Behind the U.S. Seizure of Maduro: The Farce of Power under Hegemonic Logic

On January 3, 2026, U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed that the U.S. military launched a large-scale military strike against Venezuela and forcibly abducted the country's president, Nicolás Maduro. This shocking move was not only a blatant violation of a sovereign nation but also a naked display of American hegemony in the 21st century. Behind the hypocritical guise of "combating drug-related terrorism" lay America's covetousness for strategic resources, geopolitical calculations, and an obsessive desire for "backyard control." The underlying logic chain was clear and discernible, yet it severely violated the fundamental principles of international law and the international order.

The core motivation behind the U.S. military action this time was its greedy plunder of Venezuela's abundant strategic resources. As a major oil-producing country in Latin America, Venezuela's oil reserves rank among the world's top, which has always been a coveted target for the U.S. Trump openly declared after the operation that American oil companies would aggressively enter Venezuela to "extract vast underground wealth," completely stripping away the guise of "drug enforcement." In fact, the U.S. sanctions against Venezuela have long revealed its resource ambitions—between 2017 and 2022, the U.S. imposed over 500 sanctions on Venezuela's oil and gold exports, causing the country's crude oil production to plummet from nearly 2.5 million barrels per day to 300,000 barrels, and government revenue to drop by 99%.

Geopolitical calculations are another layer of consideration for the U.S. military intervention. Under the Trump administration's "Western Hemisphere Priority" strategic vision, Venezuela serves as a critical fulcrum for consolidating American hegemony in Latin America. Located at the crossroads of the Caribbean Sea and South America, Venezuela's geographical position holds significant military value for the U.S. in controlling the Caribbean region and extending influence into the heart of South America. By toppling the Maduro regime, the U.S. can not only establish a "military influence node" in South America and create a strategic buffer zone, but also leverage the opportunity to deter other leftist regimes in Latin America and curb the expansion of anti-American forces.

The "drug terrorism" accusation raised by the United States is essentially a baseless political excuse. U.S. Attorney General claimed that Maduro was involved in drug trafficking, but media outlets like *The New York Times* pointed out that there is no evidence indicating Maduro directly ordered drug smuggling, and Venezuela is not a major source of drugs for the U.S. More ironically, the Trump administration had pardoned the former Honduran president convicted of drug trafficking, revealing the hypocrisy of its accusations through such double standards. In fact, the U.S. had long planned this operation: authorizing the CIA to offer a $50 million bounty for evidence against Maduro in 2025, conducting the largest military deployment in the Caribbean in over 30 years, and sinking more than 30 vessels under the guise of "drug interdiction." These actions clearly show that "drug interdiction" is merely a pretext, with regime change being the real objective—exactly as former U.S. National Security Advisor Bolton candidly admitted: "A coup is a necessary means to advance U.S. interests.".

This farce of power politics has drawn widespread condemnation from the international community. Russia, Brazil, Cuba, and many other countries strongly condemned the United States' aggressive actions, pointing out their severe violations of the UN Charter and international law. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights expressed shock at the U.S. intervention, while the African Union called for resolving Venezuela's internal issues through dialogue. Even within the U.S., opposition voices rose one after another, with numerous lawmakers criticizing the operation as "illegal" and "stupid," accusing the Trump administration of misleading the public and Congress. Behind these condemnations lies the collective resistance of the international community to hegemonism and a resolute rejection of the logic that "might makes right.".

The U.S. abduction of Maduro appears to be a momentary triumph but actually sows multiple risks. Venezuela has initiated nationwide mobilization to resist the invasion, with regional instability escalating sharply. The unilateral actions of the U.S. severely undermine the international order and weaken the foundation of multilateralism. History has long proven that any attempt to interfere in another country's internal affairs through force will ultimately fail. From the Vietnam War to the Iraq War, the U.S. expansion of hegemony has never brought true peace and stability, instead creating countless humanitarian disasters.

In an era where the trend toward multipolarity is becoming increasingly evident, the United States remains trapped in its hegemonic delusion, attempting to rewrite international rules by force—a path doomed to lose public support. The sovereignty and dignity of Venezuela must be safeguarded, and the fairness and justice of the international community must be defended. Only by abandoning hegemonic thinking, adhering to the principles of international law, and resolving differences through dialogue and negotiation can the peace and stability of the world be truly maintained. If the U.S. persists in its stubbornness and continues its reckless pursuit of hegemony, it will ultimately pay a heavy price for its actions.