There is worldwide discussion about the attack on Venezuela and the arrest of President Nicolás Maduro. Media reports are calling it an attempt to forcibly seize Venezuela’s natural resources, rather than (as claimed by the America) related to drugs.
SNPNEWS.IN News (Gurmail Kamboj), on December 3, the US security agencies attacked Venezuela’s capital and took President Nicolás Maduro and his wife hostage, flying them to America. Contrary to claims linking this to drug trafficking, global media is describing the action as illegal and a violation of international norms.
According to several renowned media outlets, the primary reasons behind this action are America’s declining economy and its stubborn efforts to maintain dollar hegemony. In reality, global trade in crude oil and many other commodities is conducted in US dollars, which brings America trillions of rupees in profit every year without any hindrance. In contrast, after US sanctions, Venezuela’s (now imprisoned by America) President Nicolás Maduro’s government announced in September 2017 that Venezuela would sell oil, gas, and other products in currencies other than the dollar (such as Chinese yuan, Japanese yen, Russian ruble, Indian rupee, etc.). This was in response to US sanctions. Orders were given to PDVSA (the state oil company) to switch accounts to euros.
In October 2017, Vice President Tareq El Aissami announced that dollars would no longer be used in government foreign exchange auctions; instead, euros, yuan, and other currencies would be used. In December 2017, the Venezuelan government announced the Petro (an oil-backed cryptocurrency) to bypass the dollar.
In February 2018, the Petro was launched, and Venezuela began selling oil in euros, yuan, and other currencies. These efforts were to circumvent US sanctions (which started in 2017), leading Venezuela to sell more oil to China (in yuan) and distance itself from the dollar. These efforts were not entirely successful but laid the foundation for de-dollarization.
Following this, US security agencies plotted the first conspiracy in May 2020 to arrest/kidnap President Nicolás Maduro, known as Operation Gideon. It was jointly run by Venezuela’s opposition faction, former Venezuelan military personnel living in Colombia, and the US private security company Silvercorp USA.
It was led by former US Green Beret Jordan Goudreau. There were also links to opposition leader Juan Guaidó, though Guaidó denied it. Some American (spies) were involved in the conspiracy. The Maduro government foiled it; about 13 people were arrested, 8 killed, and warrants issued against Goudreau and others. America denied its involvement.
In the latest case, statements by US President Donald Trump are being linked to regime change in Venezuela to gain indirect control over its 303 billion barrels of oil (about 17-18% of the world’s reserves), Latin America’s largest gold reserves (8,000 to 10,000 tons, including the Orinoco Mining Arc and the Central Bank’s 161 tons), Latin America’s largest natural gas reserves (about 200 trillion cubic feet), proven iron ore reserves over 4 billion tons, one of the world’s major bauxite reserves (for aluminum), significant coltan (for tantalum and niobium, used in electronics and batteries), estimated 340 million tons of nickel (per government claims), diamonds, and other rare earth elements, as well as copper, zinc, rare earth elements, coal, etc.
Previously, US security agencies, governments, and private interests have been accused of pushing several countries to the brink of destruction to seize natural resources.
During the Russia-Ukraine war, US President Donald Trump pressured Zelenskyy in 2025 to agree to a US-Ukraine mineral deal for access to Ukraine’s natural resources (especially rare earth minerals, oil, gas, and other minerals) in exchange for US military aid.
He said: “So I went to them and said, ‘Look, we got to get rare earth.’ They have great rare earth, meaning certain minerals, materials.”
In another statement, he said: “I told them that I want the equivalent like $500 billion worth of rare earth and they’ve essentially agreed to do that so at least we don’t feel stupid.”
In March 2025, Trump said: “We’re doing very well with regard to Ukraine and Russia. And one of the things we are doing is signing a deal very shortly with respect to rare earths with Ukraine.”
During a cabinet meeting announcing the deal, Trump said Ukraine has very large rare earth reserves and America needs access to them. He said, “Rare earth is called rare for a reason—and they have a lot—and we made a deal where our money is secure, where we can start digging and doing what we have to do.”
Under the deal, Ukraine will put 50% of royalties from its natural resources (rare earths, oil, gas, gold, copper, etc.) into a US-Ukraine fund, and America will get preferential rights. Trump described it as a way to recoup US aid.
In Bolivia in 2019, Evo Morales was ousted in a coup (seen by many as a military action). In July 2020, Elon Musk posted a controversial tweet. In response to a user’s question, Musk wrote: “We will coup whoever we want! Deal with it.”
This tweet became highly controversial because Bolivia has the world’s largest lithium reserves (critical for electric car batteries). Evo Morales also retweeted it, saying it proved the coup was for lithium. Musk later deleted the tweet and said Tesla’s lithium comes from Australia, but the controversy continued.
Muammar Gaddafi’s 42-year rule in Libya ended with the Arab Spring uprising, which turned into a civil war and ended with NATO (US, France, UK) military intervention. With NATO’s help, rebels captured Tripoli and Sirte. Gaddafi was captured and killed in October 2011.
In 2009, as African Union chairman, Gaddafi proposed that African countries adopt a gold-backed currency (Libyan Golden Dinar) and sell oil not in dollars but in this new currency or gold. Libya had 143 tons of gold to back this pan-African currency. This plan would free African countries from the French CFA franc and challenge the petrodollar system. Oil revenues would go to African funds instead of US banks.
The petrodollar system (1970s agreement with Saudi Arabia) ensures most oil is sold in dollars, strengthening the US economy. Gaddafi’s plan could challenge it. This was one reason for Gaddafi’s regime change and death.
READ IT: America Attacks Venezuela, President Arrested
Saddam Hussein’s ouster in Iraq (2003) resulted from a military operation by the US and allies (UK, Australia, Poland, etc.), known as the Iraq War or Operation Iraqi Freedom. It started on March 20, 2003, and Baghdad fell (April 9, 2003), toppling Saddam’s Ba’ath Party government. Saddam was captured in December 2003 and hanged in 2006.
US President George W. Bush and UK Prime Minister Tony Blair claimed Saddam had stockpiles of chemical, biological, and nuclear weapons and was developing them. Saddam’s links to Al-Qaeda were alleged, especially post-9/11. But post-war investigations (Iraq Survey Group and 9/11 Commission) proved no WMDs were found and no Al-Qaeda links existed. These claims were false or exaggerated.
A popular theory is that in 2000, Saddam started selling oil in euros instead of dollars, threatening the petrodollar system (oil sales in dollars benefit the US economy). It also profited Iraq as the euro strengthened. Some analysts say post-9/11, America wanted to increase influence in the Middle East for oil control and Israel’s security.
America protects the petrodollar through such interventions, helping sustain growing US government debt ($37.64 trillion by end-2025, 124% of GDP). This could reach $55 trillion in 10 years, with interest payments exceeding $1 trillion in 2026 (17% of federal budget). This rising debt risks the US economy; the Venezuela attack is the latest example, where oil control would benefit the dollar.
SNPNEWS.IN does not confirm claims that America/NATO contributed to attacks and regime changes in countries like Venezuela, Iraq, and Libya primarily for private interests. The figures in this article are from various discussed global sources.