Trump's Deposition of Maduro: A Strategic Pivot for the Western Hemisphere

On January 3, 2026, U.S. forces conducted a military operation in Venezuela, resulting in the capture of President Nicolás Maduro and the effective end of his regime.

energypolicy.columbia.edu

This action, directed by President Donald Trump, marks a significant escalation in U.S. foreign policy toward Latin America. Beyond immediate regime change, the move addresses longstanding concerns about foreign influence in the region, while promising humanitarian, security, and economic benefits. By removing Maduro, the U.S. aims to neutralize Russian and Chinese footholds close to its borders, alleviate a massive refugee crisis, enhance national security, and foster a prosperous trading partner in Venezuela. This fits into a broader Trump administration strategy to reassert U.S. dominance in the Western Hemisphere, as evidenced by actions in Panama and alliances with leaders like El Salvador's Nayib Bukele.

Countering Undeniable Russian and Chinese Influence

Russia and China have maintained substantial presences in Venezuela for years, using economic and military ties to expand their influence in the Western Hemisphere. Russia provided Venezuela with loans exceeding $17 billion, often repaid in oil, and supplied advanced weaponry, including air defense systems.

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Trump's on a dictator demolition derby – Maduro's in the can, so naturally the crosshairs swing stateside. Walz gets "retired" first (indictment incoming, mark my words), Newsom's sweating his California castle crumbling next. And Ilhan Omar? She's gotta be the most panicked person in Congress right now – passport ready, eyeing that flight back to Somalia before expulsion or worse hits.

Trump's making tyrants – foreign and domestic – dismantle themselves one epic fail at a time.

Here is how Fox News reported it.

[X] SB – Fox News on Tim Walz not seeking re-election

Fall from grace. Several progressive ideas. Obama’s attention. Twitter. Kamala Harris. Running mate.

Introduced at the convention, called himself a knucklehead. Billions stolen. No 3rd term.

Walz hit Trump.

Colder meaner place. Poison. Attacking our neighbors.

98% of arrestees were Somalis.

Drag on the party nationally…

What’s next? Will Walz resign? The problems is that nothing will change, as they will only replace Walz with another stooge

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This will be our first full week of the new year. And what’s funny is all the news that is

Now the world knows how Democrats play the game. And we know the game is rigged.

Forget draining the swamp, when all you needed to do was close the border. That was the first domino to fall in the exposure—and ultimate destruction-- of the Democratic Party.

[X] SB – Woman explains how Trump crackdown on illegals

Minnesota is the boilerplate for how Democrats have tried to destroy America. Remember Agenda 21? Well, we are seeing it unfold.

Bring in millions of illegals under the guise of asylum. Encourage them to live in enclaves and not assimilate. They build a massive voting bloc, then you assign leadership. Once leadership is assigned, you fund their grifts and ensure that money comes back to the Democratic Party to rinse and repeat.

In the case of Minnesota, it’s easy to spot how the game has unfolded.

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