{"id":1579,"date":"2026-01-07T10:02:29","date_gmt":"2026-01-07T10:02:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/spmiasacademy.com\/currentaffairs\/?p=1579"},"modified":"2026-03-10T06:01:52","modified_gmt":"2026-03-10T06:01:52","slug":"us-attack-on-venezuela-implications","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/spmiasacademy.com\/currentaffairs\/us-attack-on-venezuela-implications\/","title":{"rendered":"US Attack on Venezuela and Abduction of Nicolas Maduro: Strategic, Legal, and Geopolitical Implications"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Why in the News:<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In an extraordinary and unprecedented military operation, the <strong>United States<\/strong> announced that it had captured and flown out Venezuelan President <strong>Nicol\u00e1s Maduro<\/strong>. The US attack on Venezuela, reportedly named <strong>\u201cAbsolute Resolve<\/strong>, marked one of the most dramatic regime-change actions in modern international relations. According to official statements, the US intends to temporarily oversee Venezuela\u2019s administration until a transition of power is completed. In this article, we will discuss everything related to the US attack on Venezuela<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This development has immense significance for <strong>UPSC, APSC, and other competitive examinations<\/strong>, particularly under <strong>International Relations, International Law, Internal Security, and World Geography<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Background of <\/strong>US attack on Venezuela<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>US-Venezuela Relations:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Relations between the United States and Venezuela have remained strained for more than two decades. Washington has <strong>never formally recognised Nicol\u00e1s Maduro\u2019s presidency<\/strong>, citing alleged electoral irregularities, democratic backsliding, and human rights violations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Since 2019, the US has imposed <strong>severe economic sanctions<\/strong> on Venezuela. It has also recognised opposition leadership as legitimate representatives. Moreover, the US also accused the Maduro regime of <strong>narco-terrorism and transnational crime<\/strong>. The abduction of Maduro represents the <strong>culmination of sustained diplomatic, economic, and military pressure<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>US-Venezuela Relations: Key Developments:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Overall trajectory:<\/strong> Diplomatic relations between the <strong>United States<\/strong> and <strong>Venezuela<\/strong> have remained <strong>strained throughout the 21st century<\/strong>, despite periods of cooperation in the late 20th century.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Turning point (1999):<\/strong> Relations deteriorated sharply after <strong>Hugo Ch\u00e1vez<\/strong> assumed office. He adopted a <strong>socialist and anti-imperialist<\/strong> political stance, explicitly opposing US influence.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Coup allegations (2002):<\/strong> Tensions escalated when Venezuela accused the <strong>George W. Bush administration<\/strong> of backing the <strong>2002 attempted coup<\/strong> against Ch\u00e1vez.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Diplomatic expulsions (2008):<\/strong> Relations worsened further when Venezuela <strong>expelled the US ambassador<\/strong>, expressing solidarity with Bolivia after similar accusations against a US envoy there.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Temporary improvement (2009):<\/strong> Ties briefly improved under <strong>Barack Obama<\/strong>, though this rapprochement proved <strong>short-lived<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Renewed friction (2014):<\/strong> Subsequently, Venezuela expelled <strong>three US diplomats<\/strong>, accusing them of promoting domestic unrest.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>2019 presidential crisis:<\/strong> Relations reached a breaking point when <strong>Nicol\u00e1s Maduro<\/strong> severed diplomatic ties after <strong>Donald Trump<\/strong> recognized <strong>Juan Guaid\u00f3<\/strong> as interim president.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Post-Guaid\u00f3 phase (2023):<\/strong> Although the US stopped recognizing Guaid\u00f3 after the dissolution of his interim government, it <strong>continued to recognize the 2015 elected National Assembly<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Security focus (2025):<\/strong> During Trump\u2019s second term, the US <strong>deported alleged members of Tren de Aragua<\/strong> to El Salvador\u2019s <strong>CECOT prison<\/strong> and designated <strong>Tren de Aragua <\/strong>and<strong> the Cartel of the Suns as terrorist organizations<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Military escalation (Sept 2025):<\/strong> The US initiated <strong>airstrikes on suspected drug-running boats<\/strong> amid a broader <strong>military buildup in the Caribbean Sea<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Finally in<strong> January, 2026<\/strong>, the US conducted a <strong>direct military operation<\/strong>, capturing <strong>Nicol\u00e1s Maduro and his wife<\/strong> and transferring them to <strong>New York<\/strong>, marking an unprecedented escalation in bilateral conflict.