Illustration by Hanin Nazifa
On Jan. 3, 2026, the United States launched a surprise military operation against Venezuela, which led to the capture and detainment of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores. The attack was not approved or known to congressional members for the purposes of protecting sensitive information of the mission from leaking, according to Public Broadcasting Service (PBS). Following the capture of Maduro, Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez had been sworn in as interim president. PBS recorded Rodríguez’s criticism of the surprise military operation and her call for Maduro’s release. While the U.S. military operation successfully captured the Venezuelan President and First Lady, it does not erase the weary tension between the two countries and leaves questions around sovereignty and economic control regarding the abundance of oil.
Despite the current tensions, the U.S. and Venezuela have not historically shared resentment towards one another. In fact, the U.S. recognized and established a diplomatic relationship with Venezuela back in 1835, according to U.S. Department of State. Since then, Venezuela has allowed U.S. companies to drill oil there, and before long, Venezuela had become a significant supplier of oil for the U.S., as reported by Al Jazeera. Al Jazeera added Venezuela maintained its diplomatic relationship with the U.S. and supplied up to two million barrels of oil per day in the late 1900s and early 2000s. However, their friendship had started to face distrust with Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez’s nationalization of oil in 2007, which assisted in control of foreign-owned oil fields and forced foreign companies, including the U.S., to transfer operational control back to Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA), according to The Guardian. The U.S. Congress corroborated the deepened tensions, citing that relations deteriorated under the increasingly authoritarian Hugo Chavez government.
U.S. and Venezuela’s relationship further suffered when Maduro was elected President on Apr. 19, 2013. His poor governance pushed Venezuela into an economic crisis, including record inflation and humanitarian crises which caused Venezuelans to flee the country, as mentioned in Council on Foreign Relations. U.S. and Venezuelan tensions further erupted during President Donald Trump’s 2016 presidency, when Maduro had been indicted in a narco-terrorism and cocaine trafficking conspiracy, according to
New York Times. The U.S. Department of State corroborated that fact and added that President Maduro had been additionally charged for possession and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices. The Department of State specifically mentioned Maduro’s involvement with the Cartel of the Suns, a Venezuelan drug-trafficking organization, and participation in narco-terrorism conspiracy with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), a designated foreign terrorist organization. Maduro’s leadership, often recognized as illegitimate, and actions impacting Venezuela and the U.S., have escalated tensions to the present, up to the controversial military operation and the capture of Maduro.
Venezuela, from an economic perspective, possesses a substantial amount of the world’s oil. Venezuela possesses an estimated 303 billion barrels of proven oil reserves, which represents a 17% share, according to Visual Capitalist. Despite its enormous share, Venezuela’s oil production currently represents only about 1% of global production. That is a drastic change, especially from its peak of 3.5 million barrels per day (7% of global production) in the 1970s, Visual Capitalist added. Political and technological restrictions are to blame for weakened output. Venezuela’s oil is among the heaviest and most viscous, according to Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, which subsequently makes extraction difficult and expensive. However, difficult extraction does not erase the contrast between Venezuela’s extraordinary abundance and languishing output, which positions Venezuela for external intervention. In fact, only days after the U.S.’ attack, President Trump announced Venezuela would be providing 30 to 50 million barrels of oil to the U.S., which could be worth nearly $3 billion, as reported in a PBS article. The administration additionally removed sanctions to enable the shipment and sale of Venezuelan oil to global markets, a strategic economic move to gain a foothold in Venezuela’s vast reserves, as reported in another PBS article. It is clear that the U.S. recognized an economic motive to take an interest in Venezuela, especially for the future where oil demand may exceed production.
While the expansion of Venezuela’s oil can offer economic benefits, it subsequently raises environmental and natural resource concerns, especially given the challenges in extracting and processing Venezuela’s heavier and viscous crude. In fact, Venezuela’s oil is so cumbersome to work with that it generates far more carbon dioxide emissions than lighter oils, according to The New York Times. Currently, Venezuela is responsible for less than 0.4% of total greenhouse gas emissions, but production of heavier oils, like the ones in Venezuela, can generate three to four times more emissions. Additionally, the New York Times warned about risks involving flaring, a process that releases carbon dioxide and methane, spills, and deforestation. The Center for Strategic and International Studies corroborated these risks, using PDVSA’s self-reported number of 46,000 oil spills between 2010 and 2016, and additionally noting that the number is likely higher as official reports stopped. They have additionally recognized Venezuela as ranking in the top seven countries for gas flaring, a significant contributor toward warmer global temperatures. These environmental risks will worsen if the U.S. pushes to increase oil production, according to Los Angeles Times. Specifically, they have recognized spills, gas leaks, and dilapidated infrastructure, and caution against increased production, which will cause increased emissions and spill risks. While discussions around increased production remain active, economic pressure ultimately creates environmental consequences for Venezuelans to bear, not international buyers.
While the recent U.S. operation in Venezuela obviously touched economic and environmental perspectives, U.S. politics and geopolitics are additional relevant perspectives in the matter, considering most of the U.S. Congress had no prior notice of such an attack. Constitutionally, a president alone cannot execute such an operation. The Constitution leaves that power to Congress, in accordance with the 1973 War Powers Act, according to CNBC. The secret operation split congressional republicans and democrats alike, with republicans largely celebrating while democrats condemned the attack, CNBC added. Perhaps, even more pressing matters have to do with Venezuela’s sovereignty, lack of confidence in the United Nations (UN), and the loss of lives in the country. The U.S. capture of Venezuelan Maduro and Flores serves as an attack on Venezuela’s sovereignty and a violation of international law. In fact, Al Jazeera said the attack is in clear violation of the core norm of the UN Charter. Article two, paragraph four, essentially reads that member states may not threaten or use force against another state’s territorial integrity or political independence. While there may be exceptions for self-defense, that is not our case here.
The most tragic impact of the attack can be attributed to the 32 Cuban soldiers who were killed, according to another piece from Al Jazeera. Even if these killings were unintentional, it does not automatically make the pain easier on soldiers’ families and South American communities. The concealment of the operation, which received some praise, additionally raised questions around power, accountability, and Maduro and Flores’ release. Currently, Maduro and Flores remain in U.S. custody at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, New York, according to CBS News. They have additionally pleaded not guilty to the drug trafficking and related charges against them, extending their detention until at least their next court date, March 17, CBS added. While the situation continues to unfold, recent updates have not confirmed a potential release, adding uncertainty to the situation.
Despite many U.S. officials defending the operation for strategic reasons, the aftermath of the attack, including economic benefit, environmental harm, and violation of sovereignty, has directed attention and deepened geopolitical tensions. Even with the successful capture of Maduro, the unilateral nature of the attack and U.S. control of Venezuela raises questions around Venezuela’s future and independence
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