Venezuela: A Frontline in Trump’s Monroe Doctrine

Summary of Recent Events Washington has deployed three guided-missile destroyers (the USS Gravely, USS Jason Dunham, and USS Sampson) along with about 4,000 sailors and Marines to the southern Caribbean under an “anti-drug” mission. At the same time, the Trump administration doubled the bounty for Nicolás Maduro’s capture to $50 million, accusing him of leading the Cartel de los Soles, a cocaine smuggling network (though no public evidence has been provided).

Maduro responded by denouncing what he called U.S. “extravagant, bizarre and outlandish threats.” He vowed to mobilise more than 4.5 million militia members, promising they would be “prepared, activated and armed” with rifles and missiles to defend Venezuelan sovereignty. Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello added that militias and security forces are already deployed across Venezuela’s land and waters.

Not all developments are negative. Venezuela recently released 10 detained U.S. citizens as part of a deal that also saw more than 250 Venezuelan migrants returned home from El Salvador. The swap followed months of negotiations and eased some tensions after the migrants were controversially deported under the Alien Enemies Act and held in harsh conditions at El Salvador’s CECOT prison.

The Modern Monroe Doctrine Trump’s approach to Latin America can be described as hostile and unilateral. Domestically, he has tied the region to U.S. problems such as illegal immigration and the fentanyl epidemic. In his rhetoric, drug cartels and migrant flows from Mexico and beyond are painted as major sources of insecurity, shaping policies that now extend directly to Venezuela.

Diplomatically, Trump has clashed with multiple neighbours. His administration has imposed tariffs on Mexico and Canada, been accused of meddling in Brazil after backing ex-president Bolsonaro, pressured Panama to withdraw from China’s Belt and Road Initiative, and is now escalating against Venezuela.

This reflects a broader worldview in which the Americas are not treated as partners, but as part of the U.S. sphere of influence. The roots of this mindset go back to the Monroe Doctrine of 1823, which warned European powers not to interfere in the Western Hemisphere. Over time, the doctrine evolved into a justification for repeated U.S. intervention in Latin America, becoming a cornerstone of American foreign policy throughout the 19th and 20th centuries. Bonus note: Not many people know of the Monroe Doctrine, often assuming U.S interventionism is a modern doctrine and that the U.S used to be above medieval European bickering over spheres of influence. Noting that the U.S was famously isolationist, and it was but on affairs NOT in the Americas.

Russian and Iranian Involvement Washington is not the only power seeking influence in Venezuela. Moscow and Tehran have also deepened ties with Caracas, both seeing Maduro as a partner against U.S. “imperialism.”

Russia has long been Venezuela’s closest ally in South America. Backed by historical links through socialism and anti-U.S. alignment, Moscow has supported Maduro with arms sales, oil investments, loans, military advisors, and air-defence systems. The mercenary group Wagner has also acted as security detail for Maduro. This gives Russia low-cost leverage to irritate Washington, but it also carries risks: if Maduro falls, Russian assets could be lost and its credibility weakened.

Iran has built a similar relationship out of shared isolation. The two countries cooperate on oil swaps, refinery repairs, and are moving towards a free trade agreement. Their partnership has also expanded into the military sphere. In recent years, Tehran helped establish a drone production facility near Maracay, where Iranian-designed Shahed-131 loitering munitions (rebranded locally as the Zamora V-1) are being assembled. These drones, already battle-tested in Ukraine and the Middle East, give Venezuela a cheap but powerful asymmetric strike capability; able to threaten U.S. bases in the Caribbean, Colombian targets, and potentially even reach the U.S. mainland under the right conditions.

Together, Russia and Iran see their alliances with Caracas as both an economic lifeline and a strategic counterweight to U.S. dominance in Latin America.

Sources: Sources available upon request, included separately to not disrupt the style of the page.