The 3 January 2026 extraction of Nicolás Maduro by U.S. forces marks one of the most dramatic American interventions in Latin America since the end of the Cold War. For the first time in a generation, a sitting Western Hemisphere leader aligned closely with America’s adversaries was captured and extradited to face prosecution in the United States. The operation signals not only a major shift in Washington’s posture in its own neighbourhood but also raises urgent questions about how America’s rivals interpret U.S. willingness to use decisive force.

How will Putin, Xi, and Khamenei react? Do they see Maduro’s capture as a one-off display of American impatience with an authoritarian, or as the first step in a revived U.S. doctrine that denies adversarial footholds anywhere in the hemisphere? Will authoritarian powers now use the January 3 raid as justification for their own coercive actions abroad, or will the operation serve as a reminder that the United States military retains unique reach and capability? Although President Trump’s messaging on Venezuela has been inconsistent, his administration is clearly embracing a strategic logic absent in recent decades: challenge hostile powers’ influence in the Western Hemisphere before it grows out of control.

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