The U.S. Coast Guard over the weekend was “in active pursuit of a sanctioned dark fleet vessel that is part of Venezuela’s illegal sanctions evasion,” an official told ABC News. “It is flying a false flag and under a judicial seizure order,” the official said at the time.

Tanker loading in Venezuela dwindled on Monday, following U.S. action against two more ships and as state-run energy company PDVSA struggles to recover from a cyberattack.

On Saturday, the US Coast Guard boarded Centuries, a ship owned by a Hong Kong-based entity, the first non-sanctioned vessel to be targeted. A day later, it was chasing the Bella 1, en route to Venezuela to pick up crude.

The operation comes as the administration carries out Trump’s order to blockade Venezuela’s oil shipments.

Maduro’s government has called the U.S. behavior “theft” and “an act of international piracy,” and filed a complaint with the United Nations Security Council. Maduro also ordered the Venezuelan navy to escort tankers headed to Asia.

President Donald Trump is gathering with top national security officials on Monday, a meeting that comes as the U.S. Coast Guard steps up efforts to interdict oil tankers in the Caribbean Sea as part of the Republican administration's escalating pressure campaign on Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro's government.

The U.S. campaign to topple President Nicolás Maduro is stranding Venezuelans around the world, compounding the misery of a beleaguered population.

President Trump wants Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro to leave office. If he doesn't, the US has two choices: regime change by force, or withdrawal.