When the Trump administration ordered strikes against Venezuela, it reignited a century-old debate: Is the United States still willing to use military power to protect its energy dominance? Once again, the pattern feels familiar. The official narrative speaks of βnarcoticsβ and βorganized crime,β yet history from Iraq to Iran tells us the real motive is almost always oil.
According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, Venezuela holds over 303 billion barrels of proven crude reserves, more than Iraq and roughly one-fifth of the worldβs total. Itβs the largest single oil deposit on Earth: a geological gift that has become a political curse. As U.S. President Donald Trump declared after Venezuelan President Nicholas Maduroβs capture on Jan. 3, 2026, βAmerican oil companies will operate in Venezuela and restart the refining process.β That single line revealed the truth.
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