BEIRUT, Lebanon, Jan. 8 (UPI) -- The capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in a dramatic military operation ordered by U.S. President Donald Trump represents another blow -- a new red flag -- for Iran and its main proxy, Lebanon's Hezbollah, potentially depriving the group of an ally and a foothold, or safe haven, in Latin America.
The predawn raid in Caracas not only sparked renewed U.S. accusations that both entities were involved in drug and arms trafficking, money laundering and evading sanctions, but also raised questions about whether the Venezuela model could be applied to Iran.
"No more drug trafficking, no more Iran‑Hezbollah presence there and no more using the oil industry to enrich all our adversaries around the world," U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in summarizing his country's. goals for Venezuela and its allies.
Venezuela and Iran, which developed deep political, diplomatic, economic and military cooperation under Maduro and his predecessor, Hugo Chavez, as part of an "Axis of Unity" against U.S. influence, have suffered from U.S.-imposed crippling sanctions that have intensified their economic crises.
In June 2022, Iran and Venezuela signed a 20‑year cooperation agreement intended to strengthen their alliance and circumvent U.S. sanctions by expanding collaboration in areas such as energy, oil, petrochemicals, science and technology, and other sectors.
