A U.S. military operation in Venezuela on January 3, 2026, resulted in the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. Following these events, President Donald Trump held a press conference where he introduced what he termed the "Donroe Doctrine," outlining a foreign policy approach for the Western Hemisphere. The announcement and the U.S. actions have prompted diverse international reactions and analyses regarding international law and geopolitical implications.
Capture of President Maduro and Doctrine Announcement
On January 3, 2026, U.S. forces conducted an operation in Venezuela that led to the capture of President Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores. Shortly after, President Trump addressed the public from his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida. During the conference, President Trump introduced the "Donroe Doctrine," describing it as an evolution of the 19th-century Monroe Doctrine.
President Trump stated that this new doctrine asserts the United States' military capabilities and aims to establish U.S. preeminence throughout the Western Hemisphere. He cited the influence of China, Iran, and Russia in Venezuela's oil industry as a violation of long-standing American foreign policy principles. President Trump characterized Venezuela's actions under Maduro's rule, including allegedly hosting foreign adversaries and acquiring offensive weapons, as "in gross violation of the core principles of American foreign policy dating back more than two centuries." He further declared that "American dominance in the Western Hemisphere will never be questioned again" under the administration's new national security strategy.
The "Donroe Doctrine" and Its Precedent
The "Donroe Doctrine" is a term coined by President Trump, while the administration's national security strategy, released in November and December, refers to this policy as a "Trump Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine." This strategy states that the U.S. will "reassert and enforce the Monroe Doctrine to restore American preeminence in the Western Hemisphere" and "deny non-Hemispheric competitors the ability to position forces or other threatening capabilities, or to own or control strategically vital assets, in our Hemisphere."
The original Monroe Doctrine, articulated by President James Monroe in 1823, aimed to prevent European colonization or interference in the independent nations of the Western Hemisphere. In exchange, the U.S. committed to remaining uninvolved in European affairs. Historically, the doctrine has been cited to justify U.S. interventions in countries such as Cuba, Nicaragua, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic. Jay Sexton, a history professor, noted that Venezuela has historically served as a trigger for various corollaries to the Monroe Doctrine. Past applications include U.S. pressure on France in 1860s Mexico and President Theodore Roosevelt's 1904 "Roosevelt Corollary," which asserted the U.S.'s right to intervene in unstable Latin American countries.
The Trump administration's strategy also outlined military strikes on suspected drug trafficking boats in the Caribbean Sea and the eastern Pacific Ocean as part of this approach to combat narcotics flow and control migration, representing an expansion of the U.S. military presence in the region.
Administration Statements and Regional Warnings
During the press conference, President Trump also issued warnings to other nations, stating that Colombia "could face a similar fate as Venezuela" and that Cuba was "imminently ready to fall." He also mentioned Mexico in the context of combating drug cartels.
Official statements supporting the new policy include:
- The State Department posted on X, stating: "This is OUR Hemisphere, and President Trump will not allow our security to be threatened."
- Secretary of State Marco Rubio indicated the Western Hemisphere would not be allowed to serve as "a base of operation for adversaries, competitors, and rivals of the United States."
- Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth affirmed the Monroe Doctrine was "back in full force" and encouraged military personnel to be part of its legacy.
President Trump also reiterated his intent to acquire Greenland, a Danish territory, citing national security interests. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen responded, stating that while the U.S. president's intentions should be taken seriously, a military attack on a NATO country would lead to a cessation of mutual security agreements.
International and Expert Reactions
The U.S. actions and the introduction of the "Donroe Doctrine" prompted various international reactions and analyses:
- International Law: World leaders largely condemned the capture of President Maduro, describing it as a breach of international law. Some experts suggested this could indicate a U.S. stance of not viewing international law as a binding constraint.
- U.S. Criticism: Independent Senator Bernie Sanders criticized the capture of Maduro as a "brazen violation of international law" and characterized the administration's approach as "rank imperialism," drawing comparisons to Russia's justifications for actions in Ukraine.
- Analyst Concerns: Analysts such as Adam Ratzlaff of Pan-American Strategic Advisors, and Chris Herrmann and Asli Aydinsasbas of the European Council on Foreign Relations, described the U.S. approach as "shortsighted," potentially leading to long-term backlash. They also suggested the actions could reinforce fears of the U.S. reordering the international system based on great-power dynamics. Herrmann and Aydinsasbas further noted that a U.S. focus on military intervention in Latin America might divert resources from European security and could embolden Russia.
- Geopolitical Shifts: Herrmann and Aydinsasbas also suggested Beijing might interpret Washington's actions as evidence of a "more permissive global environment for coercive tactics" concerning Taiwan. Following these events, China conducted joint military drills around Taiwan, which Beijing described as a "stern warning." The U.S. State Department urged restraint from Beijing.
- Alternative Perspectives: Other experts, such as Alexander B. Gray, a nonresident senior fellow with the Atlantic Council, suggested the operation created an opportunity for Washington to reestablish U.S. strategic predominance in the Western Hemisphere and exclude extra-hemispheric powers like China and Russia from significant influence in Caracas.