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>These points together illustrate a <strong>gradual but persistent decline<\/strong> in US-Venezuela relations. It is shaped by ideology, sovereignty disputes, security concerns, and regime-legitimacy conflicts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Details of this US Attack on Venezuela &#8211; Operation \u201cAbsolute Resolve\u201d:<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The US administration confirmed that the operation involved:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Night-time, lightning-fast military strikes<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Coordinated action by <strong>US Armed Forces and Law Enforcement<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Missile strikes on alleged <strong>drug-smuggling vessels<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Precision attacks in <strong>Caracas, Miranda, Aragua, and La Guaira<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>According to unnamed officials cited by international media, at least 40 people were killed due to this US attack on Venezuela. The Venezuelan authorities claim higher casualties. The operation has been described as the <strong>riskiest US military action since the killing of Osama bin Laden in 2011<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Legal Authority and International Law Concerns:<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>One of the most contentious aspects of the operation is its <strong>questionable legality<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Key Legal Issues:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>No clear <strong>UN Security Council authorisation<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Potential violation of <strong>Article 2(4) of the UN Charter<\/strong> (use of force against sovereignty)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Questionable invocation of <strong>self-defence against drug trafficking<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>The United Nations and several international law experts have raised serious objections, arguing that drug trafficking does not constitute an armed attack justifying military invasion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Comparison with the 1990 US Invasion of Panama:<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The operation has drawn immediate parallels with the <strong>1990 US invasion of Panama<\/strong>. It led to the arrest of <strong>Manuel Antonio Noriega<\/strong> on drug trafficking charges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The similarities with the Venezuelan incident are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Sitting head of state captured<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Drug-related charges as justification<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>US to install interim governance<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Widespread international criticism<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>However, unlike Panama, <strong>Venezuela holds far greater strategic importance<\/strong> due to its energy reserves and geopolitical positioning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Narco-Terrorism: Meaning and Context:<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What is Narco-Terrorism?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Narco-terrorism refers to the <strong>use of drug trafficking proceeds to finance terrorist or insurgent activities<\/strong>, or collaboration between drug cartels and armed political groups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>In this context, the US allegations are:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Maduro regime allegedly collaborated with <strong>drug cartels<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Cocaine shipments routed through the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Use of state institutions to protect trafficking networks<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Maduro and his wife <strong>Cilia Flores<\/strong> were indicted in New York under <strong>narco-terrorism conspiracy charges<\/strong>, first filed in 2020 and recently expanded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Venezuela\u2019s Supreme Court Response:<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Following this US attack on Venezuela and Maduro\u2019s forced removal, the <strong>Constitutional Chamber of Venezuela\u2019s Supreme Court<\/strong> appointed <strong>Vice President Delcy Rodr\u00edguez<\/strong> as acting president.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The court stated that:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The move was necessary to ensure <strong>administrative continuity.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It aimed to safeguard <strong>national sovereignty.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A legal framework would be developed for governance during the \u201cforced absence\u201d of the president.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>This raises serious questions about <strong>constitutional legitimacy under foreign military intervention<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Geographical Location of Venezuela and Its Strategic Importance:<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Venezuela is located on the <strong>northern coast of South America<\/strong>, bordered by:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Colombia<\/strong> to the west<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Brazil<\/strong> to the south<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Guyana<\/strong> to the east<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Caribbean Sea<\/strong> to the north<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Strategic Significance of Venezuela:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Proximity to <strong>US maritime trade routes<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Gateway to the <strong>Caribbean Sea<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Critical location in <strong>South American geopolitics<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Influence over <strong>regional energy security<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Oil Reserves in Venezuela &#8211; The Energy Angle:<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Venezuela holds the <strong>largest proven oil reserves<\/strong> in the world, even surpassing Saudi Arabia. However, despite this enormous resource base, the country today earns only a fraction of the revenue it once generated from crude oil exports.