This research article analyzes the U.S. military operation “Absolute Resolve” on Janu- ary 3, 2026, which resulted in the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife by Delta Force units supported by air and naval assets. Employing a qualitative interpretive case- study design, the study examines the event through five analytical levels: civilizational, geopoliti- cal, international relations, political philosophy, and military. The findings show that the inter- vention reflects persistent imperial logic, thalassocratic geopolitical imperatives, a shift toward offensive realism, institutional transition from republican to extractive models, and mature net- work-centric warfare doctrine. Two novel concepts are introduced: Monroe Doctrine 2.0 (an updated regional exclusion policy targeting extra-hemispheric revisionists such as China, Russia, and Iran) and hybrid imperial contraction (strategic refocus on hemispheric consolidation to en- able future global objectives). These concepts frame the operation as defensive consolidation of regional hegemony and preparation for continued power projection. The event is symptomatic of a status quo hegemon defending dominance through preemptive action, realist assertiveness, institutional adaptation, and doctrinal refinement. Implications include regional instability in Latin America, deepened geopolitical divides, and potential erosion of U.S. republican institu- tions. Limitations stem from reliance on secondary sources and the event’s recency. Future re- search should explore long-term outcomes and comparative cases.