Photo by Ricardo Arduengo on Reuters
Over the past few weeks, the Trump administration has shifted attention to the Caribbean Sea. Suspicious of drug trafficking activity, the U.S. military struck at least three Venezuelan boats allegedly carrying narco-traffickers and drugs that could threaten Americans. But drug trafficking and narcoterrorism are not new to this socialist state. Beyond just a military exercise, these strikes symbolize America’s increasingly harsh policy toward Venezuela. Whether this policy stems from genuine concern for American national security, however, is questionable to many Venezuelan citizens. Combined with political pressure from their own government, this mistrust risks boiling over into unrest. This is an outcome unfavorable for the U.S.
The U.S. cannot impose democracy on a nation whose people neither trust nor feel comfortable with it. In fact, such interference could be seen as undemocratic. If America truly wants to protect its “backyard” and make progress in restoring democracy in Venezuela, it must first regain the trust of the Venezuelan people. Trump needs to stop treating Venezuelan citizens as pawns in a political chess game.
But why do Venezuelans mistrust the U.S. in the first place?
Ferro, co-founder and executive director of the Venezuelan American Caucus, explains that many Venezuelans believe the Trump administration is failing to take real action against drug trafficking, choosing instead “political propaganda” that does little to bring meaningful change.
In reality, most drugs, particularly fentanyl, come from Mexico—not Venezuela. Experts suggest that U.S. actions, such as recent military strikes on boats, are largely political and symbolic. While the U.S. frames these operations as part of a war on “narcoterrorists,” Venezuela plays only a minor role as a direct drug source.
So when missiles land at their front door, Venezuelans are not only fearful but also left to cope with the collateral damage of a drug trade that isn’t primarily theirs to begin with.
Yahaira Treviño, a Venezuelan mother of four living in Madrid, echoes this sentiment. She opposes the Maduro administration but still distrusts U.S. intentions, believing that “he’s after the minerals in Venezuela, the oil, all the natural resources there are.”
Indeed, the U.S. has long prioritized economics in the region. Trump’s sanctions, though not directly aimed at Venezuelan citizens, crippled the economy, which has deepened Venezuela’s collapse. Hyperinflation, shortages, and a crumbling healthcare system have followed. After a brief period of stabilization, inflation is once again surging in 2025, with economists projecting it could hit 530%.
Thus, even among those who oppose Maduro’s socialist regime, only 55% view the U.S. favorably.
The takeaway is clear: Venezuelans don’t believe the U.S. is genuinely trying to help them, and this mistrust is growing.
Maduro has seized on this distrust, calling on citizens to take up arms against the United States. Throughout September, he ordered nationwide military drills for civilians, reservists, and the Bolivarian militia.
Unsurprisingly, many Venezuelans are picking up arms, not out of loyalty to their authoritarian government but because they are apathetic and the U.S. has left them with no better option. Their already fragile quality of life is being further entrenched in conflict.
Benigno Alarcón, a political analyst at Andrés Bello Catholic University, explains that Maduro doesn’t intend for the militia to engage in actual combat. Instead, they serve as a “human shield.” By mobilizing civilians, the regime increases the human cost of any potential U.S. military action, raising the likelihood of casualties and attempting to deter the US.
To Maduro’s government, these citizens are dispensable. It doesn’t matter if they are untrained or unarmed. And this dehumanization is exactly what the U.S. must never condone—directly or indirectly.
It’s time for the U.S. to change its approach.
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