In a move that stirred international dialogue, the Trump administration notified Congress in October that the United States was engaged in an “armed conflict” with drug cartels.

The administration placed significant blame on Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, alleging his involvement in funneling illegal drugs into the United States—a charge Maduro firmly refuted.

Maduro, on his part, accused the U.S. of harboring ulterior motives, suggesting that Washington’s true interest lay in Venezuela’s vast oil resources, which are primarily exported to China.

Home to the largest proven oil reserves globally, Venezuela’s energy assets have long been eyed by many, particularly given Trump’s vocal support for the fossil fuel industry.

The discord between the two nations was further fueled by the Trump administration’s stringent immigration policies, which included aggressive deportation efforts and attempts to revoke the legal status of numerous Venezuelan immigrants residing in the U.S.

According to a Pew Research Centre analysis, the Venezuelan population in the US had grown from 95,000 in 2000 to 640,000 in 2021, a growth of nearly 600 per cent.

The Trump administration has also been seeking to increase its influence in the Americas. In December, it released the National Security Strategy that suggested the US should revive the 19th Century Monroe Doctrine.

The doctrine declared the Western Hemisphere should be Washington’s zone of influence.

Venezuela’s opposition leader and Nobel laureate Maria Corina Machado said she “absolutely” supported Trump’s strategy.

Trump’s senior officials, including US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, had also been calling for tougher measures on Cuba, which was a close ally to the Maduro government.

– Wing Kuang with additional reporting from Reuters