After Venezuela, China Is Watching How Washington Defines Its Sphere of Influence

China condemns the U.S. forcible seizure of Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro and wife Cilia Flores, demanding their release.
A man walks past a graffiti depicting Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in Caracas on January 3, 2026. China condemns the U.S. forcible seizure of Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro and wife Cilia Flores, demanding their release. (Photo by JUAN BARRETO / AFP)

By Shaun Tandon

With a major attack to arrest Venezuela’s leader, President Donald Trump is showing that the United States will impose its will in its neighborhood — and the lesson may not be lost on Russia and China.

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by Agence France-Presse

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