SINGAPORE, 10 January 2026 — Singapore has sounded a global alarm over the United States’ controversial Venezuela strategy under President Donald Trump, warning that the approach ,which involves heavy economic coercion and U.S. control ambitions, could set a dangerous precedent for smaller countries around the world.
Senior Singaporean leaders have expressed grave concern that Washington’s push to “run” Venezuela after its military-led ouster of President Nicolás Maduro, including explicit comments about managing the country’s oil sector and infrastructure, risks undermining international norms on sovereignty and non-intervention.
“Existential Worry” For Small States
In remarks at a regional forum, Singapore’s Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong emphasised that the longer-term consequences on the international system could be troubling for small, open economies. He noted that if exerting economic and geopolitical control over another sovereign nation becomes an accepted model, it could fundamentally reshape how global relations operate, to the detriment of smaller states that lack military or economic clout.
Lee stressed that such interventionist actions run contrary to established principles of international law and the United Nations Charter, and underscored Singapore’s support for a rules-based world order where sovereignty and peaceful dispute resolution remain core pillars.
U.S. Strategy On Venezuela
The Trump administration’s intervention in Venezuela has marked one of the most assertive U.S. foreign policy moves in recent years. Following military strikes early in January that led to the capture and removal of Maduro, U.S. leaders publicly signalled intentions to “run the country” until a transition can be arranged, including enabling major U.S. oil and energy companies to invest heavily in the nation’s hydrocarbon sector.
The plan has drawn widespread international reactions, with countries in Asia-Pacific and around the world expressing concerns about long-term regional stability, respect for sovereignty and the precedent such intervention could create for future crises.
Global Implications
Experts and diplomats say Singapore’s warning signals broader unease among smaller nations, especially those that depend on international law, multilateral institutions and neutrality, as safeguards against coercion by powerful states.
If Washington’s Venezuela approach, blending economic coercion, geopolitical strategy and overt resource ambitions, were to become a model for handling crises elsewhere, it could embolden similar actions in other regions, increasing geopolitical risk and diplomatic instability for mid- and small-sized countries. Analysts caution that such shifts might also erode confidence in existing global governance norms that emphasise dialogue, legal frameworks and multilateral solutions.
