US invasion act of imperialist aggression: China Daily editorial

The international community is deeply shocked by the United States' blatant use of force against Venezuela, including large-scale air strikes on the country and the forcible seizure of its president and his wife. Its actions should be condemned as they constitute a naked act of armed aggression against a sovereign state and flagrantly violate international law and the basic norms governing international relations, as well as the purposes and principles of the UN Charter.

By any definition, the US military operation amounts to an invasion. It dangerously escalates the so-called "Monroe Doctrine" from a 19th-century, isolationist-era concept into a 21st-century doctrine of force and coercion. This sets an alarming precedent for Latin America and the Caribbean, posing a direct threat to the sovereignty and security of countries across the region and shaking the foundations of the international order established after World War II.

Washington's justification of it being a "counter narcotics" action is neither credible nor legitimate. No such pretext can justify the bombing of a sovereign country or the abduction of its head of state. If such reasoning were to be accepted, it would effectively grant powerful nations a license to intervene militarily wherever they see fit, under a pretext given by themselves, hollowing out international law and replacing it with the law of the jungle.

The true motivation behind the US' aggression was laid bare by the US administration, which triumphantly announced that Nicolas Maduro and his wife had been "captured and flown out of the country" and that the US would "run" Venezuela on a "temporary basis" to "get the oil flowing". These remarks tore away the already thin veil of moral pretense, exposing the operation for what it was: a resource-grabbing power play. Any veneer of pursuing justice or stability was blasted away in a blatant demonstration of lawless hypocrisy. The pattern is disturbingly reminiscent of the Iraq War — another chapter in Washington's long record of seizing other countries' resources under false pretenses.

Washington's claim of "strategic retrenchment" thus rings hollow. For other countries in the Americas, this is not retrenchment but imperialist expansion — an aggressive reassertion of arrogant conceit. Venezuela is unlikely to be the last victim if this logic is allowed to prevail. The military action also aims to intimidate regional countries and deter them from deepening cooperation with other partners in the fields that the US is trying to dominate.

The news conference held by US officials shortly after the operation only underscored this intent. The brazen boasting about "Operation Absolute Resolve", including lurid details of how US special forces seized the Venezuelan president from his bedroom, was designed to instill fear rather than convey transparency. It revealed the extent to which the US is prepared to turn its military superiority into an instrument for imposing its will on others.

From fabricated charges to military strikes and regime change, the operation follows a familiar and deeply troubling script — one that reflects the logic of state piracy. Sovereign governments are first delegitimized, then destroyed by force, after which foreign capital moves in to carve up natural resources. This behavior drags the world back toward a barbaric colonial era of plunder, in open defiance of international law.

Such egregious conduct has not gone unchallenged even within the US. Some observers bluntly stated that the US has become a bully of the world. No wonder even some in the US political circle said they never again wanted to hear US leaders preach about a so-called "rules-based" international order.

International reaction has been equally blunt. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed grave concern over Washington's disregard for international law. Russia said it was "extremely alarmed" by the act of armed aggression. The European Union called for respect for international law and the UN Charter "in all circumstances". These voices reflect a shared global anxiety that when might replaces law, no nation is safe.

History has repeatedly shown that while wars may be easy to start, they are far harder to end. Although Washington boasts of the supposed efficiency and low cost of its operation, the true price will be paid over time by the entire region — and ultimately by the US itself. Power politics may yield short-term gains, but they cannot bring lasting peace or stability.

China has urged the US to ensure the personal safety of Maduro and his wife, immediately release them, cease attempts to subvert the Venezuelan government, and resolve differences through dialogue and negotiation. What the world is witnessing is not a "rules-based" order, but colonial pillaging. Upholding sovereignty, equality and noninterference is not optional. It is the foundation of global stability — and it must be defended.