Being a Canadian in a Time of Political Uncertainty: The U.S. Bombing of Venezuela

On Saturday,  Jan. 3, 2026, the President of the United States (Donald Trump) bombed the country of Venezuela in an attempt to capture their president, Nicolás Maduro. This was done successfully, with both Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, taken into custody by the U.S. However, what Trump has done violates many international laws and puts the law’s legitimacy in jeopardy. While some Venezuelans celebrate the capture of their dictator, many Canadians are questioning what this could mean for them and the country going forward.       

I honestly thought it wasn’t real at first, considering how crazy the headline “U.S. President bombs Venezuela” sounds, but every headline in today’s world has a Black Mirror sensation attached to it, so it didn’t take long to process the news. With occurrences like these seemingly becoming the norm on my timeline and newsfeed, it doesn’t feel very encouraging. As someone with no personal ties to Venezuela, or really the U.S., it has left me with some conflicting feelings. On one hand, a country has been liberated from years of an oppressive dictatorship; however, many international laws are being broken, putting other countries at risk of unannounced acts of violence, maybe even Canada. Whatever the case may be, I took it upon myself to educate myself a little better on what happened up until this point in political history in Venezuela, and what the future might look like going forward here in Canada.  

Before I jump into what happened recently in Venezuela, some historical context needs to be given. Maduro is the president of Venezuela. He ran and governed under the United Socialist Party of Venezuela, inevitably turning the Venezuelan government into a dictatorship. He is the successor to politician Hugo Chávez, another dictator who also ran under leftist populism. 

Both Chávez and Maduro ran Venezuela’s economy into the ground, leaving millions in poverty and causing over seven million to flee the country in the past decade in hopes of a better life. That is one in every five Venezuelans. Their dollar–the Bolivare–reached crumbling levels in 2018, with hyperinflation being at 65,000%. This is leaving around 80% of Venezuelans in poverty to this day, NPR reports. Before Chávez and Maduro, Venezuela was one of the wealthiest countries in South America with the biggest oil reserves in the world.

As of Jan. 3, 2026, Maduro and his wife have been in the custody of the United States. They were arrested and are now awaiting trial for counts of narcoterrorism and conspiracy to import cocaine into the United States from 2020.   

Now, with a dictator gone, an empty government, and an impending trial, it is looking hopeful for the Venezuelan people, with many hoping to make a now safe return home.      

As for Canada, this attack has left many of its citizens wondering what this could mean for them in the future. There is no definitive answer that can be given, but there has been much speculation across the board about the possibilities and words from Prime Minister Mark Carney. Here is some insight into possibilities and sentiments:

Words from the Prime Minister 

The Prime Minister of Canada, Mark Carney, stated on Jan. 3, 2026, 

“Canada has long supported a peaceful, negotiated, and Venezuelan-led transition process that respects the democratic will of the Venezuelan people. In keeping with our long-standing commitment to upholding the rule of law, sovereignty, and human rights, Canada calls on all parties to respect international law. We stand by the Venezuelan people’s sovereign right to decide and build their own future in a peaceful and democratic society.”…“We are first and foremost ready to assist Canadians through our consular officials and our embassy in Bogotá, Colombia, and will continue to support Venezuelan refugees”. 

Oil

ny investors to get the production levels up high enough to see a major payout. As for Canada, if Trump does succeed in his plans to run Venezuelan oil exports, then that could mean a big hit to Canada’s oil exports, with 97% of Canadian oil exports going to the U.S. for refinement. 

As Canadians, in all honesty, there is not much we can do. It’s unsettling and worrying to think that international laws are becoming more and more commonly broken by political leaders, and not much I can say can provide any real comfort. Nothing definitively can be said as to what effects this can have on Canadians, but for now, what we do know is that Canada is continuing to extend an olive branch to Venezuelan citizens both inside and outside the country. When it comes to Canada’s exportation of oil, only time will tell what will happen between Canada and Venezuela. For now, all I can advise anyone to do is to keep themselves informed, educate others, and support locally to build a stronger community. 

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