The U.S.-Venezuela Crisis Accelerated Under the Name of the "Drug War" — The Blueprint of Pressure Leading to the Capture Announcement

The "Capture" Announcement Was Not Sudden——Why Tensions Between the U.S. and Venezuela Gradually Escalated

On January 3, 2026, U.S. President Trump announced that "the U.S. military has captured Venezuela's Nicolás Maduro." Reports also indicated explosions and smoke in Caracas, thrusting U.S.-Venezuela relations into a crisis involving military operations.InfoMoney

However, this was not an event that happened on a whim. Analyzing an article from InfoMoney (distributed by NYT), it becomes clear that the U.S. had been building pressure over several years through "indictment→sanctions→military action," ultimately reaching the maximum card of "capture."InfoMoney

1) Building Pressure: Indictments, Bounties, and Military Presence

According to the article, the U.S. indicted Maduro in 2020 for corruption and drug trafficking. Furthermore, in 2025, the bounty for information leading to his capture was raised to $50 million.InfoMoney

While maintaining this "law enforcement" framework, military pressure visibly intensified from late 2025.

Since the end of August, the Department of Defense reportedly amassed "about 12 ships" in the Caribbean, deploying over 15,000 U.S. troops in the region. The article positions this as the largest scale since the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962.InfoMoney

In other words, the stage was already set before the dramatic conclusion of "capture."

2) The Issue is the "Drug War"——However, There is a "Twist" in the Explanation

The U.S. administration indicted Maduro for drug trafficking, with the State Department labeling him as the "head of a 'narco-terrorist state.'"InfoMoney

However, the same article also highlights a crucial "twist."Venezuela is not a major source of illegal drugs for the U.S.. Venezuela does not produce fentanyl, and cocaine passing through Venezuela is primarily produced in Colombia and flows mainly to Europe.InfoMoney

In other words, there is a discrepancy between the U.S.'s proclaimed cause of "narco-terrorism" and the actual explanation of drug distribution. This becomes a point that easily ignites on social media and in political discourse.

3) Expansion of Maritime Attacks and "Legitimacy"——Allegations of Civilian Casualties

The article describes the U.S.'s military operations in Latin American waters as a "legally controversial campaign," noting that 35 U.S. attacks were confirmed in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific, resulting in at least 115 deaths. Many legal scholars point out the illegality, with concerns that "the military is killing civilians" also being introduced.InfoMoney

Furthermore, unlike traditional anti-drug operations that tend to target "cartel leadership," the reported maritime attacks were characterized by targeting "low-level operators."InfoMoney

This design implies the ease of crafting a political narrative that "continues to strike the field, heightening tensions, and finally connects to a story of capturing the 'mastermind.'"

4) Absence of Congressional Approval and a Domestic Political Flashpoint

Regarding this operation, the article states that there was no explicit approval from the U.S. Congress.InfoMoney

Additionally, it describes how Republican Senator Mike Lee posted on social media that he heard from Secretary of State Marco Rubio that Maduro was captured by U.S. personnel and would face criminal proceedings in the U.S.InfoMoney

This very "fact-checking via social media" symbolizes the abnormal situation. The legitimacy of policy (congressional control) and the dissemination of information (speed of SNS) collided. In fact, political reactions within the U.S. are divided, with Republicans praising while Democrats are reported to strongly caution against military actions without congressional approval.The Guardian

5) Three Objectives: Weakening the Regime, Military Action Against Cartels, and Oil

The InfoMoney article organizes the U.S. administration's strategy towards Venezuela since 2025 into the following three points.

• Weakening the Maduro Regime

• Use of Military Force Against Drug Cartels

• Enabling U.S. companies to access the country's vast oil resourcesInfoMoney

Particularly, "oil" becomes a switch that makes foreign policy read more as "interest" than "morality." The article describes the next stage as "seizing tankers" to cut off Venezuela's revenue sources and paralyze its oil industry. Critics call it "gunboat diplomacy," and Maduro reportedly rebuked it as "belligerent and colonialist display."InfoMoney

This structure is bound to ignite on social media.

Social Media Reactions (Visible "Main Types" from Reports)

※The following is an organization of "reaction trends" based on mentions in the article and multiple reports released on the same day. Specific post quotes are avoided, and phenomena are organized.

A. "It's Over!" Celebrations, Joy, and Memes

Among the overseas opposition and diaspora, "joy" is observed, albeit with cautious expectations. For example, Reuters reports that opposition activists in Madrid "cautiously rejoiced."Reuters
AP's photo gallery also captures the divided emotions of celebration and tears or agitation in various locations.AP News

B. "What About Congress? What About International Law?" Criticism of Legitimacy and Sovereignty

Even within the U.S., evaluations are divided, with reports of growing criticism over "military action without congressional approval" and "dangerous precedent."The Guardian
This point is a theme that is easy to convey and spread in short posts (and thus easy to ignite).

C. "Too Much Footage, It's Suspicious"——Proliferation of Disinformation and AI-Generated Content

The decisive factor in SNS reactions this time was "information pollution." Wired reports that from the moment of the announcement, old footage and AI-generated images and videos were massively spread on TikTok, Instagram, X, etc., with scenes of "raids" and "captures" of unknown authenticity running rampant.WIRED

Even celebratory posts are treated as "fabricated," while fabrications are consumed for their "authenticity." As a result, substantial discussions on legal points, regional stability, oil, and sanctions are easily overshadowed by flashy footage.

Future Focus: Trials, Power Vacuums, and Oil Reorganization

Since the article's framework is "detention for criminal proceedings," future focus converges on three major points.

1. How criminal proceedings in the U.S. can justify the military operationInfoMoney

2. Whether the "vacuum" in power transition within Venezuela will explode

3. Where the reorganization of sanctions and resources, including tanker seizures and oil access, will headInfoMoney
   
   

Conclusion: Is the Hardline Approach a "Success" or a "Long-term Destabilization"?

The InfoMoney article depicts a process of placing "military operations" as an extension of indictments and sanctions, further intertwining interests like oil to maximize pressure.InfoMoney

And SNS compresses that complexity into "emotions and visuals." Joy, criticism, and fake news——with all three running simultaneously, the world is divided into different realities while watching the same event.WIRED