Venezuela – think tanks monitor

A group of people in industrial gear and hard hats attending a briefing in Venezuela.

Where Did Venezuela’s Oil Money Go? Washington Won’t Say

June 6, 2026

This analysis investigates the opaque financial architecture managing Venezuela’s oil exports following the US intervention in early 2026. Despite billions in revenue and renewed trade partnerships, key questions remain regarding fund transparency and the lack of progress toward democratic reforms. The post explores how the current arrangement maintains the previous governing apparatus, highlights the role of international commodity traders, and underscores the growing congressional demand for an audit to ensure accountability in the administration’s handling of Venezuelan resources.

Donald Trump speaking at a podium with a large, blurred American flag in the background.

Cuba Is Not Venezuela And Trump’s Playbook Won’t Work There

April 8, 2026

As Cuba’s national grid collapses following the end of Venezuelan oil shipments, Washington’s pressure-cooker strategy faces a reality check. Unlike Venezuela, Cuba lacks the resources to attract quick investment, while the Helms-Burton Act’s rigid legal requirements and decaying infrastructure make a simple leadership shuffle nearly impossible without a massive reconstruction plan.

Protester holding a large Venezuelan flag in front of military armored vehicles on a city street.

The Maduro Capture and Trump’s Disposable International Law

February 27, 2026

Trump’s seizure of Nicolás Maduro was framed as a “judicial extraction,” but legal scholars say it violated the UN Charter’s ban on force and exposed the limits of international law. By stripping Maduro’s immunity and bypassing the ICJ, Washington set a precedent major powers can exploit — with implications far beyond Venezuela.

A medium shot from behind of people walking down a paved path, some pulling small metal carts filled with supplies, with white metal barriers on the left and lush green trees in the background.

Maduro Is Gone, but 8 Million Venezuelans Are Still Trapped

February 22, 2026

Maduro’s capture hasn’t ended Venezuela’s crisis. Nearly 8 million Venezuelans abroad still rely on temporary protections now at risk of being revoked. With TPS ended in the U.S. and permits expiring across Latin America, millions face possible deportation to a country still unstable and economically collapsed. Removing one leader hasn’t resolved the conditions that forced them to flee.

A group of young boys looking out from behind a black iron-barred window of a bright blue building, with a blurred Venezuelan flag waving in the foreground.

When Legal Order Depends on Sustained Resistance: Sovereignty and the Collapse of Restraint

February 14, 2026

International law has never been self‑enforcing. It works only when states collectively treat violations as intolerable. Once powerful actors discover that coercive territorial change carries minimal cost, the system shifts from rule‑based restraint to power‑based ordering. For states whose security depends on law rather than force, this shift is existential.

A man in a tan jacket being escorted by several security personnel wearing tactical gear and "DEA" jackets.

Resource Extraction and the Logic of Imperial Intervention: Latin America’s Century-Long Cycle

February 1, 2026

In January 2026, the century-long cycle of resource-driven intervention in Latin America reached a dramatic new inflection point. On January 3, 2026, the United States launched Operation Absolute Resolve, a high-intensity military raid in Caracas that resulted in the capture of President Nicolás Maduro.

Close-up of a smiling man with a mustache wearing a wide-brimmed straw hat and a light blue shirt.

Venezuela’s Maduro: How Regional Isolation Preceded His Downfall

January 6, 2026

In January 2026, the capture of Nicolás Maduro by U.S. forces stands as the ultimate consequence of a leader who gambled on regional aggression and lost. While Operation Absolute Resolve was the kinetic end, Maduro’s downfall was structurally prepared by his systematic alienation of every neighbor that once formed his “Bolivarian” shield.

Side-by-side portraits of Donald Trump on the left and Nicolas Maduro on the right.

Trump’s Venezuela Operation Reveals a Pragmatic Foreign Policy Approach

January 6, 2026

In January 2026, the capture of Nicolás Maduro has fundamentally redefined the “Trump Doctrine,” shifting it from a policy of rhetorical isolationism to one of targeted, high-impact intervention. While the operation—codenamed Operation Absolute Resolve—was tactically swift, its geopolitical implications are expansive. It signals a move away from the “forever wars” of the past two decades toward a “transactional realism” that uses overwhelming force for specific, finite objectives.

Donald Trump speaking at a podium with a large poster of a naval ship and the Statue of Liberty in the background.

What 2026 Holds for International Security and Economics

January 6, 2026

As we enter the first week of January 2026, the global landscape is defined by the fallout from the U.S. military operation in Venezuela and a critical “election-year” posture from Washington. The year ahead suggests a shift from the post-war multilateral order toward a more transactional, high-stakes era of “sovereignty-first” politics.

Donald Trump wearing a red "Make America Great Again" hat and pointing his finger through a glass pane.

Trump Administration Lacks Coherent Democratic Transition Strategy for Venezuela

January 5, 2026

As of January 5, 2026, the aftermath of Operation Absolute Resolve has left Venezuela in a state of strategic confusion. While President Trump celebrated the “capture” of Nicolás Maduro as a historic law enforcement success, the administration’s stated plan to “run” the country has met with significant domestic and international skepticism.

A close-up of Donald Trump's face partially framed by the stripes of the American flag.

Trump Administration’s Military Strategy Contradicts Peace Rhetoric

January 5, 2026

In early 2026, the global security landscape is dominated by the fallout of the Trump administration’s 2025 National Security Strategy (NSS) and the subsequent military operation in Venezuela. These actions have ignited a fierce debate over whether the administration’s “America First” doctrine is a path to restraint or a new era of aggressive unilateralism.

Nicolás Maduro in a blue suit and a woman with grey hair and glasses standing next to each other.

Trump’s Venezuela Strike Threatens Entire Latin America with Military Intervention

January 4, 2026

On January 3, 2026, the U.S. executed Operation Absolute Resolve, a massive military strike on Caracas that resulted in the capture of President Nicolás Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores. Trump has since declared a “Trump Corollary” to the Monroe Doctrine, signaling a new era of direct intervention.

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Category: Venezuela

Where Did Venezuela’s Oil Money Go? Washington Won’t Say

Cuba Is Not Venezuela And Trump’s Playbook Won’t Work There

The Maduro Capture and Trump’s Disposable International Law

When Legal Order Depends on Sustained Resistance: Sovereignty and the Collapse of Restraint

Resource Extraction and the Logic of Imperial Intervention: Latin America’s Century-Long Cycle

Venezuela’s Maduro: How Regional Isolation Preceded His Downfall

Trump’s Venezuela Operation Reveals a Pragmatic Foreign Policy Approach

What 2026 Holds for International Security and Economics

Trump Administration Lacks Coherent Democratic Transition Strategy for Venezuela

Trump Administration’s Military Strategy Contradicts Peace Rhetoric

Trump’s Venezuela Strike Threatens Entire Latin America with Military Intervention

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