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>As of <strong>2023<\/strong>, <strong>Venezuela\u2019s proven oil reserves<\/strong> are estimated at about <strong>303 billion barrels<\/strong>, placing it at the top globally. In comparison, <strong>Saudi Arabia<\/strong> ranks <strong>second<\/strong> with around 267.2 billion barrels, followed by <strong>Iran<\/strong> (208.6 billion barrels) and <strong>Canada<\/strong> (163.6 billion barrels). Together, these four countries account for more than half of the world\u2019s total proven oil reserves.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>By contrast, the <strong>United States<\/strong> holds approximately <strong>55 billion barrels<\/strong>, ranking <strong>ninth<\/strong> globally. This stark difference highlights that Venezuela\u2019s oil reserves are more than five times larger than those of the United States, underscoring a paradox where vast resource abundance has not translated into sustained economic gains.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Key Facts:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Major reserves located in the <strong>Orinoco Belt<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Crude oil is <strong>extra-heavy<\/strong>, requiring advanced refining<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Oil sector controlled by state company <strong>PDVSA<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Chronic underinvestment due to sanctions<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>The US announcement that it would <strong>\u201ctap Venezuela\u2019s vast oil reserves\u201d<\/strong> has intensified accusations that the intervention is <strong>resource-driven rather than humanitarian<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Venezuela\u2019s Orinoco Belt and Oil Production:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Primary oil hub:<\/strong> Venezuela\u2019s oil reserves are <strong>largely concentrated in the Orinoco Belt<\/strong>, a vast hydrocarbon-rich region in the eastern part of the country, covering <strong>around 55,000 sq. km<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Operational control:<\/strong> Oil production in this region is <strong>predominantly managed by PDVSA<\/strong>, the state-owned oil giant, which controls most extraction and upstream activities in the Orinoco Belt.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Structural challenges:<\/strong> However, PDVSA has <strong>long struggled with ageing infrastructure, underinvestment, mismanagement, and international sanctions<\/strong>, significantly constraining Venezuela\u2019s capacity to fully utilise its oil potential.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Export performance:<\/strong> As a result, Venezuela\u2019s crude oil exports remain <strong>remarkably low<\/strong>. According to the <strong>Observatory of Economic Complexity<\/strong>, the country exported only <strong>USD 4.05 billion worth of crude oil in 2023<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Global comparison:<\/strong> This figure is <strong>far below major oil exporters<\/strong> such as Saudi Arabia (USD 181 bn), the United States (USD 125 bn), and Russia (USD 122 bn), highlighting Venezuela\u2019s underperformance despite vast reserves.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Refined products:<\/strong> In addition to crude oil, Venezuela exports <strong>limited quantities of refined petroleum products<\/strong> like gasoline and diesel. However, these exports remain <strong>well below potential<\/strong> due to outdated refineries, technical bottlenecks, and sanctions.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Together, these points underline a <strong>paradox of abundance<\/strong>. Venezuela possesses immense oil reserves, yet structural, technical, and geopolitical constraints continue to limit its oil production and export capacity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Why Have Venezuela\u2019s Oil Exports Dwindled Over Time?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Foundational role:<\/strong> To begin with, Venezuela was a <strong>founding member of OPEC<\/strong>, joining it on <strong>14 September 1960<\/strong>, and actively participated in coordinating global oil supply and prices.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Era of export strength:<\/strong> Subsequently, Venezuela emerged as a <strong>major global oil exporter<\/strong>, especially after the creation of <strong>PDVSA<\/strong> in 1976 and the nationalisation of foreign oil companies.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Strong US linkage:<\/strong> During the <strong>late 1990s and early 2000s<\/strong>, Venezuela supplied <strong>around 1.5\u20132 million barrels per day<\/strong> to the <strong>United States<\/strong>, making it one of America\u2019s largest foreign oil suppliers.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Policy shift after 1998:<\/strong> However, oil exports began to decline after <strong>Hugo Ch\u00e1vez<\/strong> assumed power in 1998 and <strong>restructured the oil sector<\/strong> by nationalising assets, reshaping PDVSA, and prioritising domestic and political objectives over export efficiency.