The U.S. has moved from pressure tactics to direct military intervention in Venezuela, capturing its head of state. This is explicitly linked to a new 'Trump corollary to the Monroe Doctrine,' which reasserts U.S. dominance in the Western Hemisphere and signals a willingness to use force to counter extra-hemispheric rivals like China.
The U.S. plan centers on seizing control of Venezuela's dilapidated oil sector. By enforcing a naval quarantine and exclusively marketing Venezuelan crude, the administration aims to stabilize the country's economy on its own terms and use control over oil flows, particularly to China, as a powerful strategic lever.
China was surprised by the U.S. operation and had already been reducing its exposure to the failing Maduro regime. While Beijing is expected to diplomatically oppose the U.S. and attempt to frustrate its long-term plans, its immediate options are limited, and it has historically avoided direct military or security entanglements in the region.
The U.S. has outlined a three-phase plan for Venezuela: economic stabilization, political recovery, and eventual transition to elections. This approach prioritizes stability under a U.S.-backed interim authority over immediate democratic legitimacy, presenting a significant and complex nation-building challenge.
Keep pulling the thread on Ryan Berg.