The dramatic nighttime raid targeting Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro on January 3 has sent shockwaves through Latin America, reviving historic tensions over U.S. interventionism. 🌍🔥 Analysts warn this bold move could reignite anti-American sentiment last seen during the 20th-century 'Banana Wars.'
Historical Echoes in Modern Crisis
This operation—the first major U.S. military intervention in South America since the 1900s—comes as former President Donald Trump pushes to regain control of Venezuela's vast oil reserves. 💰🛢️ With reserves surpassing Saudi Arabia's, Venezuela's resources have been contested since U.S. companies first extracted asphalt there in the 1920s.
Oil at the Center
Trump's January 3 statement about 'running' Venezuela and reclaiming oil fields mirrors Theodore Roosevelt's 1904 policy shift that justified U.S. interventions. Critics argue this move prioritizes corporate interests over sovereignty, recalling Venezuela's 1976 oil nationalization under President Carlos Andrés Pérez.
As regional leaders debate responses, many young Latin Americans are taking to social media with #YankeeGoHome hashtags, blending historical memory with modern activism. 📱💪 The coming weeks may determine whether this becomes a turning point for U.S.-Latin American relations.
