THE kidnapping of Venezuela President Maduro by the US represents one of the worst violations of international law by a major power in decades. It also reflects the role of Venezuela as a battleground of US and Chinese interests.
In the view of the Venezuelan government, it was an “imperialist attack.” In the view of the international community, it was widely condemned as a violation of international law, specifically the UN Charter, which prohibits the use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of another state.
Critics of the US action, including the foreign ministries of China, major European powers, Mexico, Russia and many others, have cited violations of key UN Charter principles.
Neither the regime change operation nor the charges can disguise the cold reality that, as President Trump acknowledged, what the US really wants is to tap Venezuelan oil reserves — at the expense of the Venezuelan people.
US effort to exploit untapped reserves
Venezuela has the world’s largest proven crude oil reserves with some 303 billion barrels, accounting for 17 percent of global reserves. Despite the sizeable reserves, Caracas produced barely 0.8 percent of total global crude oil in 2023.
Since the Venezuelan economy heavily relies on oil, US sanctions have sought to undermine the efforts by the state oil company Petróleos de Venezuela SA (PDVSA) to fund government revenue.
Thanks to eased sanctions by the Biden administration, there were some promising signs in the Venezuelan economy in the past year or two. Nonetheless, due to the escalatory measures by the US, Venezuela’s oil production has collapsed from over 3 million barrels per day (bpd) to around 1 million bpd or less, due to lack of investment, decaying infrastructure and mismanagement.
In the early 2020s, for the first time in a decade, Venezuela’s crude oil production increased, thanks to assistance from Iran and China National Petroleum Corp. (CNPC).
As a result of two decades of increasing economic coercion by the US government and the escalation of maximum pressure by the Trump administration, Venezuela’s economy is today highly fragile, however. Hence, the timing of the attack.
The perception of conflicting interests
Prior to the US-imposed sanctions on Venezuela, the US was the largest importer of Venezuela’s crude oil. The heavy crude oil is well-suited for US refineries, particularly those along the Gulf Coast. Most of the remaining crude oil was destined for India, China and Europe.
But since the 2019 sanctions, a significant portion of Venezuela’s crude oil exports has been part of oil-for-loans arrangements. As of 2023, China received 68 percent of Venezuela’s crude oil exports. Only 23 percent went to the US.
US intervention in Venezuela is in line with its attempt to ensure privileged access to the country’s energy for decades to come. It is also fueled by the effort to secure access to Venezuela’s vast oil and critical mineral reserves, including rare earths.
Both powers see Venezuela’s massive energy resources and strategic location as crucial to global power dynamics. The difference is that China has been willing to play by the rules of the international law, which the Trump administration seeks to undermine.
The US seeks to stop Beijing from filling the economic vacuum left by US sanctions and solidifying its strategic ties with Caracas.
China seeks to secure stable oil shipments, occasionally through large loans-for-oil deals, to fuel its economy and reduce reliance on other sources.
Starting in 2007, former Venezuela president Hugo Chavez agreed to $50 billion in credit lines and loan-for-oil deals with China. A decade ago, rout in oil prices and declining output from Venezuelan fields compelled Caracas to ask for grace periods on debt owed to China. In the process, China has become the main destination for these oil exports.
As Venezuela owes some $10 billion to China, Beijing has an interest to ensure the repayment of these loans through a stable flow of oil, even if Venezuela is not a top 10 supplier of Chinese crude overall.
In the Trump administration’s view, Venezuela’s huge proven oil reserves, plus significant gold, rare earths and critical minerals are vital to make America great again. The collateral damage is Venezuela’s problem and China’s headache.
Bullying vs partnering
Loyal to its new national security strategy, the Trump administration has been able and willing to reassert US dominance in Latin America, as in the imperialist 19th century.
In Beijing’s view, 19th-century imperialism is the kind of dark history that should have no role in the 21st-century multipolar world. After all, China suffered a century of colonial humiliation, precisely as a result of such illicit actions.
Securing stable oil shipments is vital to its continental economy, which is still developing. Accordingly, China has supported the Maduro government to maintain its investment and access to resources, viewing it as an “all-weather” ally.
That’s why Beijing strongly opposes US military action, condemning it as a violation of sovereignty and an infringement on international law.
Washington accuses China for positioning itself as a defender of state rights against US bullying. In reality, the Trump White House has undermined those very rights by intimidating its Latin American neighbors with economic coercion and lethal firepower.
Untenable status quo
After its intervention, the Trump administration wants American oil companies to invest billions in rehabilitating Venezuela’s dilapidated oil infrastructure and production, hoping this would stabilize global energy prices and create opportunities for US businesses.
Yet, the Trump administration is acting in a way that undermines the peace and stability that are the prerequisites for long-term investment, with potential price destabilization that is penalizing the US opportunities in the region. Hence, the unease of the huge US energy giants.
Today, Venezuela is a battleground in the broader struggle against US-led unipolarity. Effectively, the Trump administration is forcing the world’s states to choose — not between the United States and China, but between international law and illicit plunder by the mightiest military power.
Dr. Dan Steinbock is an internationally recognized strategist of the multipolar world and the founder of Difference Group. He has served at the India, China and America Institute (USA), Shanghai Institutes for International Studies (China) and the EU Center (Singapore). For more, see https://www.differencegroup.net
This is the short version of the commentary published by China-US Focus (US/Hong Kong) on Jan. 7, 2026.