Trump's Capture of Maduro: Turning a Global Superpower into a Lawless Actor
Against the backdrop of the considerable disarray regarding the American military actions on Venezuela, the capture of leader Nicolás Maduro, and the declaration by Donald Trump that the US will “control” the country and “take back the oil”, there is no doubt – they set a profoundly disturbing precedent.
A Dark Legacy and an Unprecedented Move
The United States has a grim history of meddling, military incursions, and control in Latin America, but this past Saturday morning witnessed its first major military attack on South American land. “US supremacy in this hemisphere shall not be challenged from now on,” Mr Trump declared.
The move to assault another independent nation and capture its head of state – mere days after he stated a desire for negotiations – carries even broader implications. We all have reason to be worried.
Profound Uncertainty for Venezuela
Venezuelans have lived through a dictatorship marked by theft and failure under Mr Maduro, widely believed to have rigged the previous presidential vote. They now face a future of deep insecurity. Mr Trump has remarked that Mr Maduro’s deputy, Delcy Rodríguez would do as the US says, and rejected rightwing opposition leader and Nobel prize-winner María Corina Machado as a viable alternative.
However, Ms Rodríguez, now the interim president, has so far sounded notes of defiance – and other factions of the headless administration are even more hardline.
The Superpower as Rogue State
A man who won power promising to abandon foreign wars now says he is “unconcerned about deploying troops”. Rebranding the Department of Defense as the Department of War was a substantive signal. He fails to perceive the world’s superpower as a global policeman; he is turning it into a lawless actor.
He believes that the America's power allows it to do as it wishes with scant penalty: observe the attacks in Nigeria and against Iranian nuclear sites. He asserts that the oil resources of Venezuela means this latest episode “will be financially free”.
An Illegal Assault on Sovereignty
George W. Bush launched the invasion of Iraq on a lie. But this unlawful assault came lacking any form of UN approval or congressional approval; the opposition party was kept in the dark and say they were deliberately deceived in briefings. Mr Trump aims not merely to stretch international norms, but to destroy them.
Put aside the implication this carries to Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping and others, and question the future path of the United States. While the raid reportedly killed 40 Venezuelans, including civilians, not a single US soldier was lost. Mr Trump’s escalating feeling of being untouchable will surely embolden additional military gambits.
The Stated Reason Versus the Real Aims
It is widely rejected the excuse that this is related to the drug trade. Venezuela is only a secondary pathway for cocaine; Mr Trump recently exonerated the past Honduran leader Juan Orlando Hernández for narcotics and arms offenses. Mr Trump himself has stated plainly that he is motivated by the lure of oil as well as machismo, the beliefs held by certain advisors, and the appetite for triumphalism as his support at home declines.
A Muted Global Reaction and Institutional Irrelevance
The international response, especially in Europe, has – with a few principled deviations – been alarmingly quiet. That’s not because of Mr Maduro’s sins, but anxiety over Mr Trump’s wrath. The forceful statement from UN Secretary General António Guterres was commendable, but this episode emphasizes the UN's diminishing clout.
Mr Trump’s anti-interventionist domestic base could yet press him to focus on domestic issues once more – but rising medical costs, financial discontent and other domestic scandals fuel his desire for external drama.
We are not yet 12 months into his four-year term. World leaders may regret it if they stay silent now, given what – and who – could be next.