Trump Gives China a Propaganda Win in Latin America

The Trump administration’s capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife after a lightning raid early Saturday morning and its ensuing push to assert control over the country is a reminder of Washington's determination to assert its interests in its hemisphere while serving to sideline its Chinese rival-at least for now-one analyst says.

Since the attack, which Venezuelan officials say killed at least 80 people, including civilians, President Donald Trump has threatened further action if the new acting leader, Maduro's former No. 2 Delcy Rodriguez, does not cooperate with a range of U.S. priorities, including building out oil infrastructure.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other officials have also made it clear U.S. officials insist the move is not about seizing Venezuela's vast petroleum reserves but about keeping the country free from the control of U.S. adversaries, including longtime Venezuelan partners such as China, Russia and Iran.

Newsweek reached out to the U.S. State Department by email with a request for comment.

China has over the past decade deepened its economic and security ties in Latin America and the Caribbean through investment agreements and infrastructure projects tied to the Belt and Road Initiative.

China has long enjoyed strong influence in Venezuela in particular, with Chinese state-owned companies involved in the joint development of billions of barrels of oil reserves in the country.

China on the Sidelines

But China was caught off guard by the raid, with a Chinese delegation still in Caracas when it took place, and Chinese radar systems failing to provide early warning of incoming U.S. forces. In the lead-up and aftermath, Beijing was reduced to a bystander role, offering strong protests but little else, demonstrating its limited capacity, or willingness, to act inside the core of its American rival's sphere of influence.

Evan Ellis, a research professor at the U.S. Army War College Strategic Studies Institute who specializes in relations between Latin America and China, told Newsweek the episode hinders China in the short term but could yield reputational benefits over time.

"Chinese supplied radar systems such as the JY-27A were almost irrelevant against U.S. stealth technology. And of course, China not only provided no type of military support, but its diplomatic protests really were not directly helpful to the survival of the regime," he said.

Ellis said China is now likely under pressure to limit its involvement in highly visible forms of cooperation in key sectors, such as defense, with the Rodriguez-led government now facing increased U.S. scrutiny.

Fuel for Beijing’s Narrative

Looking further ahead, Ellis said China could benefit from regional discomfort over Trump's move to violate Venezuelan sovereignty and seize Maduro, as well as Trump's rhetoric about "running Venezuela" and plans to place U.S. companies in control of the country's oil sector.

"China will be leveraging this discontent within this framework of China as a reliable, non-imposing, non-bullying partner to try to score points with others, especially those who are looking to diversify trade ties away from the United States, diversify security ties away from the United States, and otherwise are just increasingly uncomfortable with the amount of power that the U.S.," he said.

Liu Pengyu, a spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy, said of the Venezuelan raid and its aftermath: "We are deeply shocked by and strongly condemns the unilateral, illegal, and bullying acts by the U .S."

He added that China maintains friendly exchanges and cooperation with Latin American and Caribbean nations and stressed that their "lawful rights and interests" must be protected.

"No matter how the situation may evolve, we will continue to be a friend and partner of LAC countries, give each other support on issues bearing on our core interests and major concerns, including national sovereignty, security and territorial integrity, support each other in following development path that suits each country's national conditions, jointly reject power politics, and jointly uphold peace and stability in the region," he said.

Newsweek

This story was originally published January 8, 2026 at 5:00 AM.