U.S. Concern Over the Possibility of the Yemeni Naval Model Being Reproduced in Venezuela

Dr. Hassan Al-Zein, a writer and expert on U.S. affairs, affirmed that the United States is indeed experiencing a state of strategic anxiety over the “possibility of the Yemeni naval power model being replicated in Venezuela.”

He explained that the Pentagon views the high seas as a strategic pillar of its military doctrine, noting that U.S. research centers have issued an important report stating that the heavy losses suffered in the Red Sea at the hands of a rising Yemeni force—one that does not represent a major state and lacks a strong economy—were the result of a specific tactic that ultimately forced the United States to withdraw from the Red Sea, constituting a major strategic defeat.

Al-Zein pointed out that Washington’s primary strategic concern lies in the potential repetition of the Yemeni model in Venezuela. He added that former President Donald Trump may have been sincere on this point when he chose not to continue the confrontation with Yemen, while his accusations against Venezuela of sponsoring narco-terrorism amount to deliberate misdirection.

He further stressed that the challenges facing the United States in Latin America stem from several factors, foremost among them the possibility of the Yemeni model being reproduced in Venezuela. Secondly, the distance between China and Venezuela—approximately 14,000 kilometers—could position Venezuela as part of a future Silk Road route, which had previously passed through Panama. At the level of political systems, he noted that the Colombian experience was particularly harsh for Washington, as U.S. centers of influence there failed to achieve success.