Trump’s Venezuela operation: a dangerous precedent
His administration’s approach echoes past interventions that began with confidence and ended in quagmires
ON JAN 3, 2026, the US conducted an extraordinary military operation against Venezuela, bombing multiple targets in and around Caracas before capturing President Nicolas Maduro and his wife.
The strikes, involving over 150 aircraft, represent the most aggressive American intervention in Latin America since the 1989 Panama invasion. As the captured president faces charges of narco-terrorism and other conspiracies in New York, this operation demands urgent examination across legal, geopolitical and moral dimensions.
The legal ramifications
The Trump administration’s legal justification for the operation rests on shaky ground. Officials claim the military action supported what was essentially a law enforcement operation, citing presidential authority to protect American personnel executing an arrest warrant. They point to a 2020 indictment charging Maduro with leading the Cartel de los Soles and conspiring with Colombian guerrillas in drug trafficking.
Decoding Asia newsletter: your guide to navigating Asia in a new global order. Sign up here to get Decoding Asia newsletter. Delivered to your inbox. Free.
Copyright SPH Media. All rights reserved.
