In under forty-eight hours, the geopolitical landscape of the Western Hemisphere has been fundamentally reoriented by the clinical precision of Operation Absolute Resolve. This week, we examine the capture of Nicolás Maduro, the reassertion of a U.S. "privileged ground" through the Dunroe Doctrine, and how this seismic shift impacts fragile peace efforts from Paris to Gaza.

• The Caracas Extraction: A breakdown of the high-stakes raid involving 150 aircraft that captured Maduro while a high-level Chinese delegation was still inside the presidential palace.

  
  

• A Fractured Succession: Why Venezuela has descended into a three-way tug-of-war between civilian loyalists, military hardliners in bulletproof vests, and a marginalized democratic opposition.

  
  

• Ukraine’s Stabilization Framework: Moving beyond ammunition counts to discuss a "permanent security architecture" and a European-led multinational force ahead of the January 6th Paris summit.

  
  

• Iran’s Economic Collapse: With the rial hitting 1.45 million to the dollar, we analyze the "Ghost of the Shah" returning to the streets as the middle class sees its life savings evaporate.

  
  

• Taiwan’s "Iron Walls": Deciphering Beijing’s Justice Mission 2025, where the China Coast Guard is being used to create a "veneer of legitimacy" for a total island blockade.

Enjoyed this deep dive into the redrawing of the global map? Don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with your network!

To see the media blind spots we discussed today, get 40% off a Ground News Vantage Subscription through our link in the show notes or visit our Instagram bio @thisweekexplained.