The US-Maduro Mission Was a Consequence of Trade War

The China and Russia Problem

Here’s where the story gets interesting. Since the mid-2000s, China has poured over $100 billion in loans into Venezuela in exchange for guaranteed oil shipments—classic “oil-for-loans” deals that secured energy supplies for the world’s largest oil importer while giving Beijing a strategic foothold in America’s backyard. Venezuela became a key component of China’s energy diversification strategy, an insurance policy against U.S. control over global shipping lanes.

Russia, meanwhile, sold billions in military hardware to Caracas, invested heavily in joint oil ventures, and used its UN Security Council veto power to shield Maduro from international pressure. For Moscow, Venezuela was a low-cost way to project power into the Western Hemisphere and stick a thumb in America’s eye. The U.S. has been watching this alliance deepen for years, watching China and Russia gain influence over a resource-rich nation just hours from the U.S. mainland. Trump himself invoked the Monroe Doctrine, declaring Venezuela is “in our area” and needs to be brought “back.” Translation: Get out of our hemisphere. This oil is ours now.

The “Narco-Terrorism” Smokescreen

Don’t get it twisted—Maduro’s regime was corrupt. The drug trafficking allegations? Probably true. Venezuela under his rule became a failed state, and the humanitarian crisis was real. But let’s not pretend that’s why Delta Force stormed Caracas at 2 a.m. The narco-terrorism indictment is the legal justification, but it’s not the strategic motivation. It’s the cover story that allows the U.S. to bypass Congress entirely. By framing this as a “law enforcement operation” rather than an act of war, the administration avoided the messy constitutional requirement of getting Congressional approval for military action. Senator Mike Lee argued the President was simply “protecting those executing a valid arrest warrant”—a creative interpretation of executive power that sets a terrifying precedent.

If this was really about fighting drugs, why aren’t we invading every other narco-state? Why not launch special ops raids in parts of Mexico controlled by cartels? Why not go after other corrupt leaders trafficking narcotics? Because those countries don’t have 303 billion barrels of oil and strategic value in a great power competition. The indictment gives the operation a veneer of legality. It lets officials stand in front of cameras and say, “We’re just enforcing the law.” But make no mistake—this is imperialism with a federal warrant.

Natural Resource Sovereignty: The End Game

Let’s zoom out for a second and look at what’s really happening here.

This isn’t about spreading democracy. This is about resource control in an era of renewed great power competition. The U.S. isn’t acting as the world’s police force—it’s acting as a global resource empire, using military force to secure strategic assets and deny them to rivals.

As Trump openly stated, the plan is for American oil companies to rebuild Venezuela’s collapsed energy infrastructure and essentially run the industry. The administration framed this as a win-win: Venezuela gets a functioning oil sector again, the U.S. gets access to massive reserves, and American taxpayers don’t foot the bill because it’ll all be paid for with future oil revenues. Sounds great, right?

Except that this completely obliterates the concept of national resource sovereignty—the principle that a nation’s natural resources belong to its people and should be controlled by its government, not foreign powers. It’s the same logic that justified colonialism: “You can’t manage your own resources properly, so we’ll do it for you.” Venezuela’s oil industry did collapse under Maduro. Production plummeted from over 3 million barrels per day in the 1990s to around 921,000 bpd by 2024—a staggering 70% decline. Corruption, mismanagement, and underinvestment destroyed what was once a world-class energy sector.

But here’s the uncomfortable question: does the failure of one government to manage resources justify a foreign military invasion to seize control of those resources? Because if the answer is yes, that opens the door to a very dangerous world.

Potential Conflict Over Taiwan

Now here’s where the plot thickens. Venezuela isn’t just about oil for oil’s sake. It’s about positioning for a potential conflict with China over Taiwan. Think about it: if the U.S. and China go to war over Taiwan, what happens? The Strait of Malacca gets blockaded. Asian sea lanes shut down. Global energy markets collapse. Oil prices skyrocket. The U.S. military machine needs fuel, and so does the American economy.

By securing Venezuela’s 303 billion barrels, the U.S. gains a massive, geographically proximate energy buffer that’s completely insulated from any Indo-Pacific conflict. It’s an insurance policy for World War III.

At the same time, it’s a direct blow to China’s energy security. Venezuela was a critical part of Beijing’s strategy to diversify oil supplies away from Middle Eastern sources that pass through U.S.-controlled chokepoints. China had been settling oil purchases from Venezuela in yuan, not dollars—a direct challenge to the petrodollar system that underpins American economic dominance.

Now that oil is under U.S. control. Sure, Trump said China can still buy it, but on America’s terms, not as a strategic partnership with a friendly regime. This is “Monroe Doctrine 2.0″—securing the Western Hemisphere before potentially engaging in a two-theater great power conflict. It’s about making sure the U.S. home front is locked down before the real fight begins in Asia.

Why Russia & China Are Furious

Both China and Russia immediately condemned the operation as a violation of international law and an act of aggression. Beijing called it a “hegemonic act.” Moscow demanded Maduro’s release. The UN Secretary-General said he was “deeply alarmed.” But the real reason they’re pissed isn’t about international law or Venezuelan sovereignty. They’re pissed because they lost.

For two decades, China and Russia cultivated Venezuela as a strategic ally in the Americas. They invested billions, provided diplomatic cover & built economic dependency. And in one night, the U.S. wiped it all out with overwhelming military force. The message is clear: your economic partnerships mean nothing if we decide to act. Your investments aren’t safe. Your proxies can’t be protected. This isn’t just about Venezuela. It’s a demonstration of raw American power and a warning shot to Beijing and Moscow: we will use military force to secure our interests, and there’s nothing you can do about it.

It’s also a massive strategic loss for them. China’s $100 billion in loans? Now subject to renegotiation with whatever U.S.-friendly government gets installed. Russia’s military sales and oil joint ventures? Dead. Their leverage in the Western Hemisphere? Obliterated. In the zero-sum game of great power competition, the U.S. just scored a major victory—and it came at the direct expense of its rivals.