The recent capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro by US forces has triggered widespread international concern and a complex array of geopolitical repercussions, signaling what some senior British figures describe as the “disintegration” of the international rules-based system. Wes Streeting, the health secretary, expressed deep unease over the instability, stating that “a world without rules is a world in which we are less safe” and emphasizing the threat to Britain's national interest. While declining to directly criticize Donald Trump, Streeting suggested Europe needed to assume a more robust role in its own intelligence and defense amid the perceived breakdown of global order. He defended Prime Minister Keir Starmer's cautious approach, citing the “delicate moment” and the imperative to prioritize UK national security and the Venezuelan people's right to self-determination.

In stark contrast, US President Donald Trump lauded the operation as “brilliant” and hinted it could serve as a blueprint for interventions in other Latin American nations. He openly discussed the US intent to take over Venezuela for its vast oil reserves, a sentiment echoed in his National Security Strategy which declared an end to US global dominance and a reassertion of the Monroe Doctrine in the Western Hemisphere. This strategy aims to reverse challenges to US influence, such as the “pink tide” of progressive governments and China's growing economic presence in Latin America. Kemi Badenoch, the Conservative leader, defended the raid as “morally… the right thing to do,” arguing that international law is merely an agreement and questioning its application given Venezuela's alleged “invasion” by Russia, Iran, and Hezbollah.

The US action provoked significant public outcry, notably a protest outside Downing Street in London. Campaigners, including masked members of the Anti-Imperialist Front and groups like the Venezuelan Solidarity Campaign, Stop The War movement, and the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, gathered to chant slogans like “death, death to the USA” and “Keir Starmer grow a spine, occupation is a crime,” culminating in the burning of an American flag. Jeremy Corbyn MP called on the British government to condemn Maduro's removal. However, not all voices at the protest were in agreement; human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell, while denouncing the US intervention as illegal, also labeled Maduro a tyrant who stole elections and was responsible for the deaths of peaceful protesters. Conversely, a Mexican tourist, Carmen, and her son expressed strong support for Trump's actions, criticizing the protesters for being “idiots” and disconnected from the harsh realities of life under Maduro's regime.

Economic interests, particularly Venezuela's immense oil wealth, are central to the US strategy. Trump indicated that US taxpayers might reimburse energy companies for the substantial investments required to repair and increase Venezuela's oil production, which has plummeted from 3.5 million barrels a day in 1999 to around 1.1 million. The US Energy Secretary reportedly planned meetings with executives from Chevron, ConocoPhillips, and ExxonMobil to discuss these plans, despite initial contradictions regarding prior consultations with these companies. Chevron remains the only US major still operating in Venezuela, while Exxon and ConocoPhillips had their projects nationalized under former president Hugo Chávez.

Following Maduro's capture, a high-stakes maritime cat-and-mouse game unfolded as 16 sanctioned oil tankers, mostly laden with Venezuelan crude, fled the country's waters. These vessels employed deceptive tactics like operating in “dark mode” or “spoofing” their locations to evade Trump's “complete blockade,” described as one of the largest “quarantines” in modern history aimed at crippling the regime's revenue. The US is now pursuing plans to intercept one such tanker, the Marinera (formerly Bella 1), over which Russia has asserted jurisdiction, complicating potential US military action at sea. The coordinated departure of these tankers was likely an attempt to overwhelm the US blockade, with some vessels contracted by oil traders sanctioned for ties to Maduro's regime.

Adding another layer to the international response, the US has significantly augmented its military air forces in Britain. Ten C-17 Globemasters and two heavily armed AC-130J aircraft landed at RAF Fairford and RAF Mildenhall, signaling preparations for potential further covert operations, possibly involving Special Forces, or even against Islamic State in Syria. The Ministry of Defence, however, refrained from commenting on these “operational activity of other nations.”

Owen Jones, a Guardian columnist, framed the Venezuela attack as “morbid symptoms of a declining empire,” arguing that Trump's candor exposes a shift from global dominance to a hemispheric empire under the Monroe Doctrine. He warned that this abandonment of the rules-based order could embolden other authoritarian powers and ultimately lead to the dissolution of alliances like NATO, especially if the US were to annex European territory such as Greenland. Jones also highlighted the “imperial boomerang” effect, where foreign policies return as domestic repression, citing the repurposing of “war on terror” language for internal political discourse. The situation, he suggests, foreshadows a new world order where brute force and resource acquisition by authoritarian powers become commonplace, raising critical questions about the international community's capacity and willingness to resist this trend.