Maduro's recent actions are truly a case of hot face pressed against a cold butt, and he even dragged his wife into it, putting on a real-life demonstration of the most authentic M-style hegemonic lesson for the whole world!

On January 2nd, Maduro even made a soft gesture through a reporter, publicly stating that he was willing to negotiate a drug prohibition agreement with the US, provided the dialogue was serious; if the US wanted Venezuela's oil, the Venezuelan side was always welcome to allow American capital in; even signing a comprehensive economic development agreement was on the table.

At that time, I thought Maduro was either genuinely panicked, realizing that confronting the US head-on would lead to no good, and wanted to soften his stance for stability; or he was playing a strategic retreat to advance, aiming to lull the US first and buy himself some breathing room. But who could have imagined that the US simply didn’t take his goodwill seriously, didn’t even bother to respond, and overnight on January 3rd, directly dispatched military aircraft into Caracas, arresting Maduro and his wife, reportedly even bringing them back to the US!

This incident is truly ironic. Maduro, with a cooperative mindset, extended an olive branch, hoping to exchange peace for oil and economic agreements, only to be told by the US through concrete actions: in the face of absolute hegemony, your concessions and compromises are worthless. What the US wants has never been cooperation, but complete control over Venezuela, squeezing this oil-rich country into its own hands.

What’s even more worth pondering is that this incident has sounded an alarm for all the Guojia (strategic) targets under US scrutiny: when negotiating with the US, never harbor the illusion that softening will lead to full concessions. The US’s logic has always been: those who follow me prosper, those who oppose me perish. As long as your actions don’t align with its interests, even if you voluntarily bow your head, it will still act without hesitation when it’s time to strike. Maduro’s experience is the most vivid example—when it comes to hegemonism, compromises won’t earn respect; only with enough strength can you truly stand firm.