U.S. Military Imperialism Masquerading as “Transition” in Venezuela
The Catholic News Agency reports on January 3, 2026, that U.S. military forces captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, transported him to New York for indictment, and announced plans for America to “run” Venezuela until arranging a governmental transition. U.S. President Donald Trump justified the intervention by claiming Maduro “emptied out their prisons [and] sent their worst and most violent monsters into the United States,” referencing the 2024 murder of Jocelyn Nungaray by illegal immigrants. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth boasted of projecting American power “anywhere, anytime,” while Latin American leaders condemned the operation and Venezuelan bishops limited their response to prayer and internal communication. This brazen violation of national sovereignty exemplifies the libido dominandi (lust for domination) condemned by Catholic social teaching, executed with chilling efficiency under the humanitarian pretext of “transition.”