Trump’s Hollow Victory in Venezuela
Months of military posturing, judicial accusations, oil tanker seizures, and psychological operations by the United States against Venezuela ultimately culminated in a military assault and the abduction of President Nicolás Maduro. However, the reaction from the power structure in Caracas has demonstrated that contrary to Trump’s narrative, neither surrender nor any genuine shift in the power equation has materialized.
The coordinated American operation, which involved massive aerial bombardment of Caracas and the detention of Maduro along with his wife, was presented by President Donald Trump as a decisive victory against what he termed narcoterrorism in Latin America. Yet evidence emerging from Venezuela suggests this claimed triumph may be far more superficial than the White House portrays.
The Venezuelan government structure has remained operational despite Maduro’s removal. Key figures including Vice President Delcy Rodríguez, Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino, and National Assembly President Jorge Rodríguez continue to maintain their positions in Caracas. This reality stands in stark contrast to Trump’s assertions of complete control over Venezuela’s future.
Former National Security Advisor John Bolton, despite being a critic of Trump, acknowledged this critical gap in the operation’s success. He noted that while Maduro was captured, the Venezuelan government apparatus remains intact, suggesting the operation achieved only a symbolic victory rather than a strategic transformation of power.
The military operation itself involved extraordinary resources. According to U.S. military sources, more than 150 aircraft from 20 different bases participated in what was code-named Operation Absolute Resolve. The assault targeted military installations and missile systems throughout Caracas in the early hours of January 3, 2026.
Trump’s public statements following the operation revealed ambitious plans that extend far beyond simply removing Maduro from power. He declared that the United States would manage Venezuela until what he described as a safe and orderly power transition could occur, without specifying how or when this might happen. He conspicuously did not rule out the deployment of ground forces.
The operation’s underlying motivations appear to be multifaceted. Venezuela possesses the world’s largest proven oil reserves, estimated at approximately 303 billion barrels, representing 17 percent of global reserves. Despite years of mismanagement and sanctions that reduced production to minimal levels, this enormous potential remains untapped. Trump explicitly invited major American oil companies to return to Venezuela and rebuild its deteriorated petroleum infrastructure.
International reactions have been sharply divided. Russia condemned the attack as a violation of international law and a threat to global peace and stability. The Venezuelan Foreign Ministry characterized the American strikes as a blatant violation of the United Nations Charter. Meanwhile, several Latin American nations have expressed concerns about the precedent this unilateral military action establishes.
Within the United States itself, the operation has generated controversy. Democratic Senator Rubén Gallego, himself a Marine Corps veteran who served in Iraq, categorically described the Venezuela operation as illegal and the second unjustified war of his lifetime. Senator Brian Schatz emphasized that the United States has no vital national interest in Venezuela that would justify warfare.
Questions have emerged about Trump’s failure to consult Congress before launching the military operation. According to CNN sources, the Senate Armed Services Committee was not briefed before the strikes commenced. Some lawmakers have insisted they should have been consulted prior to military action, as required by constitutional processes.
The drug trafficking justification offered by the Trump administration for the intervention has been widely questioned. Venezuela is not a significant producer of fentanyl or other opioids driving the overdose crisis in America. What cocaine it does produce primarily flows to Europe rather than the United States. Critics point to the paradox of Trump simultaneously attacking Venezuela for narcotics while pardoning Juan Orlando Hernández, the former Honduran president who ran an extensive drug trafficking network during his 2014-2022 tenure.
The Venezuelan power structure’s resilience challenges Trump’s narrative of total victory. Vice President Rodríguez publicly declared that Venezuela would never become a colony of any nation and that Maduro remains the country’s only legitimate president. This defiant stance, despite Maduro’s detention, indicates that the operation may have removed a figurehead without dismantling the actual governing apparatus.
Analysts suggest the coming days will be critical in determining whether the United States seeks to maintain a prolonged military presence in Venezuela or attempts to install a compliant transitional government. The absence of a strong, unified opposition leader in Venezuela complicates any transition plans. Trump himself acknowledged that María Corina Machado, the opposition figure who won the Nobel Peace Prize, lacks the capacity to govern the country at present.
The humanitarian implications remain uncertain. Venezuela’s oil industry requires massive investment to restore production capabilities that deteriorated under years of sanctions and underinvestment. While Trump has maintained that oil sanctions will remain in place until changes serving American interests occur, he simultaneously claimed his intervention would improve conditions for Venezuelan citizens.
From a broader geopolitical perspective, the Venezuela operation may serve as a template for how the Trump administration intends to reassert American dominance in what it considers its sphere of influence. The revival of the Monroe Doctrine’s imperial logic, combined with willingness to use military force unilaterally, sends signals to other nations in Latin America and beyond.
The legal and ethical questions surrounding the operation extend beyond immediate military concerns. International law scholars note that kidnapping a head of state from sovereign territory without a UN mandate or legitimate legal process represents a dangerous precedent that could destabilize international norms governing state behavior.
As the situation continues to develop, the gap between Trump’s triumphalist rhetoric and the complex reality in Venezuela grows increasingly apparent. Whether this operation ultimately succeeds in achieving American strategic objectives or becomes another example of military overreach with unforeseen consequences remains to be determined by events in the coming weeks and months.