Trump relaunched the Monroe Doctrine and the United States resumed hemispheric leadership.
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By Martín Voss, for The Daily Right.
The year 2026 began with the outbreak of a crucial conflict in modern geopolitics. On January 3, the United States carried out military operations in Venezuela aimed at ending the regime led by Nicolás Maduro, marking a turning point in the country's political crisis. The decision came after many years of great institutional, economic and social deterioration, reconfiguring the regional scenario
.
The capture of the dictator Maduro was presented by Washington as an action aimed at restoring political order and facilitating a transition, in line with its historic role as a guarantor of hemispheric balance. A role that the United States had abandoned, giving priority to the value chain of the Middle East and Asia. The Trump Administration takes up the Monroe Doctrine
.
In this context, it is pertinent to analyze the events that led to the operation, the actions of the actors involved and the resulting energy and commercial implications, since, without a doubt, we are dealing with one of the most important military operations in the history of the United States.
Donald Trump.
Operation Absolute Resolution
The United States carried out “Operation Absolute Resolve”, which consisted of the deployment of more than 150 aircraft (F-18, F-22 and F-35) from twenty land and sea bases, responsible for dismantling and disabling Venezuelan air defense systems of Iranian origin through selective bombing
.
These actions allowed U.S. forces to enter the country and proceed with the arrest of Nicolás Maduro, who was transferred - together with his wife - into custody outside Venezuelan territory. It is estimated that the operation left 32 Cuban and 24 Venezuelan soldiers dead, while the United States suffered no casualties
.
Trump said that “Venezuela will be free”, after one of the most turbulent regimes in Latin American history. He also announced the closure of El Helicoide, the largest detention and torture center in the country
.
It should be noted that during the Maduro regime, more than 7.7 million Venezuelans left the country, the economy accumulated a contraction of more than 75% and hyperinflation eroded purchasing power. In the area of human rights, there were thousands of arbitrary arrests and hundreds of deaths in protests. In addition, poverty reached 90% and the Venezuelan people tried to displace them from power democratically on three occasions, which were not recognized by the regime itself
. Donald Trump and Nicolas Maduro.
U.S.
Strategy and Power Reaction From the
perspective of the United States, the operation responded to a hemispheric security strategy aimed at eliminating a source of instability and transnational crime. Trump maintained that his country “will not tolerate dictatorships that destroy nations and export chaos,” while officials of his administration indicated that the action sought to ensure an orderly political transition and protect the
civilian population.
It is also important to note that the extra-continental powers - Russia and China - have been gaining strategic weight in the American continent, especially in Venezuela in recent years, which represents a threat to regional security.
In parallel, the reaction of those nations was immediate: the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs declared that the United States “violated international law” and demanded the release of Nicolás Maduro and respect for Venezuelan sovereignty. For its part, the Russian government described the intervention as an “armed aggression” and expressed its “deep concern”, demanding clarification from Washington.
Energy and commercial impact
The U.S. operation had an immediate impact on markets and on energy expectations linked to Venezuela. After the capture of Nicolás Maduro, the Caracas Stock Exchange registered an increase of close to 50%, while country risk fell by approximately 3,800 points, reflecting an abrupt reduction in the perception of political
and financial risk.
In parallel, President Donald Trump affirmed that the United States will play an active role in the reorganization of the Venezuelan oil sector, with the objective of making the most of resources that were not being exploited, or that were illegally used by extraregional actors.
Donald Trump, President of the United States.
Conclusion
The historic U.S. operation in Venezuela represents a turning point in the competition for global hegemony. The end of the Maduro regime redefines regional balance and reinforces the role of the United States as a central actor in Latin American stability, by articulating hemispheric security, political transition and energy dimension
.
However, the consolidation of this process will depend on the ability of the U.S. government to maintain order, avoid power vacuums and manage the reaction of external actors.
It
is also relevant to note that more than half of Venezuela's crude oil exports last year went to China. Although official Chinese numbers show a discrepancy, they have managed to import huge quantities through ghost fleets and by falsifying the location signs of ships when
they set sail.
Now, the Asian giant must replace this huge import of Venezuelan oil, resulting in a possible benefit from the sale of energy by Russia.
The geopolitical strategy being carried out by the United States is framed in the Monroe Doctrine: no extra continental power within America. President Trump has relaunched the Doctrine through its now famous corollary, even calling it the “Donroe Doctrine”. In fact, we will have to keep an eye on the US's progress on Canada and Greenland in the coming weeks
.
From South America, and particularly, from Argentina, we must accompany this policy, which brings us closer to the recovery of the Malvinas and to the control of the South Atlantic. Anyone who does not agree on this line defends the permanence of European control over our seas
