What Can Be Said by Linking the Scheme Behind the Opium Wars and What President Trump Sought to Prevent in Venezuela
When U.S. President Donald Trump’s military intervention in Venezuela (as of January 2026, the 47th President of the United States) is linked to the Opium Wars of the 19th century, a shared justification emerges: “preventing the inflow of drugs that weaken and poison a nation.” At the same time, a deeper underlying structure becomes visible?one centered on struggles for hegemony and the securing of strategic interests.
The current situation in the United States is described by some observers as a “Reverse Opium War.” Below is an outline of the connections, based on conditions as of 2026.
1. Confronting the “Poisoning of a Nation Through Drugs”
The Opium Wars:
The Qing dynasty attempted to prevent the deterioration of its people’s health and the decline of national power caused by the inflow of opium, and used force to suppress British opium smuggling. This action triggered the Opium Wars.
President Trump’s Argument:
Trump has defined synthetic drugs such as fentanyl as “weapons of mass destruction (WMDs),” claiming they are poisoning the American people. In early January 2026, he launched a military operation?including airstrikes?named Operation Absolute Resolve, asserting that the Maduro regime in Venezuela was colluding with drug cartels to send “poison” (narcotics) into the United States.
2. The Pretext of “Drug Control” and the True Objectives
Historians and analysts point out that, both in the Opium Wars and in modern interventions, drugs serve merely as a “trigger” or a “justification,” while deeper economic and geopolitical strategies are at play.
The Opium Wars:
Britain’s objective was not merely the sale of narcotics, but the dismantling of the unequal trade system with the Qing dynasty and the expansion of free trade.
Trump’s Attack on Venezuela:
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Oil Interests: Venezuela possesses the world’s largest proven oil reserves, and the operation is widely seen as an attempt to secure access to these resources.
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Exclusion of Chinese and Russian Influence: Another geopolitical objective is to push China and Russia out of Latin America?traditionally viewed by the United States as its “backyard.”
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Domestic Political Messaging: Some analysts argue that the operation also served as political theater, diverting public attention from domestic inflation and projecting an image of restoring law and order to regain public support.
3. Contradictions in Information and Criticism
Just as Britain once justified the Opium Wars in the name of “free trade,” Trump’s claims have also drawn significant scrutiny.
Discrepancy Regarding Fentanyl Supply Routes:
According to experts and U.S. intelligence reports, most fentanyl entering the United States comes through routes involving China and Mexico. Venezuela’s role is considered extremely limited, primarily linked to cocaine rather than fentanyl.
Lack of Evidence:
Regarding Trump’s assertion that the Maduro regime was systematically involved in drug trafficking, contradictory assessments have emerged even within the U.S. intelligence community, with some stating that there is insufficient evidence.
In this sense, while Trump’s actions are framed using Opium War?style logic?“cutting off drug supply sources to protect national security”?their essence lies in a 21st-century geopolitical struggle for oil interests and the exclusion of anti-U.S. forces.
Many Venezuelans appear eager to emigrate, as oil revenues are not being returned to the public, and it is suspected that Chinese and Russian intermediaries are capturing most of the profits through commissions. The Venezuelan regime is believed to tolerate this situation, being manipulated through bribes, and even to assist in opium and narcotics trafficking. From this perspective, it is understandable that President Trump would be outraged if he were aware of such conditions. If political power is controlled by money and corruption, it is hardly surprising that citizens who wish to practice genuine democratic governance feel compelled to leave the country.
As you point out, an analysis of Venezuela’s situation as of 2026 reveals that the harsh conditions faced by its citizens and the background to Trump’s decision to intervene militarily stem from deeply rooted and complex structural problems. These concerns align closely with current international assessments and investigative reports. They can be summarized in the following three points.
1. Exploitation of Oil Interests and the Role of China and Russia
Despite having the world’s largest oil reserves, Venezuelan citizens receive little benefit.
Oil as Debt Repayment:
The Maduro regime has long relied on massive loans from China and Russia, repaid in oil. Due to favorable pricing arrangements and opaque “intermediary fees,” much of the profit is believed to flow to these countries and specific business actors.
Privatization of Infrastructure:
Revenue from the state oil company (PDVSA) is distributed not to public services, but as “rewards for loyalty” to senior military officers and privileged elites supporting the regime.
2. Concerns Over Becoming a “Narco-State”
The primary reason for Trump’s anger and his resort to airstrikes is his belief that Venezuela has become a “state-run drug trafficking organization.”
The Cartel of the Suns:
This term refers to an alleged drug trafficking network involving senior Venezuelan military officers. It is frequently claimed that the Maduro regime tolerated or supported smuggling routes to compensate for foreign currency shortages caused by U.S. sanctions, receiving bribes in return.
Trump’s Perspective:
Trump asserts that Venezuela manufactures drugs using precursor chemicals from China and serves as a “poison supply source” aimed at weakening the United States. To him, this is not merely a crime issue, but an act of aggression.
3. Public Despair and the Collapse of Democracy
Citizens seek to flee the country because all hope in politics has been extinguished.
Dysfunctional Democracy:
Recent elections and political institutions are widely believed to be controlled through fraud and undue influence, making peaceful political reform or a change of government extremely difficult.
