Trump claims Maduro was captured by US special forces but it is not clear if he is alive.
Venezuella government should appont a hardline successsor to Maduro to ensure continuity of government and policy.
This attack on Venezuela and use of special forces to either snatch Maduro or kill him underlines that Trump and the Epstein circle are out of control.
There is no strategic gain to the USA in targetting Maduro when Venezuela s government and society looks set to continue the same policies.
From media
By
Choi Ji-hui
Published 2026.01.03. 21:10
After explosions and the sound of low-altitude flights are heard on the 3rd local time in Caracas, Venezuela, smoke rises from La Carlota Airport./Courtesy of AP
After explosions and the sound of low-altitude flights are heard on the 3rd local time in Caracas, Venezuela, smoke rises from La Carlota Airport./Courtesy of AP
The United States on the 3rd (local time) finally carried out a military intervention by airstriking Caracas, the Venezuelan capital, and capturing President Nicolás Maduro. This is the second overseas use of direct force by the Trump second-term administration, following last June's strike on Iran's underground nuclear facilities.
On the surface, the operation touted a crackdown on drug cartels, but the prevailing analysis is that it is underpinned by the "Donroe Doctrine," aimed at blocking China's influence in Latin America and cementing U.S. hegemony.
U.S. President Donald Trump at the start of this year declared war on Venezuelan drug cartels, including Trendearagua (TdA), and has maintained military pressure. U.S. forces struck suspected drug-running vessels in the Caribbean more than 30 times, causing over 105 deaths, and last month expanded the target area to land by attacking Venezuelan port facilities with drones.
The United States went further by launching a surprise airstrike on the capital, Caracas, and taking the drastic step of arresting President Maduro. U.S. foreign policy experts say this reflects a judgment that a mere naval blockade or economic sanctions are insufficient to topple an entrenched leftist regime. Trump earlier designated the Maduro regime as a "foreign terrorist organization" and hinted at the possibility of a ground operation.
In diplomatic circles, the strike is seen as a signal that the Trump administration's new foreign policy, the "Donroe Doctrine," has entered the implementation phase. The Donroe Doctrine is a concept that inherits and expands the 19th-century Monroe Doctrine, which excluded European interference and defined the Americas as a U.S. sphere of influence. It is in the same vein as the White House's National Security Strategy (NSS) released last month, which placed the Western Hemisphere as a top strategic priority.
This is interpreted as a move to keep China in check, as it has expanded its influence in Latin America by increasing investment in Venezuela, Panama, and Cuba. It amounts to a strong warning that Washington will no longer stand by as China expands its reach in the Western Hemisphere, the United States' backyard.
Some suggest the operation targets Venezuela's oil resources, which are the world's largest reserves. Trump has accused the Maduro regime of diverting illegally seized oil field revenue to finance terrorism, a remark that can be read as contemplating the restoration of interests once held by Western major oil corporations that were nationalized.
Backlash to the U.S. airstrike is expected to be intense. The Venezuelan government immediately said it would bring the matter to the U.N. Security Council, and neighboring countries such as Colombia and Cuba issued critical statements. In particular, because civilian casualties during the strikes on suspected drug vessels in September last year sparked "war crimes" controversy, analysts say that any civilian or U.S. military casualties from this strike could become a political burden for the Trump administration ahead of the November midterm elections.
https://biz.chosun.com/en/en-international/2026/01/03/P44OMNYTANFBZOIXGLOLIERTFA/
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