Why in news?

The capture of Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro by US forces on January 3 has reignited debate over a return of overt US interventionism, raising concerns about doctrine-driven military action and its global implications.

The episode recalls former US Secretary of State Colin Powell’s famous caution — “If you break it, you own it” — coined during the 2003 Iraq War. The audacious operation underscores the risks of ownership that follow forceful regime interventions.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• Trump’s Policy U-Turn
• Why Venezuela: The Oil Factor?
• The Monroe Doctrine: From Anti-Colonial Principle to Interventionist Tool
• MAGA Pushback: Disquiet Over Renewed US Interventionism
• Venezuela’s Uncertain Endgame

Trump’s Policy U-Turn

• US President Donald Trump, once a critic of the Iraq invasion and a self-proclaimed peacemaker upon taking office a year ago, has reversed course.
• He justified the operation as being in line with an over 200-year-old foreign policy agenda set under the Monroe Doctrine of 1823, which warned European powers not to interfere in the affairs of the Western Hemisphere.
• Trump has reasserted this doctrine—recently rebranded by him—as a guiding principle, marking a sharp departure from decades of US administrations that kept it largely dormant.
• The shift was signalled in the new US security strategy released last month.
• Pattern of Escalating Military Action
  • The Maduro operation fits a broader trend over the past year of expanded US military assertiveness:
    • Airstrikes ordered in Syria and Nigeria
    • Threats of intervention amid protests in Iran
    • Earlier 2025 actions targeting Iranian nuclear facilities, drug-trafficking boats in the Caribbean, Houthi forces in Yemen, militants in Somalia, and Islamic groups in Iraq
  • Together, these moves point to a worrying reassertion of unilateral military power, with Venezuela’s intervention serving as the clearest signal yet that US interventionism is back—this time with oil and hemispheric dominance at its core.

Why Venezuela: The Oil Factor?

• Venezuela holds the largest proven crude oil reserves in the world—over 300 billion barrels, roughly one-fifth of global reserves, according to the US Energy Information Administration (EIA).
• Despite this, Venezuela produces only ~1 million barrels per day, about 0.8% of global output, highlighting a stark gap between potential and realisation.
• Chevron is the only foreign oil major with exposure to Venezuelan crude, positioning US interests uniquely within the country’s energy sector.
• Trump’s Oil-Centric Agenda
  • US President Donald Trump has made oil central to his rationale.
  • He stated that the US would take control of Venezuela’s reserves and deploy American companies to invest “billions of dollars” to refurbish broken oil infrastructure and ramp up production.
• Criticism and Allegations
  • Critics say the intervention is mainly about taking control of Venezuela’s oil resources.
  • They have described the move as “straight up theft,” arguing that ignoring Venezuela’s massive oil reserves hides the real reason behind the action.
  • Some analysts also believe the move may help shift attention away from domestic political problems in the US, while allowing Washington to assert control over a valuable energy asset.

The Monroe Doctrine: From Anti-Colonial Principle to Interventionist Tool

• Named after former US President James Monroe, the Monroe Doctrine began as a symbolic 19th-century declaration opposing new or expanded European involvement in the Americas after colonial rule.
• Over time, the United States broadened its interpretation, treating Latin America as a strategic sphere of influence.
• This shift turned the doctrine into a key justification for US political and military interventions across South and Central America for decades—often criticised by scholars as an alibi for meddling in the region’s internal affairs.
• While recent US administrations had largely distanced themselves from this approach, President Donald Trump has revived and reinforced it, aligning with right-leaning governments such as Argentina’s and opposing left-wing leadership in countries like Brazil.
• Historically, the doctrine’s legacy is stark: between 1898 and 1994, the US intervened to change governments in Latin America at least 41 times, ostensibly to protect American interests and counter communism.

MAGA Pushback: Disquiet Over Renewed US Interventionism

• US President Donald Trump’s move against Venezuela has triggered unease within his Make America Great Again (MAGA) base, which supported him on the promise of ending “never-ending wars” and avoiding new overseas entanglements.
• Trump’s assertion that a US team would work with Venezuelans to effectively “run the country” until a transition is achieved has raised fears of prolonged American involvement, contradicting core MAGA expectations.

Venezuela’s Uncertain Endgame

• It remains unclear whether the US will occupy Venezuela or back a US-approved leadership in Caracas.
• While President Donald Trump hinted at cooperation from interim President Delcy Rodríguez, she quickly denounced the US action.
• The survival of the post-Maduro government, the absence of US troops on the ground, and deep political divisions complicate any transition—especially with oil at stake.
• The disputed 2024 election, claims of victory by Edmundo González, and the sidelining of María Corina Machado add to uncertainty. The coming weeks will be decisive.