats weakness every time. The proper response is to back our Coast Guard and law enforcement, ensure clear legal authorities, and keep pressure on Maduro until free Venezuelans can reclaim their country.
Americans should demand a coherent strategy: use every lawful tool to stop illicit oil flows, expose and sanction the networks that enable tyranny, and refuse to let darkness at sea become a safe haven for enemies of freedom. This administration has chosen to act, and patriots who love liberty should stand with those who bring accountability to corrupt regimes instead of lecturing from the sidelines while foreign thugs get richer.
