In a dramatic escalation of US foreign policy, Donald Trump ordered airstrikes on Venezuela and the abduction of its leader, Nicolás Maduro, along with his wife, in early 2026. Trump declared that the US would 'run' the country and sell its oil, marking a further departure from international norms.
The operation followed a pattern of aggressive actions, including airstrikes on boats off Central America and the seizure of Venezuelan oil tankers on the high seas. The US justified the abduction by citing an indictment against Maduro for drug trafficking and corruption, though experts regard the evidence as flimsy.
Trump, emboldened by the success of the operation, expressed no fear of deploying ground forces in Venezuela. His administration portrayed the move as 'bringing Maduro to justice', but Trump's own statements emphasised economic motives, stating that the US would 'sell large amounts' of Venezuelan oil.
The intervention drew comparisons to the 1989 US invasion of Panama and the 2003 Iraq war, highlighting a pattern of US administrations bending international law. Critics argue that this represents a 'Putinization' of US foreign policy, where might makes right, undermining the rules-based global order.
