India, Jan. 5 -- What appeared to be casual television moments in Venezuela soon took on serious global meaning. Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro's public dancing and relaxed appearances were reportedly interpreted in Washington as deliberate provocation. Senior officials saw these acts not as harmless performances but as open defiance of U.S. warnings.

That perception, officials say, played a key role in the Trump administration's decision to move decisively against him.

In the weeks before the operation, Maduro made several high-profile appearances on state television. One video showed him dancing to electronic music as a recorded voice repeated in English, "No crazy war." The clip spread quickly online and drew attention far beyond V...