The US Seizure of Maduro: How Trump Has Transformed the World's Superpower into a Rogue State
Amid the widespread uncertainty surrounding the US strikes on Venezuela, the apprehension of President Nicolás Maduro, and the declaration by Donald Trump that the US will “run” the country and “take back the oil”, a single fact remains evident – these actions create a profoundly disturbing precedent.
A Grim History and a New Escalation
The United States has a grim history of meddling, military incursions, and control in that part of the world, but this past Saturday morning marked its initial significant armed assault on South American land. “The preeminence of America in this region is now beyond dispute,” Trump proclaimed.
The move to assault another sovereign country and capture its head of state – just a short time after he stated a desire for negotiations – possesses far-reaching consequences. We all have reason to be worried.
A Nation Left in Limbo
Venezuelans have suffered under an oppressive, corrupt, and inept government under Mr Maduro, commonly thought to have stolen the last election. They now face extreme instability in the best case. Mr Trump has suggested that Maduro's second-in-command, Delcy Rodríguez would follow US instructions, and dismissed prominent critic and Nobel prize-winner María Corina Machado as a plausible replacement.
However, Ms Rodríguez, now the interim president, has so far sounded notes of defiance – and other factions of the decapitated regime are even more hardline.
A Shift in Global Role
A man who won power vowing to end foreign wars now says he is “not afraid of boots on the ground”. Redesignating the Department of Defense as the Department of War was a substantive signal. He no longer views the world’s superpower as a global policeman; he is converting it into a rogue state.
He holds the view that the US’s might permits it to do as it wishes with scant penalty: witness the strikes on Nigeria, on Iran’s nuclear facilities. He claims that control of Venezuela's petroleum means this latest episode “won’t cost us a penny”.
A Move Devoid of International Legitimacy
George W. Bush launched the invasion of Iraq on a lie. But this action without legal basis came absent any United Nations mandate or authorization from lawmakers; Democrats were not even informed and say they were actively misled in briefings. Mr Trump doesn’t seek to bend international norms, but to obliterate them.
Put aside the signal this transmits to Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping and others, and ask where the US itself is heading. While the raid allegedly resulted in the deaths of 40 Venezuelans, including civilians, no US personnel died. Mr Trump’s increasing belief in his impunity will likely encourage more reckless actions.
The Stated Reason Versus the Real Aims
It is widely rejected the justification that this is about drugs. Venezuela is only a minor conduit for cocaine; Mr Trump recently exonerated the former Honduran president Juan Orlando Hernández for narcotics and arms offenses. Mr Trump himself has stated plainly that he is propelled by the lure of oil as well as a desire to project strength, the ideology of some in his administration, and the desire for glory as domestic popularity wanes.
World Leaders' Silence and a Weakened UN
The worldwide reception, especially in Europe, has – with honourable exceptions – been shockingly muted. That’s not because of Mr Maduro’s sins, but trepidation regarding Mr Trump’s wrath. The firm response from UN Secretary General António Guterres was commendable, but this episode underscores the waning power of international bodies.
Mr Trump’s isolationist supporters at home could yet press him to turn attention back home – but escalating insurance prices, public anxiety over the economy and distracting files fuel his desire for external drama.
Barely 12 months into his four-year term. World leaders may come to rue the day if they fail to speak up today, with the question of which nation is next looming.
