Expert: U.S. actions near Venezuela signal revival of new Monroe Doctrine

The United States' unprecedented military buildup near Venezuela, framed by Washington as a counter-narcotics mission, marks a sharp escalation that reflects the return of a more coercive new Monroe Doctrine, a Chinese expert said.

Sun Yanfeng, director of the Institute of Latin American Studies at the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, told Chinese media that the deployments serve three core aims: pressuring for the toppling of President Nicolas Maduro's government, deterring Latin American countries from drifting away from U.S. influence, and diverting attention from political tensions at home.

He said recent U.S. actions, including unilateral moves to label the alleged Venezuelan "Cartel of the Suns" as a terrorist organization despite a lack of evidence, underscore a pattern of using security pretexts to reshape the region's strategic landscape.

Tensions have surged further after U.S. President Donald Trump said on Saturday that Venezuelan airspace should be considered "closed in its entirety" in a social media post, a statement that reportedly surprised even U.S. officials and drew condemnation from Caracas as a "colonialist threat."

Reuters has reported that Washington is weighing options ranging from covert CIA operations to supporting efforts to overthrow Maduro, following months of maritime strikes on suspected drug-trafficking vessels in the Caribbean.

Venezuela, warning that the U.S. is seeking to topple its government, has placed its military on high alert and expanded domestic mobilization while bolstering air-defense capabilities.

The Latin American country "has steadily strengthened its military capabilities in recent years, importing radar systems, S-300 air-defense missiles, and various other air-defense weapons from Russia to counter potential external threats, making its overall defense capacity not to be underestimated," Sun noted.

Economically, Venezuela is also working to reduce its over-reliance on oil by actively developing agriculture, mining and infrastructure, enhancing its economic self-sufficiency. He added that these measures give the country greater resilience in facing U.S. pressure than in the past.

U.S. actions are facing growing pushback across the region and beyond. Ecuador has seen overwhelming rejection of a referendum proposal to restore U.S. military bases, and several Latin American governments warn that Washington is setting a dangerous precedent by invoking "counter-narcotics" or domestic law to justify force. In the meantime, Colombian President Gustavo Petro announced he would suspend communications between Colombia's security forces and U.S. agencies in response to the maritime strikes, insisting that anti-drug efforts must respect the rights of Caribbean communities.

Even close U.S. partners have shown unease. The U.K. has reportedly paused certain intelligence sharing with the Pentagon over its maritime strikes, while Dutch intelligence services have limited cooperation over concerns that politicized information could facilitate human-rights violations.

Sun warned that U.S. pressure is reshaping Latin America's security landscape, forcing governments to take sides on Venezuela and deepening regional divisions. He said Washington's coercive tactics risk destabilizing an already fragile region plagued by organized crime and social violence.

Given a long history of U.S. intervention, many Latin American countries remain wary and distrustful, he said, adding that the resurgent new Monroe Doctrine may compel some states to "comply on the surface while pushing them further away from the U.S. in strategic outlook and sentiment."