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 American hegemonic dominance for the whole world to see!

On January 2nd, Maduro even made a soft gesture through a reporter, saying he was willing to negotiate a drug prohibition agreement with the US, provided the dialogue was serious; if the US wanted Venezuela's oil, Venezuela 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 deceive the US, aiming to paralyze them first and buy himself some breathing room. But who could have imagined that the US simply didn’t take his goodwill seriously, didn’t bother to respond, and overnight on January 3rd, directly sent military aircraft into Caracas, arresting Maduro and his wife, reportedly 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. The US’s goal has never been about cooperation agreements, but about completely controlling Venezuela and keeping this oil-rich country in their grasp.
What’s even more worth pondering is that this incident serves as a warning to all countries targeted by the US: when negotiating conditions with the US, never harbor the illusion that softening your stance will lead to total concessions. The US’s logic is always: those who follow me prosper, those who oppose me perish. As long as it doesn’t serve their interests, even if you voluntarily submit, they will still act without hesitation when it’s time to strike. Maduro’s experience is the most vivid example—against hegemonism, compromise does not bring respect; only with enough strength can one truly stand firm.