The United States is justified in its invasion of Venezuela, given the concerns surrounding the ongoing oppression of Venezuelan citizens, the spread of narco-terrorism that now threatens the United States itself, and the urgent need to rebuild Venezuela’s shattered infrastructure. 

Historically, the United States has played a leading role in taking down dictators and assisting nations in reconstructing their governments and economies. After World War II, the United States directed the reconstruction of Japan and, through the Marshall Plan, revitalized Western Germany’s infrastructure. During the Cold War, America intervened in Korea to prevent the spread of communism and, in Panama, Operation “Just Cause” resulted in the capture of dictator Manuel Noriega and the restoration of democratic elections. The U.S. intervention in Venezuela is consistent with this legacy of foreign involvement. 

Now that the Venezuelan dictator is gone, it is imperative that the United States remain to ensure stability and guide the nation toward recovery and democracy.

One of the most compelling justifications for the U.S. invasion is the systematic oppression endured by the Venezuelan people under the regime of Nicolas Maduro. For years, Maduro's government engaged in widespread abuse, including extrajudicial executions, torture, and arbitrary detentions of political opponents and protesters. According to the U.S. Department of State, a summary of human rights violations committed my Maduro include: “arbitrary or unlawful killings; disappearances; torture or cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment; arbitrary arrest or detention; transnational repression against individuals in another country; unlawful recruitment or use of children by Maduro-supported groups in armed conflict; serious restrictions on freedom of expression and media freedom, including violence or threats of violence against journalists, unjustified arrests or prosecutions of journalists, and censorship; trafficking in persons, including forced labor; prohibiting independent trade unions or significant or systematic restrictions on workers’ freedom of association; violence or threats against labor activists or union members; and significant presence of any of the worst forms of child labor”.  The regime also supported armed gangs known as “Colectivos,” who relied on violence and intimidation to control neighborhoods and silence dissent. Basic rights were routinely violated, and the humanitarian crisis was further deepened as the government prioritized loyalty over competence, resulting in severe shortages of food and medicine for ordinary citizens. 

The United States cannot just take down an oppressive leader and then abandon its people to the shattered and still oppressive remains of its government. By intervening, the United States has acted to liberate Venezuelans from Maduro's grip of tyranny and to help them build a life of freedom and opportunity.

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Next, the rampant growth of narco-terrorism has not only destabilized Venezuela but has also spilled over the border, affecting the United States. Venezuela’s location along the Caribbean Sea makes it an ideal transit country for drug trafficking organizations moving cocaine shipments from Colombia to markets in the United States, the Caribbean, Central America, Europe, and Africa. According to the National Drug Threat Assessment done through the U.S. Department of Justice, “Puerto Rico-based DTOs have established heroin trafficking routes from Venezuela to Puerto Rico. In some cases, traffickers instruct couriers to take an indirect route to deliver heroin from Caracas, Venezuela, to various major U.S. cities.” The report further notes that corruption and lack of effective law enforcement in Venezuela facilitate this trafficking activity. The continued flow of drugs through Venezuela contributes to addiction, violence, and the strengthening of criminal organizations in the United States. By intervening in Venezuela, the United States is taking necessary action to disrupt these trafficking networks and protect its citizens from the harmful effects of illegal drugs.

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Finally, rebuilding Venezuela’s shattered infrastructure is now both a humanitarian duty and a strategic necessity for the United States. Before the removal of Maduro, American involvement in reconstruction was optional; now, having intervened, it is an obligation. The U.S. has a longstanding history of leading post-crisis recovery, from rebuilding Japan and Western Germany after World War II to restoring infrastructure and democracy in Panama following Operation “Just Cause.” Years of mismanagement and corruption have left Venezuela’s roads, hospitals, and schools in ruins, but U.S. investment can revive essential services and provide hope for millions. This commitment not only addresses immediate needs but also upholds the American legacy of supporting nations as they emerge from turmoil.

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The United States' actions in Venezuela are rooted in a tradition of promoting freedom, combating transnational threats, and aiding in reconstruction. With the dictator removed, it is not only justified but necessary for the U.S. to continue its commitment, helping Venezuela rebuild and secure a future.

The actions taken against Venezuela and its people are unjust. This war is not only immoral, but it directly contradicts previous promises our president swore to during his campaign. 

Firstly, this war on Venezuela is not constitutional. The Constitution is rather explicit when it states that Congress is the body that has the right to declare war.  According to the Constitution Center, it is almost universally agreed that the President does not have the authority to declare war. While nobody has called what is happening in Venezuela a “war” yet, that does not change what it really is. Russia’s “military operation” in Ukraine is technically not a war, according to Russia. In the same way, America’s ruthless, indiscriminate bombing of the largest city in Venezuela is technically not an act of war. I would argue that it is both an act of war and a war crime. Any time that innocent civilians are the target of a military attack, that is a sign that there is a country clearly in the wrong. 

Our actions in Venezuela directly contradict what President Trump promised during his campaign. While campaigning, Trump explicitly ran on an “America First” platform. That meant no more American boots on the ground, no more investing in foreign countries, and prioritizing Americans above anything else. According to The White House, President Trump made a promise that “We will expel the warmongering from our government” and here we are. 

After our actions in Venezuela, the President made no attempt to hide his true intentions. Those who think that this is some sort of graceful intervention to attempt to stop an evil dictator are delightfully ignorant. To quote the President’s words verbatim, "We're going to have our very large United States oil companies, the biggest anywhere in the world, go in, spend billions of dollars, fix the badly broken infrastructure, the oil infrastructure, and start making money for the country." If there’s one constant in modern American history, it is invading countries under false pretenses just for the oil. In case it isn’t clear that Trump is not afraid to deploy American troops in a foreign country just for oil, maybe the quote in which Trump said, “We’re not afraid to put American boots on the ground”, as reported by Reuters, can shine some necessary light on the situation.

Some people might argue that the intervention was necessary to depose a violent and controlling dictator. While it is true that we got rid of a dictator and it is important that we did, the ends do not justify the means. The Washington Post estimates that we have killed as many as 75 people. When innocents are pointlessly killed, the ends do not justify the means. When 123 people were bombed at sea with no due process of law, the end does not justify the means. When a country already plunged into peril is further risked by careless military action just to replace the dictator with a new one, the ends do not justify the means. 

The actions of the United States were careless, unethical, and a direct violation of international and federal law. We didn’t even bother to disguise what these acts really are: justification to seize the world’s largest known oil reserves. If we ever want other countries to enjoy democracy, then we need to police our own. What is happening in America is nothing short of testing and pushing the limits of presidential authority. Venezuela is just another checkbox.