Within the immense confusion surrounding the US strikes on Venezuela, the capture of President Nicolás Maduro, and statements from Trump that the US will “control” the country and “seize control of the oil”, a single fact remains evident – they set a deeply alarming precedent.
The United States has a grim history of interference, invasion and occupation in that part of the world, but the recent overnight operation saw its first major military attack on South American land. “American dominance in the western hemisphere will never be questioned again,” Mr Trump declared.
The choice to militarily strike another sovereign country and abduct its leader – only a few days after he stated a desire for negotiations – has still wider repercussions. This ought to concern everyone.
Venezuelans have suffered under an oppressive, corrupt, and inept government under Mr Maduro, widely believed to have rigged the previous presidential vote. They now face a future of deep insecurity. Mr Trump has indicated that Maduro's second-in-command, Delcy Rodríguez would do as the US says, and rejected prominent critic and Nobel prize-winner María Corina Machado as a viable alternative.
However, Ms Rodríguez, now the temporary head of state, has so far sounded notes of defiance – and other elements of the decapitated regime are even more hardline.
A man who won power vowing to end foreign wars now says he is “not afraid of boots on the ground”. Rebranding the Department of Defense as the Department of War was a substantive signal. He no longer views the world’s superpower as a guardian of order; he is converting it into a rogue state.
He believes that the US’s might enables it to do as it wishes with little consequence: witness the strikes on Nigeria, on Iran’s nuclear facilities. He promises that Venezuelan oil means this new undertaking “will pay for itself”.
George W. Bush invaded Iraq on a lie. But this unlawful assault came absent any United Nations mandate or the consent of the US Congress; key legislators received no advance notice and say they were deliberately deceived in briefings. Mr Trump aims not merely to stretch international norms, but to destroy them.
Set aside the implication this carries to global powers like Russia and China, and question the future path of the United States. While the raid allegedly resulted in the deaths of 40 Venezuelans, including civilians, no US personnel died. Mr Trump’s growing sense of invincibility will almost certainly fuel additional military gambits.
It is widely rejected the excuse that this is related to the drug trade. Venezuela is only a minor conduit for cocaine; Mr Trump recently exonerated the past Honduran leader Juan Orlando Hernández for drugs and weapons crimes. Mr Trump himself has stated plainly that he is driven 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.
The global reaction, especially in Europe, has – with honourable exceptions – been shockingly muted. That’s not due to 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 emphasizes the UN's diminishing clout.
Mr Trump’s anti-interventionist domestic base could potentially force him to focus on domestic issues once more – but escalating insurance prices, financial discontent and distracting files make foreign conflicts more appealing.
We are not yet 12 months into his time in office. Other governments may regret it if they remain quiet at this juncture, considering the potential next target.
Elara is a seasoned writer and digital storyteller with a passion for exploring diverse literary genres and empowering others through words.
