In a scathing critique, former Union Minister P Chidambaram has labelled the recent US military action in Venezuela as the "ugly face" of a self-appointed global sheriff. Writing on January 11, 2026, he argues that President Donald Trump's decision to invade a sovereign nation in the Americas represents a stark and dangerous new chapter in US foreign policy.
The Monroe Doctrine Turned on Its Head
Chidambaram frames the event against a historical backdrop. He notes that the operation, codenamed Absolute Resolve, occurred precisely two hundred years after President James Monroe declared his famous doctrine warning European powers against interference in the Western Hemisphere. On the night of January 2/3, 2026, Trump fundamentally transgressed this principle. US forces invaded Venezuela, captured the elected President, Nicolas Maduro, and extradited him to face trial in a New York court.
The author points out that no foreign power was interfering in Venezuela's affairs at the time. While Maduro's election was contested and his rule had turned authoritarian, Chidambaram stresses that he was the nation's chosen leader. The US justification—charges of drug trafficking without public evidence—rings hollow. The real motive, according to the column, is control over Venezuela's vast oil reserves, the largest in the world, especially as Caracas pivoted towards China and Russia.
The Bush-Trump Doctrine and a Lethal War Machine
This new interventionist policy, Chidambaram suggests, should be called the Bush-Trump doctrine. He draws parallels to the 1989 US invasion of Panama under President George H.W. Bush to oust Manuel Noriega. The pattern continued with the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, which he calls "spectacular failures" built on fabricated threats. The Venezuela operation, however, showcased the terrifying efficiency of the US military—snatching a head of state from his palace at night with zero casualties—proving it is "the most lethal war machine" ever built.
The columnist warns that Absolute Resolve has effectively given a "free pass" to other powers like Russia and China to pursue their own expansionist goals, whether in Ukraine or potentially along India's borders. Trump's candid admission that US oil companies would now profit from Venezuelan oil, he argues, reveals the operation's true economic imperialism.
India's Diminishing Voice on the Global Stage
A significant portion of the critique is reserved for India's response, which Chidambaram finds weak and isolating. He notes that India's official statement merely referred to "recent developments" and called for peaceful dialogue, failing to condemn the capture or even name the United States. This timidity, he asserts, stems from a fear of provoking Trump's wrath, following previous snubs to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The consequence, according to the former minister, is a stark loss of relevance. India is isolated within BRICS and from Europe on this issue. Despite aspirations of being a Vishwaguru (world teacher), its voice carries little weight. Chidambaram quotes a former ambassador who said, "what India said would not make a difference." He further predicts that with US energy interests secured in Venezuela, Washington's urgency for a trade deal with India will wane, leaving New Delhi vulnerable to tariff manipulations.
In conclusion, P Chidambaram states that Donald Trump has proved to be the most interventionist US president in history, with a tally including Palestine, Iran, Syria, Yemen, Nigeria, and now Venezuela. While one may not sympathise with Maduro, he urges readers to mourn the "return of imperialism and the demise of the sovereignty of nations."
