I have tried to collate some of the main talking points on the recent criminal events in Venezuela that have shocked the world in their lawlessness.

The Trump campaign to regain control of Venezuelan oil is a remake of the 1953 CIA/MI6 coup – Operation Ajax – in Iran, when they orchestrated the removal of Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh after he nationalised the Iranian oil industry in 1951. British and US control of Iranian oil supplies was immediately restored when they replaced Mosaddegh with the Dictatorial Shah.

Trump has announced that the US will take “back” control of “their” oil interests in Venezuela.

1. Venezuelan oil industry is not in good shape. Decades of US sanctions have deliberately prevented any investment or renovation of the equipment etc. Venezuelan oil is heavy crude which would need specialised refineries that exist in the so-called US Gulf. It would need an estimated $ 40-50 billion to fully restore the Venezuelan production to pre-sanction viability.
2. This will take time – there is potential that, ultimately, Venezuelan oil would reduce the dominance of Saudi Arabia in the oil market but not entirely.
3. There is an argument that this is in preparation for a war with Iran – to compensate for any Iranian closure of the Hormuz Straits but this means that the war is not imminent because Venezuela is far from being a done deal. The preferred option for US/Zionists is to continue a hybrid war against Iran – sanctions and fomenting internal conflicts and clashes, perhaps deploying Takfiri proxies to Iran. However, a clear message has been sent to Iran – the kidnap of President Maduro and his wife took place on the anniversary of Trump’s assassination of Haj Qassem Soleimani. The message being that decapitation of leadership is an ongoing threat to stability in any country that opposes US/Zionist global hegemony
4. Both Russia and China have significant interests in the Venezuela oil industry. Ian Mellul writes; “Beijing holds roughly $19–20 billion in loans to Venezuela tied to “oil-for-loan” deals. A new, U.S.-installed government can simply declare those debts illegitimate and refuse to pay them.”
5. Venezuela was also China’s most reliable partner in the region for energy and military cooperation. Chinese refineries are built for Venezuelan heavy crude. A U.S. naval blockade and a change in government mean that oil will more likely move through Western markets, likely cutting China out.
6. China has multiple projects in LATAM to sideline US dominance in their own backyard. The Nicaragua Grand Canal to rival the Panama Canal (has stalled due to economic, environment, political hurdles). The Brazil-Peru Bi-Oceanic Corridor – A rail-and-port system connecting Brazil’s Atlantic coast with Peru’s Pacific coast (via the Chancay port), significantly reducing transit times and costs compared to the Panama Canal. The Colombia Dry Channel – A proposed railway linking Colombia’s Pacific port of Buenaventura to the Atlantic, offering a rail-based alternative. Chinese State-subsidised firms have also been increasing investment in Panama’s port infrastructure to expand China’s strategic influence in LATAM.
7. Removing Venezuela from the equation for both China and Russia will seriously impact on their strategic footprint in LATAM, China more than Russia. This is a clear strategy by the US to weaken or even entirely block China’s expansion into what they consider to be America’s back yard. It is also clearly perceived as the precursor to destabilisation in Cuba, Colombia and Brazil while the Zionist Isaac Accords are already poisoning the LATAM well in Argentina, Costa Rica, Panama and Uruguay. The US is ensuring the rise of right-wing regimes in the region, most recently in Honduras.
8. As my friend and colleague, Fiorella Isabel pointed out, the timing of the Chinese delegation to Venezuela (the day before Maduro was removed) is of interest. Were they trying to protect their interests in the knowledge that US was planning to retake control in Venezuela both short-term and long term. The fact that it appears (early analysis) no manpad missiles were fired at the incoming US helicopters and drones and no shots were fired to prevent the extraction of the President is very troubling. Were the alleged 5000 Russian-manufactured Manpad systems jammed, as happened in Iran during the first 24 hours of the Zionist aggression in June 2025? That does not answer why there was no hand to hand combat in the Palace itself and there appeared to be no protection surrounding the President. This is all conjecture which will be modified as more facts come to light.
9. “We’ll be selling large amounts of oil to other countries,” Trump said when he was asked how controlling Venezuela’s energy supply could impact relations with China, Russia and Iran. “We’re in the oil business. We’re going to sell it to them.” I don’t see Russia having any issue with a change of leadership in Venezuela provided Russia can secure its interests. We have seen this pragmatic approach being rolled out in Syria with the almost immediate normalisation with the Al Qaeda regime put in place by Turkey, Israel and the US Axis of Terror.
10. Ian Mellul also pointed out that the Trump operation will perhaps embolden comparable actions from Russia and China – “Dozens of Chinese ships sit near Taiwan. Aircraft cross into its air defense zone almost daily. Drills practice blockades and landings. Beijing now has the political language and the operational blueprint to move — “regional stability,” “restoring order,” “illegitimate regime,” “national security.”
11. Former British Diplomat and West Asia specialist, Alastair Crooke has argued that US national finances are in very bad shape and this is leading to Trump’s seizure of global resources to prevent the collapse of the US dollar. This could certainly be one factor in the White House/Pentagon calculation. In my opinion, the cost involved in the resource grab operations will offset any benefits, thus this will only delay the US financial juggernaut hitting the barriers.
12. The protests on the streets of Venezuela and the powerful statement by acting President Delcy Rodriguez point to the possibility of a popular Chavez-style push to have Maduro released and returned to Venezuela as President. Many believe that Trump’s inherent narcissism will not permit such a concession from the US.
13. What is for sure, however this operation was carried out, whoever supported it and endorsed it behind closed doors – the Venezuelan people will pay the ultimate price for the incoming instability and insecurity that comes with colonisation and the capture of resources by a predatory entity.
14. As journalist Hala Jaber wrote this morning – “Venezuela feels like Iraq all over again” – Invade. Disrupt. Install. No international mandate. No accountability. No thought for the chaos and violence left behind, civil strife, migration waves, proxy blowback. This is regime change by force. And once again, there is no plan for what happens next. Empire disrupts. It seizes. It stages photo ops and calls it peace. Then it abandons the wreckage. The worst consequences are likely yet to come.