'AMERICA IS BACK’: OIL, FORCE, AND THE RISK OF RETALIATION
- CM Kaiser
- Jan 4
- 3 min read
Updated: Jan 13
On Saturday January 3rd, the United States launched air and military strikes in oil-rich Northern Venezuela including areas near the capital, Caracas. The alleged purpose of this attack was to seize the nation’s President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, in connection with longstanding U.S. allegations of narco-terrorism. The two were transported to New York and are expected to face charges by the Department of Justice.
The operation followed months of pressure from the U.S., including air and naval strikes against Venezuelan vessels and expanding U.S. military presence in the region, suggesting this was a part of an extended campaign rather than an isolated incident.
The United Nations and multiple international leaders criticized the vessel strikes leading up to the operation, raising serious concerns about international law violations and the use of force without clear legal justification. Volker Türk, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, warned that killings carried out during military operations must meet strict legal standards and that actions lacking such justification risk constituting unlawful use of force under international law.
President Trump has stated that the U.S. intends to “run” Venezuela, a country with one of the biggest oil resources in the world, during a so-called transition period. He has also suggested the possibility of a continued U.S. military presence there to “enforce control”.
“It’s not drugs, it’s not security, it’s not freedom – it is oil, it’s the mines, it’s the land.” - Samuel Moncada, Ambassador of Venezuela quoting Simón Bolívar, the 19th-century Latin American independence leader and statesman.
Donald Trump appeared to reinforce these concerns at a press conference on Saturday,
"We're going to have our very large U.S. oil companies, the biggest anywhere in the world, go in, spend billions of dollars, fix the badly broken infrastructure, the oil infrastructure, and start making money for the country,".
He further claimed that Venezuela had “stolen” U.S. oil and “took it over like it was
nothing [...] This constituted one of the largest thefts of American property in the history
of our country.”, despite the absence of any international ruling supporting that
assertion.
Criticism from other countries in the region has raised alarms about instability,
escalation, and potential for retaliation. Venezuelan officials warned that continued
armed attacks could prompt the country to invoke its right to self-defense under international law. Analysts, politicians, and regional actors have publicly warned that the U.S. action in Venezuela increases the risk of counter-attacks, retaliation, and broader regional unrest.
Andy Kim, a former State Department employee, warned, “It puts Americans at risk in
Venezuela and the region, and it sends a horrible and disturbing signal to other powerful leaders across the globe that targeting a head of state is an acceptable policy for the U.S. government.”
Notably, there was no congressional authorization for the use of military force.
Representative Nick Langworthy (NY-23) issued a statement praising President Trump’s “decisive action”, framing it as “restoring order” and “defense of peace through
strength”. His statement ignored the heightened risk to American safety with retaliation, nor did it acknowledge the bypassing of congressional authority and longstanding democratic norms.
Sources
ABC News. “Venezuela Live Updates: Trump Details U.S. Military Action After Strikes Near Caracas.” ABC News,
January 2026.
Associated Press. “U.S. Strikes Venezuela as Explosions Rock Caracas.” AP News, January 2026.
Axios. “World Leaders React to Maduro’s Capture After U.S. Military Action.” Axios, January 3, 2026.
The Guardian. “U.S. Politicians React to Capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.” The Guardian, January
3, 2026.
Langworthy, Nick. Statement on U.S. Action in Venezuela. Facebook post, January 2026.
NBC4 Washington. “U.S. Will Look to Tap Venezuelan Oil Reserves, Trump Says.” NBC4 Washington, January 2026.
Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). Annual Statistical Bulletin 2025.
United Nations. “Human Rights Chief Warns Against Use of Force Without Legal Justification.” UN News, December
2025.
United Nations. “U.S. Strikes in Caribbean and Pacific Breach International Law, Says UN Human Rights Chief.” UN
News, October 2025.
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