America’s sudden strikes on Venezuela and the capture of President Nicolás Maduro have shocked the entire world. For months, tensions were running high between the two countries as Donald Trump accused Maduro of supporting “narcoterrorists.”
The conflict culminated in a full-scale attack by the US Army on Venezuela’s capital, Caracas, and the deposition of Maduro on Saturday, January 3, 2026. Trump has repeatedly stated that he was targeting Venezuela for being a safe haven for drug cartels.
However, the Southern American country’s government has claimed that Trump is using drugs as an excuse to get his hands on something much more valuable: Venezuela’s vast oil reserves.
Shortly after the strikes, Venezuelan officials released a statement calling the attack an invasion, which goes against the laws of the UN charter. The government added that the real motive behind the attack was to gain control over Venezuela’s oil and minerals.
According to The Daily Beast, the statement read, “The objective of this attack is none other than to seize Venezuela’s strategic resources, particularly its oil and minerals, by attempting to forcibly break the political independence of the Nation. They will not succeed.”
BREAKING: Venezuela’s government says America has attacked the country in an attempt to seize valuable oil and minerals
“They will not succeed” pic.twitter.com/YvQbbpbJwp
— Shashank Mattoo (@MattooShashank) January 3, 2026
Venezuela has the world’s largest proven oil reserves, most of which remain untapped. According to a 2020 estimate, the country possessed 304 billion barrels of oil, representing 18% of global reserves.
The Venezuelan government’s argument does seem logical, as Trump has singled out the country to start an apparent war on drugs, even though trafficking is more prevalent in some other Latin American countries.
But the nation has made it clear that it would not let Trump fulfill his ulterior motives. The statement further read, “After more than two hundred years of independence, the people and their legitimate Government remain firm in defense of sovereignty and of the inalienable right to decide their own destiny.”
Venezuela also accused the Trump administration of forcing regime change for the US’ benefit and stated, “The attempt to impose a colonial war to destroy the republican form of government and force a ‘regime change,’ in alliance with the fascist oligarchy, will fail like all previous attempts.”
Venezuela is bombed. The European Union must condemn this attack immediately.
We stand with the people of Venezuela against military aggression.
#Venezuela pic.twitter.com/Doz0m9nq8L
— The Left in the European Parliament (@Left_EU) January 3, 2026
Meanwhile, the country’s defense minister has announced that troops are being deployed across various states to combat the US threat. After the attack, Vice President Delcy Rodriguez addressed the nation and confirmed that Maduro had been captured and flown out of the country with his wife.
Rodriguez demanded the President’s proof of life as she said, “We do not know the whereabouts of President Nicolás Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores. We demand proof of life.”
The US has carried out the military operation in Venezuela just a day after Maduro announced that he was ready to talk to the Trump government about measures to curb drug trafficking. A few days ago, the now-deposed President had also claimed that Trump had his eyes set on his country’s oil reserves.
