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US Strategy in Venezuela Aims to Block China, Russia in Western Hemisphere

President Donald Trump framed the US-led effort to revive Venezuela's oil sector as a strategic move to prevent China and Russia from dominating the country's energy resources and expanding their footprint in the Western Hemisphere. He stated the US would remain open to selling oil but insisted control over Venezuelan production must align with US interests. Secretary of State Marco Rubio argued Venezuela had become a platform for hostile actors under the previous regime, posing a national security threat. The administration presented its military and economic pressure as creating leverage to secure US interests without a prolonged conflict, mirroring broader efforts to counter Chinese and Russian influence in strategic regions.

Key Points: US Venezuela Strategy Counters China, Russia Influence

  • US aims to revive Venezuela's oil sector
  • Strategy counters Chinese and Russian influence
  • Venezuela seen as platform for hostile actors
  • Military action used as leverage without prolonged conflict
  • Energy security shapes US policy in Latin America
2 min read

US casts Venezuela strategy as check on China, Russia

Trump says US-led effort to revive Venezuela's oil sector prevents China and Russia from expanding their strategic footprint in the Americas.

"If we didn't do this, China or Russia would have been there. - President Donald Trump"

Washington, Jan 10

, President Donald Trump said the US-led effort to revive Venezuela's oil sector was aimed at preventing China and Russia from expanding their strategic footprint in the Western Hemisphere.

Speaking at the White House along with executives of major American and international oil companies, Trump said Beijing or Moscow would have moved quickly to dominate Venezuela's energy resources had Washington not intervened.

"If we didn't do this, China or Russia would have been there," Trump said.

He said the United States would remain open to selling oil to China and other countries but insisted control over Venezuelan production must align with US interests.

"We are open for business in the United States and we are open for business in Venezuela," Trump said.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Venezuela had become a platform for hostile actors under the previous regime.

"It was not in the national interest or national security of the United States to have in our own hemisphere a country... controlled by an indicted narco trafficker," Rubio said.

Energy Secretary Chris Wright said Venezuela's decline had fueled instability beyond its borders.

"The corruption and decline of Venezuela has been a crisis for the people of Venezuela," Wright said.

Trump said US military action had created leverage without prolonged conflict.

"Ordering both the tremendous military operation... and then to use the power of our military, not to fire bullets but to stop the flow of Venezuelan oil," he said.

He said the strategy mirrored US efforts to prevent Chinese and Russian influence in other strategic regions. "We're not going to have Russia or China occupy Venezuela," Trump said.

Latin America has long been a region of strategic interest for the United States, with energy security and geopolitical competition shaping US policy across administrations.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

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Priya S
The real tragedy is for the Venezuelan people. Their country's resources are just a chess piece in a bigger game between America, China, and Russia. It feels like a modern-day version of colonialism, just with different flags. Hope India's foreign policy always puts people first, not just strategic points.
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Rohit P
Trump is being very direct about it - it's all about controlling resources and checking rivals. From an Indian perspective, we see how energy security drives geopolitics. We import so much oil, we understand why these powers want to control the taps. But the military talk is worrying. 🇮🇳
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Sarah B
Living in India, I have to respectfully disagree with the US framing this as purely about "hostile actors." It seems more about maintaining US dominance in its hemisphere. Every country, including India, has the right to engage with multiple partners for its development. The world is multipolar now.
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Karthik V
Interesting to see the Monroe Doctrine is still alive and well! "Western Hemisphere" is the key phrase. Makes you think about our own neighborhood. Big powers always want to keep their sphere of influence free of other big powers. Lesson for Indian diplomacy as well.
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Michael C
The article mentions "leveraging military power without firing bullets" to control oil. That's economic coercion with a threat behind it. As a developing nation, India should advocate for sovereignty of smaller countries. No nation should be a pawn in a power struggle.

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