Shani Momodu

The Age of Oil Republics Has Begun

This op-ed argues that the historical concept of “banana republics,” shaped by corporate and U.S. political influence, is reemerging today in the form of “oil republics.” By comparing U.S. involvement in Guatemala to modern dynamics in Venezuela and Iran, it highlights how economic interests in oil continue to threaten national sovereignty. Ultimately, the piece warns that continued intervention risks weakening U.S. global credibility in an increasingly globalized world.