Deposed Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife appeared in a federal court in New York City on Monday, following their capture by U.S. forces over the weekend in a military operation in the Venezuelan capital of Caracas.
Following the operation, President Donald Trump said that the U.S. would "run" Venezuela for an unspecified "period of time."
Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez has been sworn in as interim leader to lead the country after what the Venezuelan Supreme Court described as Maduro's "kidnapping."
U.S. Southern Command said in an X post Wednesday that another vessel was seized in the morning in international waters in the Caribbean.
"The interdicted vessel, M/T Sophia, was operating in international waters and conducting illicit activities in the Caribbean Sea. The U.S. Coast Guard is escorting M/T Sophia to the U.S. for final disposition," it said in the post, which included a video of the vessel.
Video released by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem shows the Motor Tanker Sophia being apprehended in international waters near the Caribbean, Jan. 7, 2026.
@Sec_Noem/X
-ABC News' Luis Martinez
Jan 07, 2026, 8:14 AM EST
US moves to seize oil tanker in North Atlantic, sources say
The U.S. launched an operation to seize the Marinera oil tanker -- formerly known as the Bella-1 -- which has been linked to Venezuela and is currently in the North Atlantic, according to three sources familiar with the operation.
The operation is being carried out by the U.S. Coast Guard and other military assets. Russian military vessels were in the area as the situation unfolded.
The vessel tanker Bella 1 at Singapore Strait, after U.S. officials say the U.S. Coast Guard pursued an oil tanker in international waters near Venezuela, in this picture taken from social media on March 18, 2025.
Hakon Rimmereid via Reuters
The U.S. Coast Guard has been tracking the tanker for the last two weeks after attempting to seize it on Dec. 20 when the empty ship was in the Caribbean and apparently headed to Venezuela.
On Dec. 31 the Russian Maritime Register of Shipping listed the ship -- with the new name of Marinera -- as a Russian vessel. The ship's crew also painted a Russian flag on the ship's side.
The Bella-1 previously flew a false Panamanian flag and was listed as part of Russia's so-called "shadow fleet," which Moscow is accused of using to evade international sanctions. The vessel was already under U.S. sanctions for carrying Hezbollah-owned cargo and for providing a form of support to the Iranian regime.
-ABC News' Luis Martinez and Luke Barr
Jan 07, 2026, 7:39 AM EST
US oil execs to meet Trump at White House, official says
U.S. oil executives are expected to meet with President Donald Trump at the White House on Friday to discuss investments in Venezuela, a White House official confirmed to ABC News.
-ABC News' Mary Bruce
Jan 07, 2026, 5:19 AM EST
Gabbard praises 'flawless' US operation to seize Maduro
Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard on Tuesday praised U.S. service members and intelligence personnel following the seizure of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.
A man holds a picture of ousted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro during a rally in support of Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, in Caracas, January 6, 2026.
Federico Parra/AFP via Getty Images
In a post to X, Gabbard wrote, "President Trump promised the American people he would secure our borders, confront narcoterrorism, dangerous drug cartels and drug traffickers."
"Kudos to our servicemen and women and intelligence operators for their flawless execution of President Trump's order to deliver on his promise thru Operation Absolute Resolve," she added.
Gabbard, who ran for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2020, previously argued the United States should not intervene in Venezuela and has criticized what she has called U.S. led "regime-change" wars.
In January 2019, Gabbard wrote, "The United States needs to stay out of Venezuela. Let the Venezuelan people determine their future. We don't want other countries to choose our leaders -- so we have to stop trying to choose theirs."
In remarks last year, she described Trump's foreign policy as a break from what she called the "old Washington way of thinking," arguing that decades of U.S. foreign policy centered on regime change and nation-building had "held us back for too long."
She said the administration has replaced "toppling regimes" with a pragmatic and deal-focused approach, emphasizing security, prosperity and direct diplomacy.
