United States President Donald Trump (left) and President of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro (right).
Andrew Cabellero-Reynolds via Heute.at
A few days into the new year, the United States (U.S) launched a large-scale military strike on Venezuela and captured President Nicolás Maduro on Jan. 3, 2026. While many jump in celebration of Maduro’s absence, U.S President Donald Trump’s oversight over this South American country will only cause more setbacks.
Operation “Absolute Resolve”, coined by Trump, has been an ongoing escalation of military presence near and within Venezuela. Prior to Maduro’s capture, the U.S. military conducted heavy attacks on alleged drug-trafficking boats in the Caribbean Sea. Even though many of these boats were merely just ordinary fishermen.
Trump has vowed to completely “run” Venezuela for their oil reserves and to expand his control of Latin America and its resources. Among the many Venezuelans who are relieved and hopeful for their country to be free of Maduro’s control, others are afraid that this invasion will create a war that no citizen should have to witness.
For someone that was once keen to “stop all wars and bring a new spirit of unity” to the world, it is clear that President Trump’s intentions haven’t even brushed the surface of truth. Instead of trying to occupy Venezuela without the consent of congress, the U.S government should prioritize improving the lives of its people who are struggling to make ends meet.
Grocery prices have been skyrocketing, with the cost of food increasing by 2.4 percent within the last year. After spending $31 million per day towards military operations in Venezuela, millions should also be used towards alleviating education, food and health disparities as well.
The overnight capture of Maduro combined with the ringing explosions that have killed more than 100 people in Venezuela has left neighboring countries fearing who will be the next target. The largest island in the Caribbean, Cuba, lost 32 citizens As a result of this gut-wrenching operation.
Additionally, Puerto Rico has found itself in the middle of this conflict due to the revival of U.S military bases and facilities on the island. As loud jets and drones soar through the sky, Puerto Ricans had to bear the temporary closure of all flights to and from the U.S mainland until Jan. 4, 2026.
The U.S invasion in Venezuela appears to be just the beginning of Trump’s alarming foreign policy plans. He has threatened to take Greenland, Cuba and Mexico. Trump’s end goal is to have the U.S be the dominant nation in the entire Western hemisphere, an imperialistic aspiration that puts several governments and their citizens at severe risk.
The current acting president of Venezuela is Delcy Rodriguez, who has claimed to have more tolerance towards political rivals and to be a peaceful unifier. However, armed U.S militias continue to roam the streets and thousands of Venezuelan citizens remain imprisoned by the Venezuelan government, despite Rodriguez’s promise to release more political prisoners.
With everything in mind, it is uncertain if Venezuela and its citizens will achieve democracy after more than a decade under Maduro’s dictatorship. As this country faces deep political instability and humanitarian crises, U.S intervention will hardly make matters better in the future.
The opinions expressed by the columnist are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of The News Record. If you have any concerns or feedback, please feel free to reach out at editor@newsrecord.org.