The stunning U.S. military operation on January 3, 2026, that captured Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, was not merely a counternarcotics raid or an act to remove a dictator who had illegally assumed power after losing an election. It was a deliberate strike against the emerging multipolar world order. By removing Maduro from power, bringing him to face justice in New York on narco-terrorism charges, and signaling direct U.S. influence over Venezuela’s vast oil reserves, President Trump has sent an unmistakable message: The United States will not tolerate a global landscape where adversaries like China, Russia, and Iran carve out spheres of influence at America’s expense.
For years, champions of multipolarity have celebrated a world where power was held not just in Washington, but Beijing, Moscow, and other capitals across the globe, thereby fostering “balance” and reducing U.S. dominance and dependence. Venezuela, the holder of the world’s largest proven oil reserves at over 300 billion barrels, became a key battleground in this vision.
Sanctions-battered and desperate, under Maduro, Caracas deepened ties with China (its largest oil buyer), Russia (a military and economic backer), and Iran (a partner in evading sanctions). These arrangements directly undermined U.S. interests, particularly in confronting China. By taking in the bulk of Venezuela’s roughly 1 million barrels per day of oil, Beijing reduced its reliance on Middle Eastern chokepoints and blunted U.S. leverage over global energy markets. The result was a strategic foothold for China in the Western Hemisphere, with Russia and Iran benefiting as junior partners able to press American influence from close range.
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