Humanitarian Crisis:
Hyperinflation and shortages of basic necessities have placed much of the population in severe hardship, driving increasing numbers of people to seek better lives abroad.
Summary: The Background of Venezuela’s Current Situation
Venezuela’s current crisis is the result of multiple, intertwined factors. Economic stagnation, problems surrounding the oil industry, and political instability have had profound effects on daily life. The failure of democratic institutions is a key reason many citizens consider emigration. The international community continues to monitor developments closely.
Is China’s strategy?learned from its historical victimization in the triangular trade among India, Britain, and China during the Opium Wars?now being replayed through Venezuela, China, and the United States? Is this, in effect, a form of revenge?
In the international climate of 2026, the perspective you raise?China’s “revenge”?is openly discussed among U.S. officials and experts under the term “Reverse Opium War.” This view holds that China is reproducing, through synthetic drugs such as fentanyl, the same method by which Britain weakened China in the 19th century.
From this perspective, the relationships among Venezuela, China, and the United States form the following structure:
1. The Strategic Framework of a “Reverse Opium War”
Historical Inversion:
Just as Britain once flooded China with opium produced in India, Chinese-made precursor chemicals now flow through cartels in Mexico and Venezuela, entering the United States as fentanyl.
Unrestricted Warfare:
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has accused China of deliberately tolerating or supporting this flow of “poison” in order to weaken the United States from within, describing it as a modern “Reverse Opium War.”
2. A Modern Version of Triangular Trade via Venezuela
The “triangular trade” you referenced now appears as a destructive cycle:
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China: Supplies drug precursors, secures Venezuelan oil interests as debt repayment, and destabilizes the United States through narcotics.
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Venezuela (Maduro regime): Supports drug cartels to repay debts to China and Russia and maintain authoritarian rule, diverting oil revenues meant for citizens to foreign creditors and bribes.
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United States: Suffers tens of thousands of deaths annually from drug inflows and views China’s involvement and Venezuela’s cooperation as major security threats.
3. President Trump’s Anger and the Logic of Intervention
Trump’s sudden detention of Maduro and declaration of control over Venezuelan oil in January 2026 reflect his determination to forcibly sever this “revenge chain.”
Seizing the “Source of Poison”:
Trump labels Venezuela a “narco-state” and justifies military intervention as eliminating forces attempting to poison the United States.
Reclaiming Strategic Interests:
By placing oil assets under U.S. control, Trump aims to expel Chinese and Russian influence from Latin America and remake Venezuela into a pro-U.S. state.
Conclusion
The interpretation that China has transformed the humiliation of the Opium Wars into a strategic lesson?using modern technology and geopolitics, including cooperation with Venezuela, to pressure the United States?lies at the core of the Trump administration’s China and Venezuela policies.
The desperate conditions forcing citizens to flee abroad are the result of great-power rivalry and corrupt leadership exploiting national resources. Trump’s actions can thus be seen as an attempt to overwrite this “Reverse Opium War” with overwhelming military force.
Regarding Trump’s actions, the United Kingdom has expressed cautious understanding while emphasizing adherence to international law, whereas India has voiced “serious concern.”
The United Kingdom’s Response: A Delicate Diplomatic Balance
The Starmer government stressed that the UK was not directly involved in the operation, while taking a nuanced position. Prime Minister Starmer stated that Britain had long supported a transition of power in Venezuela and did not recognize Maduro as the legitimate president, but also emphasized the need to respect international law and the UN Charter. Domestically, some British lawmakers?particularly on the left?criticized the action as illegal imperialism aimed at seizing Venezuelan oil.
India’s Response: Expression of Concern
India issued an official statement expressing “serious concern,” calling on all parties to respect international law and avoid escalation. Consistent with its traditional emphasis on non-interference, India warned against unilateral military intervention and regional destabilization.
In summary, while the UK shows a degree of understanding toward U.S. actions, it stresses international law, and India highlights concerns over sovereignty and regional instability. Neither country fully endorses a force-based resolution.
Is Colombia Similar to Venezuela?
As of January 2026, Colombia shares challenges with Venezuela in terms of drugs and corruption, but differs politically. Nevertheless, it faces a growing risk of becoming the next target after Venezuela.
Trump has labeled Colombia a “sick country,” criticizing it as a major cocaine producer and hinting at possible military action. While Venezuela functions mainly as a transit hub, Colombia is the world’s largest cocaine producer.
Politically, Colombia?once a key U.S. ally?now faces deteriorating relations due to its left-wing government. President Gustavo Petro has condemned the U.S. attack on Venezuela as a violation of sovereignty. Sanctions imposed in October 2025 on individuals close to Petro mirror Venezuela’s earlier path toward isolation.
Public hardship is increasing, and migration pressures are mounting. Armed groups control border regions in both countries, creating lawless zones dominated by violence and bribery.
Conclusion:
Colombia, like Venezuela, is viewed by Trump through the lens of narcotics and national security. Public despair over democracy manipulated by money and violence closely parallels Venezuela’s situation, suggesting Colombia may be entering an equally grave phase.