Heine Writes Op-Ed on The Trump Corollary and Venezuela
In an op-ed in the Wire entitled, The Trump Corollary and Venezuela, Jorge Heine, former Chilean ambassador and professor at the Pardee School of Global Studies, examines a major turning point in U.S.–Latin American relations following Washington’s January 2026 military operation in Venezuela. He situates the attack within the Trump administration’s new National Security Strategy, which elevates the Western Hemisphere above all other regions and revives the Monroe Doctrine. Heine argues that this amounts to a new “Trump Corollary,” asserting a U.S. right to block extra-hemispheric powers—particularly China—from gaining strategic influence or control over key assets in the Americas. Heine writes, “The January 3 attack on Caracas was the first U.S. military attack on the South American mainland ever—crossing a significant threshold and leading us into uncharted waters.”
Heine stresses that while covert U.S. interventions have long shaped hemispheric politics, open military action represents a qualitative shift. The Venezuela operation, he warns, should not be seen as an isolated event. Statements by President Trump and senior officials directed at Colombia, Mexico, and Cuba suggest the possibility of further interventions, especially under the banner of security and counter-narcotics.
Ultimately, Heine questions whether the Trump Corollary is viable in today’s multipolar world. Latin America’s international relationships are now far more diversified, with China firmly established as South America’s leading trading partner. Efforts to reassert unilateral U.S. dominance, he concludes, are unlikely to succeed: “Turning back the clock will not work.”
The full article can be read here.
A former research professor at the Frederick S. Pardee School of Global Studies, Jorge Heine is a diplomat, international relations scholar, and lawyer. He is currently a non-resident fellow at the Quincy Institute. He has served as an ambassador of Chile to China, India, and South Africa. Heine has written over fifteen books, including The Non-Aligned World: Striking Out in an Era of Great Power Competition (2025), which provides insights on how the Global South can navigate the changing diplomatic landscape amid the U.S.-China rivalry.