US seizes Maduro as Trump pushes ‘Donroe Doctrine’
If you’re studying US foreign policy this year, the last 72 hours rewrote your notes. In a pre‑dawn raid on 3 January 2026, US forces seized Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro and his wife; within hours President Trump revived the Monroe Doctrine in his own name, the “Donroe Doctrine”, to justify a tougher line across the Americas. We’ll help you sort what happened, what’s being claimed, and why teachers are likely to bring this into class this week.
What’s confirmed by courts and officials is straightforward: Maduro was flown to New York and has pleaded not guilty to federal narco‑terrorism charges. Trump has said the US may “run” Venezuela during a transition, while Secretary of State Marco Rubio has since stressed the US is not at war with Venezuela and will not govern it. These are fast‑moving claims; expect updates across the week.
A quick refresher for your notes: the Monroe Doctrine, announced in 1823, warned European powers against expanding in the Americas. In practice, US leaders have used it for decades to justify interventions in Latin America. Trump’s rebrand - the “Donroe Doctrine” - signals a belief that Washington can assert primacy in the Western Hemisphere today, and he is framing recent actions through that lens.
Greenland is back in the conversation. Trump now says the US “needs” the island for national security; Denmark and Greenland say no - Greenland’s prime minister Jens‑Frederik Nielsen called talk of US control “completely unacceptable”, while Denmark’s Mette Frederiksen says annexation has no basis. The US already runs Pituffik Space Base there, and the Arctic’s opening sea routes and rare‑earth deposits raise strategic interest and environmental questions students should note.
Colombia, long treated as a partner in Washington’s drug war, is now in Trump’s crosshairs. In October 2025, the US Treasury sanctioned President Gustavo Petro and relatives under counter‑narcotics powers. Since September, the US military has carried out lethal strikes on suspected drug boats in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific, releasing little public evidence; UN experts have flagged due‑process concerns. Trump has also warned that Petro must “watch his ass”, a striking break from diplomatic language.
Iran sits outside the “Donroe” pitch, but it’s part of the same posture. After a week of deadly protests, Trump warned Iran would be “hit very hard” if more demonstrators are killed. That follows a June 2025 US strike on three Iranian nuclear sites during a short Iran–Israel war; assessments differ on how much the programme was set back. After a Mar‑a‑Lago meeting last week, Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu raised the prospect of new strikes in 2026.
Mexico features in two ways - policy and symbolism. On day one of his second term, Trump ordered federal usage of “Gulf of America” instead of “Gulf of Mexico” and later proclaimed a national day to celebrate it. He has also floated force against cartels, but President Claudia Sheinbaum has repeatedly rejected any US military action on Mexican soil, saying cooperation is welcome but sovereignty is non‑negotiable.
Cuba remains under US restrictions dating to the early 1960s, and Trump now says the government in Havana is “ready to fall” after the Venezuela raid. Cuba’s fuel squeeze is measurable: Reuters‑based tallies compiled by CiberCuba show that from January to October 2025 Venezuela supplied roughly 27,000 barrels per day, within a total import figure near 45,000 bpd - sharply down on 2024. Rubio says Havana is “in a lot of trouble”, while Cuba reports 32 of its personnel were killed during the Caracas operation.
For classroom discussion, keep a close eye on legality. Senior Democrats argue the Venezuela raid bypassed Congress and misled leaders about scope; UN experts have already questioned the anti‑drugs boat strikes for lacking due process. Expect hearings, court challenges and a UN Security Council session this week - useful moments to track how domestic law and international law collide in real time.
When you hear promises of “stability” or “control”, ask who decides and who benefits. In Venezuela, Trump floated that US partners could help “run” the country and access its oil - a claim later softened by Rubio’s assurances. In Greenland, resource politics intersects with environmental law and Indigenous rights; across the Arctic, faster shipping is real but comes with climate risks. These are live civic questions you can test with timelines, treaties and primary sources.
Dates help you anchor the story: 3 January 2026 - US raid captures Maduro in Caracas; 4 January - Trump talks “Donroe Doctrine” and threatens further action; 5 January - Maduro pleads not guilty in New York. Build your own timeline as more detail lands, and keep cross‑checking early claims against later evidence and court filings.