Multiple Menlo students returning from their holiday break in early January were met with severe travel delays as their flights were suddenly cancelled. These air travel issues were caused by the United States’ capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro on Jan. 3, 2026, in an operation that forced the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to shut down airspace in nearby areas.
Caracas, the capital of Venezuela, faced American bombardments, marking the climax of tensions between Venezuela and the United States, which had been escalating since Sept. 2025 when the U.S. began striking down Venezuelan drug boats traveling near the U.S.
Junior Merrick Ward had been staying on a boat in the Caribbean at the time of the conflict, missing a week of school after his flight was cancelled. “We were packed up for the airport, about to head back, and my mom told my dad our flights were cancelled […] because there was a military conflict, [and] they had to shut down the airspace,” Ward said.
Senior Oliver Santiago-Mendez also struggled traveling back to the U.S. from Oaxaca, Mexico, where he had been staying with his grandparents. “[We] saw it on the news. We were going to leave that weekend but [our flight] was canceled. There was no prior warning,” Santiago-Mendez said.
According to history teacher Joseph Mitchell, there is a historical parallel to the United States’ recent operation. Former Panama President Manuel Noriega, a dictator who was arrested in 1989 following an American bombardment of Panama City, had similarly been brought back to the U.S. to face an indictment on drug trafficking charges.
He noted that there were a few key differences between the situation in Panama in 1989 and Maduro’s recent capture. “The difference, [and] the unprecedented part, is the combination of destroying vessels in both the Caribbean and in the Pacific, [acting] without any due process,” Mitchell said.
Although Maduro was formally arraigned in New York on a charge of narco-terrorism, questions still surround America’s motivations leading to his capture. According to a Global Witness article published on Jan. 28, Venezuela is estimated to control 303 billion barrels of oil, most of which has gone unexported to the U.S. as a result of economic sanctions since 2017 and resource mismanagement from Venezuela’s government. Since Maduro’s capture in early January, America has looked to control Venezuelan oil by selling the oil it has seized, and negotiating with companies such as Chevron to expand oil exports from Venezuela, according to Donald Trump.
Senior Maxwell Johnson believes that the U.S. invasion of Venezuela was largely motivated by natural resources, but also thinks it will ultimately benefit the South American country. “I feel like the main objective was for the oil, but I feel like even if you were to ask Venezuelan citizens, they would be very grateful […] because Venezuela was in a very dire situation,” Johnson said.
Assistant Director of Student Belonging Courtney Tyler said that, economy aside, Venezuela needs stable leadership first and foremost to guarantee citizen security. “I think establishing some type of leadership is really necessary. A fair [system], one that people will get behind, […] is really important, to repair this situation,” Tyler said.
Mitchell hopes that Venezuela will be able to undergo a complete reformation, revitalizing its economy and committing to more change than just a transition between presidents. “I think the hope is that there will be enough incentives with the oil industry, rejuvenating the extraction process they have there,” Mitchell said. “[There is] tremendous potential for the economy of Venezuela, so my hope is that the money talks and money is able to help the [government] transition.”
