New Delhi: The world woke as much as a surprising US navy strike in Caracas on January 3, 2026 and captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his spouse Cilia Flores on January 3, 2026. At first look, the operation seemed like one other chapter within the lengthy historical past of US involvement in Venezuela’s oil sector.
For years earlier than January 2026, the USA had relied on sanctions, naval stress and authorized motion to squeeze Venezuela’s oil exports, notably to China and different non-Western consumers. A latest US blockade minimize Venezuelan oil shipments by practically 75 p.c, forcing tankers to reroute or return to port and pushing crude flows towards US-linked refineries.
However does oil alone clarify the timing or the scope of this operation?
No. Within the months main as much as the strike, silver costs began rising in worldwide market as tensions grew and provides tightened. The steel is important for electronics, photo voltaic panels, computing and superior navy gear, however its international provides are declining. On January 5, US commodity markets noticed silver costs leap practically 8 p.c, whereas gold additionally hit file highs as traders sought refuge from political threat.
This worth motion coincided with broader worries about China’s management over international steel markets. Beijing already dominates a big share of refined silver manufacturing and processing. From January 1, China launched new restrictions on silver exports, tightening international provide and growing competitors for what stays. Analysts say these strikes are pushing nations like the USA to lock in various sources and develop home processing capability as rivalry with Beijing intensifies.
On this state of affairs, Venezuela’s mineral wealth turns into way more vital. The Orinoco Mining Arc in southeastern area of the nation is an unlimited space, which covers over 1,12,000 sq. kilometres and holds huge deposits of silver, gold, bauxite, antimony, coltan and different vital metals very important for contemporary manufacturing and defence provide chains.
These sources are now not seen as unusual commodities however as strategic property as these are vital for contemporary trade and navy provide chains. Nations now see them as strategic property somewhat than simply supplies for commerce.
That is the place the operation’s lesser-known dimension comes into view. A day after Maduro’s seize, reviews surfaced {that a} main US monetary establishment has entered right into a take care of the US Division of Protection to fund large-scale steel processing and smelting amenities linked to Venezuela’s mineral reserves. Working into billions of {dollars}, the proposed investments are focussed on refining Venezuelan silver and different strategic metals.
Whereas US officers haven’t overtly described the intervention as being about sources, many analysts see a transparent technique at work. Securing entry to vital metals and the power to course of them would cut back America’s dependence on international provide chains, particularly these managed by China.
Past sources, there’s a wider geopolitical message in Washington’s actions. US officers have made no secret of their considerations about rival powers increasing affect within the Western Hemisphere.
China and Russia have lengthy supported Venezuela with loans, navy {hardware} and power partnerships. Beijing has been one in all Caracas’s closest financial allies for years. After Maduro’s seize, China condemned the intervention as a violation of worldwide regulation and known as for his instant launch, highlighting the diplomatic penalties of the US motion.
Within the weeks after the US operation, tensions have risen the world over. The USA has moved to grab dozens of Venezuelan-linked oil tankers, whereas stress on sanctioned transport fleet belonging to Caracas has elevated. It has disrupted international oil provides and strained ties with China and Cuba. Regardless of going through severe gas shortages, Cuba has stated it won’t negotiate with the USA.
Monetary markets too have reacted to those developments. Main US oil refiners and power corporations have seen their shares climb on expectations of a strategic reordering of Venezuelan crude provide, whereas valuable metals markets have proven heightened volatility as a result of broader uncertainty.
All these developments recommend that the USA is recalibrating its method to geopolitical competitors, utilizing direct navy motion, financial sanctions, authorized devices and strategic investments to safe each power and mineral sources whereas sending a message to rivals. In an period the place international affect is more and more tied to regulate of vital provide chains and uncooked supplies, Venezuela’s wealth (in oil and past) has as soon as once more turn into central to nice‑energy politics.