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Operational decline:<\/strong> At the same time, <strong>political instability, mismanagement within PDVSA, and chronic underinvestment in infrastructure<\/strong> reduced production capacity and weakened export competitiveness.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Worsening under Maduro:<\/strong> The situation further deteriorated under <strong>Nicol\u00e1s Maduro<\/strong>, as governance challenges deepened and oil-sector performance continued to fall.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Impact of US sanctions:<\/strong> Moreover, the <strong>Trump administration imposed US sanctions<\/strong> in <strong>2017<\/strong>, which were <strong>tightened in 2019<\/strong>, severely restricting Venezuela\u2019s ability to sell crude to the US and access international financial markets.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Collapse of US exports:<\/strong> As a direct consequence, <strong>oil exports to the United States virtually ceased<\/strong>, ending a decades-old energy relationship.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Shift to alternative buyers:<\/strong> Consequently, Venezuela redirected much of its oil trade towards <strong>China<\/strong>, which became its largest buyer, along with other countries such as <strong>India<\/strong> and <strong>Cuba<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Overall, Venezuela\u2019s oil export decline reflects a <strong>combination of policy choices, institutional weakening, and external sanctions<\/strong>, despite the country\u2019s vast hydrocarbon reserves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>US Strategic Objectives &#8211; A Broader View:<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Beyond narco-terrorism, analysts suggest multiple strategic motives behind this US attack on Venezuela:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Energy security and oil market control<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Containment of <strong>Russian and Chinese influence<\/strong> in Latin America<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Reinforcement of US dominance in the <strong>Western Hemisphere (Monroe Doctrine mindset)<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Global and Regional Reactions:<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Latin American nations expressed <strong>concern over sovereignty.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Human rights groups demanded <strong>independent investigations.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Russia and China condemned the action as <strong>neo-imperialism.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Regional instability fears across the Caribbean and Andean region.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Implications for India:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>For India, this US attack on Venezuela is relevant due to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Dependence on <strong>global oil price stability<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Commitment to <strong>strategic autonomy<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Position on <strong>non-intervention and international law<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Safety of Indian diaspora in Latin America<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Conclusion:<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The US attack on Venezuela and the abduction of Nicol\u00e1s Maduro represents a watershed moment in global geopolitics. While the US justifies its action under the banner of narco-terrorism and security, the operation raises profound questions about international law, sovereignty, and the future of global order.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Source:<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.aljazeera.com\/news\/2025\/9\/4\/venezuela-has-the-worlds-most-oil-why-doesnt-it-earn-more-from-exports\">https:\/\/www.aljazeera.com\/news\/2025\/9\/4\/venezuela-has-the-worlds-most-oil-why-doesnt-it-earn-more-from-exports<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Also read :&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><tbody><tr><td><a href=\"https:\/\/spmiasacademy.com\/currentaffairs\/2026-year-of-networking-and-data-centricity\/\"><strong>Year of Networking and Data Centricity<\/strong><\/a><\/td><td><a href=\"https:\/\/spmiasacademy.com\/currentaffairs\/israel-recognizes-somaliland\/\"><strong>Israel Becomes the First Country to Recognize Somaliland<\/strong><\/a><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><a href=\"https:\/\/spmiasacademy.com\/currentaffairs\/indian-university-oxford-of-the-east\/\"><strong>Which Indian University is Known as the Oxford of the East?<\/strong><\/a><\/td><td><a href=\"https:\/\/spmiasacademy.com\/currentaffairs\/indias-first-nature-themed-airport-terminal-guwahati\/\"><strong>India\u2019s first nature-themed airport terminal<\/strong><\/a><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><a href=\"https:\/\/spmiasacademy.com\/currentaffairs\/isro-heaviest-satellite-bluebird-block-2\/\"><strong>ISRO Launches Heaviest-Ever Satellite: BlueBird Block-2<\/strong><\/a><\/td><td><a href=\"https:\/\/spmiasacademy.com\/currentaffairs\/top-10-space-missions\/\"><strong>Top 10 Space Missions You Should Know<\/strong><\/a><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><a href=\"https:\/\/spmiasacademy.com\/currentaffairs\/india-oman-free-trade-agreement-fta-2025\/\"><strong>India \u2013 Oman Free Trade Agreement (FTA), 2025<\/strong><\/a><\/td><td><a href=\"https:\/\/spmiasacademy.com\/currentaffairs\/digital-india-2-0-key-reforms-transforming-governance\/\"><strong>Digital India 2.0: Key Reforms Transforming Governance<\/strong><\/a><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"schema-faq wp-block-yoast-faq-block\"><div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1767779177621\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\"><strong>Why did the United States launch a military operation against Venezuela?