Maduro’s capture is a dilemma for BeijingBy Tzou Jiing-wen 鄒景雯The US on Saturday last week moved swiftly and decisively to capture Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, bringing them to New York for trial. Afterward, the streets were full of Venezuelans celebrating Maduro’s downfall — the direct result of a carefully calculated strategy. There have even been reports of Chinese military advisers operating in Venezuela, with the country’s military being touted as the strongest in South America. Yet, when the US military launched its operation, Beijing did nothing beyond verbal protests — incapable and unwilling to intervene or militarily obstruct it. This is the dilemma Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) faces after the failure of the China model.

Source: Taipei Times January 06, 2026 16:41 UTC