Venezuela said on Sunday (December 21) that a Chevron-chartered tanker carrying Venezuelan heavy crude oil had departed for the United States, despite strained relations between the two countries.

A video on Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez' social media account shows a man standing next to the Canopus Voyage tanker saying: "Setting sail on the tanker Canopus Voyage owned by the Chevron company with 500,000 barrels of 'Special Hamaca Blend', bound for Texas, United States, in compliance with international agreements."

On her post, Rodriguez also emphasized Venezuela's respect for national and international laws.

Reuters was able to confirm the tanker as Canopus Voyager from the vessel IMO, structures and utility pole which matched file images.

Reuters was not able to independently verify the location or date of the footage. Ship tracking data shows Canopus Voyager departed from Jose Terminal in Venezuela on Sunday (December 20).

Reuters was not able to confirm the identity of the man, however he was wearing a shirt bearing the title, “Pilot” and National Institute of Aquatic Spaces (INEA) logo.

The U.S. Treasury Department granted Chevron a new license in late July allowing it to operate in the sanctioned South American country and export its oil, a policy shift from more strict rules the Trump administration had imposed earlier this year.

But on Sunday (December 21) tension between the U.S. and Venezuela grew when officials said the U.S. Coast Guard was pursuing an oil tanker in international waters near Venezuela, in what would be the second such operation this weekend and the third in less than two weeks if successful.

Chevron exported some 252,000 barrels per day (bpd) of Venezuelan oil to the U.S. in the first quarter, about 29% of the OPEC country's total.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

UNIDENTIFIED MAN SAYING TANKER CANOPUS VOYAGE OWNED BY CHEVRON COMPANY SETTING SAIL FOR TEXAS, UNITED STATES

Verified by:

-Vessel IMO, structures and utility pole matched file images

-Location and date could not be independently verified

-Ship tracking data shows Canopus Voyager had departed from Jose Terminal on Saturday (December 20)

RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT

SHOWS: UNKNOWN LOCATION (RELEASED DECEMBER 21, 2025) (ORIGINALLY SHOT IN PORTRAIT) (DELCY RODRIGUEZ VIA INSTAGRAM - No Archive / No Resale / Must on-screen courtesy Delcy Rodriguez via Instagram)

1. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) UNIDENTIFIED MAN ON A BOAT NEXT TO TANKER CANOPUS VOYAGE, SAYING:

"Good afternoon, setting sail on the tanker Canopus Voyage owned by the Chevron company with 500,000 barrels of 'Special Hamaca Blend', bound for Texas, United States, in compliance with international agreements and, above all, with the agreements established by Chevron. The Venezuelan state thus fulfils its commitments."