US Strikes Venezuela: Maduro Captured, Global Reactions Ensue
In a series of stunning early morning operations, the United States military captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, on Saturday, January 3, 2026. The raid marked a significant shift in US foreign policy, provoking global reactions ranging from condemnation at the United Nations to expert predictions of a chilling new era of Trump Corollary
doctrine.
International Reaction and Regional Impact
The US was denounced for a crime of aggression
at an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council. Nine countries including Brazil, China, Colombia, Cuba, Eritrea, Mexico, Russia, South Africa, and Spain condemned the attack. The operation and subsequent assertion by the US Department of State declaring the Western Hemisphere a sphere of influence has forced regional governments to reassess their relationships with China and Russia.
Trump's audacious action, which some have dubbed the Donroe Doctrine,
a modern version of the Monroe Doctrine, has not only put socialists worldwide on notice but also signaled a more assertive approach to the region. This change in stance is likely to test China's influence in Latin America significantly, say analysts.
The Nature of the US Intervention
The intervention, which some experts have labelled a spectacle of empire, was not met with a universally positive response. Critics argue that the Trump administration did not think through the nation-building exercise that it now appears to be stuck in.
Despite counter-arguments that Trump's actions were necessary and lawful, drawing from historical precedents like the 1983 invasion of Grenada and the 1989 invasion of Panama, critics assert that this move signifies a definitive collapse of the post-war international order. The intervention is seen as the US replacing diplomatic norms with raw power.
Repercussions and Potential Targets
In the aftermath of the operation, US President Donald Trump issued stark warnings to Venezuela's interim leader, Delcy Rodríguez, and Colombian President Gustavo Petro. Trump's threats have sparked speculation about whether other nations in the region, such as Cuba and Mexico, or even Greenland, might be next.
The unfolding situation in Venezuela has also prompted some to question Trump's oil drilling objectives, drawing parallels with Iraq, where oil production took years to recover.
Looking Forward
While the situation continues to evolve, the US is experiencing both internal and international pushback. Some American politicians, such as Democratic Senate minority leader, Chuck Schumer, warn that the US is on the brink of being dragged into a fresh conflict.
Internationally, the American political scientist Francis Fukuyama has urged NATO and EU countries to stop appeasing the president. Meanwhile, the secretary of the Decolonial International Network Foundation, Sandew Hira, predicted that Maduro could emerge as an enduring political symbol like Simon Bolivar, Fidel Castro, and Che Guevara.
As the world awaits the next chapter in this saga, one thing is certain: the US's audacious move has stirred up international dynamics in an unprecedented way.