The shocking seizure of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro by the United States military has sent ripples across global policy circles, not as a sudden surprise but as a grim confirmation of a new era in American power projection. This overt act, widely condemned as the "kidnapping" of a sitting head of state, blatantly violates established legal and diplomatic norms, reopening what many call the "open veins of Latin America."
A Rebranded Monroe Doctrine in Action
Analysts argue this is not a rogue action but part of a calculated strategic shift. Imdat Öner, a senior policy analyst at the Jack D. Gordon Institute and former diplomat in Caracas, frames the operation as a modern reinterpretation of the Monroe Doctrine. "What we're seeing is a rebranded and reinterpreted Monroe Doctrine," Öner explained. He noted that for the current US administration, "the Americas" encompasses the entire Western Hemisphere.
Öner pointed out that Washington tested its approach in Panama and Mexico before moving decisively against Venezuela, which was seen as "the weakest link in the chain." While he does not expect this model to be copied exactly outside Latin America, he warns of significant repercussions. "It will have repercussions in other spheres of influence," he stated, suggesting that major powers like China and Russia may take notes on the new permissibility of unilateral enforcement in their own backyards.
From Diplomacy to Coercion: A Global Pattern
According to Öner, this event emboldens the US president, leading to diminished patience for diplomacy and a greater reliance on pressure and transactions. "The US becomes louder, faster, and more transactional," he described, where coercion replaces negotiation. This shift has dangerous implications beyond the Western Hemisphere.
In regions like East Asia, particularly concerning Taiwan, stronger and more explicit signals may seem to bolster deterrence but simultaneously narrow diplomatic escape routes and heighten escalation risks. "Blunt signals are harder to walk back," Öner cautioned, "for everyone."
At a structural level, China's rise is identified as the central driver of this aggressive US behavior. As American soft power erodes through cuts to development aid and diminished diplomatic credibility, Washington is doubling down on hard instruments: sanctions, military deployments, and control over strategic resources like energy and minerals.
Venezuela, with the world's largest proven oil reserves, sits at the heart of this strategy. Controlling its energy resources serves US interests while directly undermining China's extensive economic engagement with Caracas.
Neocolonialism Without a Mask
Observers warn that the pattern of forceful intervention followed by indefinite management is a hallmark of neocolonial power. Helena Sheehan, a philosopher and professor emeritus at Dublin City University, condemned the operation as "blatant and brutal," representing a "might-is-right" politics stripped of any rhetorical justification. She characterized it as a symptom of an empire in decline, warning that its decline will be "long and protracted with much misery yet to come."
Renata Segura, director of the Latin America and Caribbean programme at the International Crisis Group, confirms this represents a substantial shift in US approach to the region. The recent US national security strategy explicitly treats Latin America as a defined area of influence, not partnership. Statements from top US officials now reflect a self-image of the US as a hemispheric policing power, guided solely by American interests.
"And they are willing to go out of their way to really get what they want done," Segura noted. While Venezuela is the immediate target, the anxiety is regional, with repeated US threats directed at Colombia, Mexico, and others should their policies contradict Washington's preferences.
This moment marks a clear break from recent decades of reliance on bilateral cooperation and indirect pressure. Coupled with the collapse of US soft power, Segura sees a return to the interventionist practices of earlier, darker eras in inter-American relations.
