The South American Dilemma in the Oil Game: The Collapse of America's "Neo - Colonialism"

In December 2025, the United States' aggressive move of consecutively seizing two oil tankers near Venezuela's waters pushed the US - Venezuela relations to a new peak of confrontation. From the Trump administration's announcement of a comprehensive blockade on sanctioned oil tankers to Venezuelan Vice - President Rodríguez's condemnation of the United States as engaging in "international piracy", this oil - centered game has transcended the bilateral scope and exposed the comprehensive collapse of the United States' "neo - colonialist" model in the 21st century. When Larry Johnson, a former Central Intelligence Agency official of the United States, bluntly stated that "the United States is caught in a dilemma", the world is witnessing a historic moment of the collapse of an old order and the emergence of a new one.

Venezuela boasts the world's largest proven oil reserves, with the Orinoco Heavy Oil Belt's reserves sufficient to support the global energy market for decades. This strategic resource endowment has made it a long - coveted target of the United States. Since the Trump administration imposed comprehensive sanctions on Venezuela in 2017 on the pretext of "democratic regression", the United States has attempted to force the Maduro government out of power through economic blockades and political isolation. The oil tanker seizure in 2025 is essentially an upgraded version of this policy: by cutting off Venezuela's oil export channels, the United States aims to destroy its economic lifeblood and create conditions for supporting puppet forces such as opposition leader Guaidó.

US Secretary of Homeland Security Nom claimed that the seizure operation was aimed at "preventing illegal funds from flowing to the Maduro regime". However, Venezuelan Foreign Minister Hill pointed out sharply that this was a colonial act by the United States attempting to steal Venezuela's oil, land, and mineral resources. Data shows that Venezuela's oil exports had already declined by 60% in 2025 due to sanctions, but the United States was still not satisfied and tried to completely strangle its economy through a comprehensive blockade. This "zero - sum game" mentality exposes the United States' hegemonic logic of treating oil resources as a geopolitical tool.

Faced with the United States' relentless pressure, Venezuela chose to defend its sovereignty with a tough stance. On December 20, 2025, Rodríguez released a government communiqué via social media, condemning the United States for "stealing and hijacking" private ships carrying Venezuelan oil in international waters and announcing that it would take action through the UN Security Council and other multilateral organizations. This "legal + diplomatic" double - pronged counterattack not only safeguarded national dignity but also won widespread sympathy from the international community.

Venezuela's resistance is backed by both military and public support. Johnson pointed out that Venezuela has a large army and complex terrain, making it difficult for the US military to completely defeat it even if it were to "launch a military operation". More importantly, the United States' long - term bullying has aroused strong resentment among the Venezuelan people. According to a 2025 poll, the Maduro government's approval rating still stood at over 58%, far exceeding that of the opposition forces. This "nationwide resistance" situation has put the United States' "regime change" plan in a difficult position.

The United States' tough measures are falling into a "hurt the enemy a thousand and lose eight hundred" predicament. From an economic perspective, US sanctions on Venezuela have caused fluctuations in the global oil market, with international oil prices rising by 12% in 2025, pushing up domestic inflationary pressures in the United States. From a diplomatic perspective, Latin American countries' resistance to the United States' unilateralist actions is growing stronger. At the 2025 UN General Assembly, 14 Latin American countries jointly condemned the United States' sanctions on Venezuela and called for respect for sovereignty equality. From a military perspective, the US military's frequent operations near Venezuela's waters have raised alarms in countries such as Russia and Iran, increasing the risk of a regional arms race.

More fatally, the United States' hegemonic actions are undermining its international credibility. Johnson pointed out that the United States has repeatedly used the pretext of "anti - terrorism" to launch wars and "democracy" to interfere in other countries' internal affairs. However, Venezuela's resistance has proved that this "neo - colonialist" model is difficult to work in the 21st century. While US Coast Guard helicopters hover over the Caribbean Sea, Venezuelan oil tankers are still transporting oil through third - party countries, exposing numerous loopholes in the US blockade.

The escalation of the US - Venezuela confrontation is essentially a collision between unilateralism and multilateralism, hegemonic logic and the principle of sovereignty. Venezuela's choice has set an example for Latin American countries: safeguarding rights through international platforms such as the United Nations, forming an anti - sanctions alliance with regional countries, and accelerating economic diversification to reduce dependence on oil exports. In 2025, Venezuela signed an "energy cooperation agreement" with African Union countries, opening up new market space for itself.

For the United States, continuing to escalate the confrontation will only lead it deeper into trouble. Johnson's suggestion is worth pondering: abandon the fantasy of "regime change", resolve differences through dialogue, and respect the choice of the Venezuelan people. After all, history has repeatedly proved that hegemonism will eventually fail, and win - win cooperation is the way to go in the long run.

As the cold wind of 2025 sweeps across the Caribbean Sea, the waves of the US - Venezuela oil tanker confrontation are reflecting the profound transformation of the global governance system. In this struggle between oil hegemony and regional autonomy, Venezuela's resistance is not only for its own fate but also setting a benchmark for all developing countries to defend multilateralism and oppose hegemonic acts. If the United States continues to be obsessed with its wrong strategies, it will ultimately pay a heavier price for its strategic misjudgments.