<\/strong><\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">The United States justified the operation by accusing the Maduro regime of narco-terrorism, drug trafficking, and transnational crime. The US claims that these crimes posed a direct threat to US national security.<br\/><\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1767779209666\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\"><strong>Who is Nicol\u00e1s Maduro and why was he abducted by the US?<\/strong><\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Nicol\u00e1s Maduro is the sitting President of Venezuela, accused by the US of leading a corrupt regime allegedly linked to drug cartels. He was abducted under charges of narco-terrorism conspiracy filed in the United States.<br\/><\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1767779234996\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\"><strong>What is Operation \u201cAbsolute Resolve\u201d?<\/strong><\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Operation <strong>Absolute Resolve<\/strong> was a <strong>US<\/strong> attack on Venezuela in January 2026. It involves precision strikes and coordinated action by US armed forces and law enforcement to capture Nicol\u00e1s Maduro and remove him from power.<br\/><\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1767779256518\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\"><strong>Why is Venezuela strategically important for global geopolitics?<\/strong><\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Venezuela holds the world\u2019s largest proven oil reserves, mainly in the Orinoco Belt. It occupies a critical location near the Caribbean Sea, making it vital for energy security and regional geopolitics.<br\/><\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1767779280872\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\"><strong>How does the US attack on Venezuela challenge international law and state sovereignty?<\/strong><\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">The US action raises serious concerns under international law, particularly regarding the violation of state sovereignty and Article 2(4) of the UN Charter. This article prohibits the use of force against another state without UN Security Council authorization. Critics argue that drug trafficking does not legally justify military intervention. This argument makes this case a critical example for debates on unilateralism vs rules-based global order.<br\/><\/p> <\/div> <\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Why in the News: In an extraordinary and unprecedented military operation, the United States announced that it had captured and flown out Venezuelan President Nicol\u00e1s<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1594,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1579","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>US Attack on Venezuela : Global Implications<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"US attack on Venezuela and abduction of Nicol\u00e1s Maduro \u2014 explore its 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It involves precision strikes and coordinated action by US armed forces and law enforcement to capture Nicol\u00e1s Maduro and remove him from power.<br\/>","inLanguage":"en-US"},"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/spmiasacademy.com\/currentaffairs\/us-attack-on-venezuela-implications\/#faq-question-1767779256518","position":4,"url":"https:\/\/spmiasacademy.com\/currentaffairs\/us-attack-on-venezuela-implications\/#faq-question-1767779256518","name":"Why is Venezuela strategically important for global geopolitics?","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Venezuela holds the world\u2019s largest proven oil reserves, mainly in the Orinoco Belt. 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This argument makes this case a critical example for debates on unilateralism vs rules-based global order.<br\/>","inLanguage":"en-US"},"inLanguage":"en-US"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/spmiasacademy.com\/currentaffairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1579","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/spmiasacademy.com\/currentaffairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/spmiasacademy.com\/currentaffairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/spmiasacademy.com\/currentaffairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/spmiasacademy.com\/currentaffairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1579"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/spmiasacademy.com\/currentaffairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1579\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1644,"href":"https:\/\/spmiasacademy.com\/currentaffairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1579\/revisions\/1644"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/spmiasacademy.com\/currentaffairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1594"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/spmiasacademy.com\/currentaffairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1579"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/spmiasacademy.com\/currentaffairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1579"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/spmiasacademy.com\/currentaffairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1579"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}