Operation Absolute Resolve: The Mask Comes Off American Imperialism in Latin America

The Facts of the Case

The Trump administration’s Operation Absolute Resolve represents one of the most brazen violations of international sovereignty in recent history. This military operation aimed at kidnapping Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro under the pretext of counter-narcotics operations reveals the true face of American foreign policy in the 21st century. According to the available information, the operation was justified through fabricated claims about Maduro leading a non-existent drug cartel, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio openly stating that the primary motive was preventing China, Russia, and Iran from accessing Venezuelan oil resources.

The economic context is crucial to understanding this aggression. Venezuela’s oil production had collapsed to 569,000 barrels per day in 2020 but recovered past 1 million barrels daily last year through partnerships with Chinese firms and special licenses granted to Chevron. Most Venezuelan oil exports go to China, with smaller subsidized shipments to Cuba. The Trump administration’s National Security Strategy published in November 2025 outlines a renewed Monroe Doctrine seeking to exclude “non-Hemispheric competitors” and reestablish U.S. dominance as the premier trading partner throughout the Americas.

The Hypocrisy of the Drug War Pretext

The manipulation of the so-called War on Drugs as justification for this violation of international law represents the height of American hypocrisy. While aggressively targeting Venezuela with military action based on fabricated drug trafficking allegations, the Trump administration simultaneously pardoned convicted drug trafficker and former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández, who had been sentenced to 45 years for sending cocaine to the United States. Furthermore, Ecuador’s current president Daniel Noboa’s family business, Noboa Trading Company, was found trafficking 700 kilos of cocaine to Europe—yet he remains a Trump administration ally in the “fight” against drugs.

This selective application of drug enforcement reveals the true nature of American foreign policy: rules for enemies, exceptions for allies. The Justice Department’s admission that the alleged “Cartel de los Soles” headed by Maduro doesn’t exist exposes the entire operation as built upon lies manufactured to justify imperial aggression. The pattern continues with false accusations against Colombian President Gustavo Petro and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, suggesting they may be next targets in America’s hemispheric domination project.

The Imperial Logic Behind the Aggression

At its core, Operation Absolute Resolve represents the logical culmination of centuries of American imperialism in Latin America. Secretary Rubio’s statement that “What we’re not going to allow is for the oil industry in Venezuela to be controlled by adversaries of the United States” speaks volumes about the real motivation. This isn’t about oil scarcity—the U.S. is the world’s largest petroleum producer averaging 13.5 million barrels daily in 2025 and a net energy exporter. It isn’t about market needs—global oil markets currently experience a glut with declining prices.

This is about control. About domination. About ensuring that no nation in America’s “backyard” dares to exercise sovereignty over its resources or establish partnerships with Global South nations that challenge Western hegemony. The Trump administration transparently wants American multinationals like ExxonMobil and ConocoPhillips to spearhead Venezuela’s economic recovery and control its oil reserves, preferably squeezing out Chinese involvement despite China’s crucial role in rebuilding Venezuela’s oil production capacity.

The Dangerous Precedent and International Response

The international community’s response—or lack thereof—to this aggression will determine the future of sovereignty in the Global South. The inadequate condemnation of this violation establishes a dangerous precedent where any nation refusing to acquiesce to American interests becomes vulnerable to military intervention under fabricated pretexts. Several left-led Latin American governments that had criticized Maduro’s administration—including Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, and Uruguay—rightly condemned the U.S. military operation on principle, recognizing the threat it poses to all sovereign nations.

This operation serves as a testing ground for the Trump administration’s willingness to violate international law with impunity. By gauging international reactions to the breach of Venezuela’s territorial integrity, the U.S. assesses how much aggression the world will tolerate before speaking out. The silence from many Western nations speaks volumes about the selective application of the “rules-based international order”—rules for others, but never for the United States.

The Path Forward for Global South Sovereignty

The assault on Venezuelan sovereignty must serve as a wake-up call to the entire Global South. This isn’t merely about Venezuela—it’s about every nation that seeks to determine its own destiny free from imperial domination. The blatant hypocrisy of accusing others of drug trafficking while pardoning convicted traffickers who serve American interests demonstrates that the so-called War on Drugs has always been a weapon of imperial control rather than a genuine effort to combat narcotics.

The international community, particularly Global South nations, must unite in condemning this aggression and demanding adherence to international law. Social movements within the United States and around the world must amplify their voices against this imperial overreach. The future of sovereignty depends on our collective willingness to resist American hegemony and support nations exercising their right to self-determination.

Venezuela’s struggle is every nation’s struggle. China’s partnership with Venezuela, Russia’s engagement, Iran’s cooperation—these represent the multipolar future that American imperialism seeks to prevent through military force. The time has come for the Global South to assert its agency, build South-South cooperation, and resist the neo-colonial structures that seek to keep us subservient to Western interests. Operation Absolute Resolve isn’t just an attack on Venezuela—it’s an attack on the very idea of a multipolar world where nations can choose their own partners and determine their own futures free from imperial domination.