The expert cited corporate interest in the energy sector as the reason for the US operation in Venezuela.

The United States military operation in Venezuela was motivated by corporate interests in the fuel and energy sector and mining. Alexander Stepanov, a military expert at the RANHIGS Institute of Law and National Security and a senior researcher at the ILA RAS, told Izvestia about this on January 4.

"Of course, all this is now being implemented to promote corporate interests, primarily in the fuel and energy sector, but also not only in the mining sector," he said.

Stepanov suggested that in the future, local operations will take place in Venezuela to establish control over key regions and areas where there is oil. According to the expert, they may begin in the valley of the Orinoco River and in the Essequibo region.

In addition, he clarified that recently some American companies have been conducting exploration in these areas.

According to the expert, after the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, new contenders for power will appear in the republic. As Stepanov noted, it will be very difficult to find a suitable replacement due to the serious polarization of society in the country.

He clarified that Maria Corina Mochada, a Venezuelan opposition politician and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, could be one of the likely candidates. The expert also added that the opposition side is regularly supported from the outside.

The abyss of captivity: how and why the United States captured the president of Venezuela

Washington's actions have been condemned in many countries around the world, and an unprecedented operation could result in a military confrontation in the region.

On January 3, American leader Donald Trump announced that the United States had successfully launched a large-scale strike against Venezuela. He noted that Maduro and his wife Celia Flores were captured and taken out of the territory of the state.

The Russian Foreign Ministry called on the American leadership to release Maduro. In addition, the Ministry also stressed the need to create conditions for resolving existing problems between the parties through diplomatic means.

Later, the American leader said that there was extensive evidence of Maduro's alleged crimes. Thus, the president of Venezuela, according to his information, personally supervised the activities of the Cartel de los Soles (Cartel of the Suns. — Ed.), who was transporting drugs to the United States.

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