The US Seizure of Maduro: How Trump Has Transformed the World's Superpower into a Rogue State
Against the backdrop of the considerable disarray surrounding the US strikes on Venezuela, the seizure of President Nicolás Maduro, and the declaration by Donald Trump that the US will “control” the country and “reclaim the petroleum resources”, there is no doubt – these actions create a deeply alarming precedent.
Past Interference and a New Threshold Crossed
The United States possesses a dark record of meddling, military incursions, and control in Latin America, but this past Saturday morning marked its first major military attack on the soil of a South American nation. “US supremacy in this hemisphere shall not be challenged from now on,” Mr Trump declared.
The choice to militarily strike another independent nation and capture its head of state – only a few days after he openly looked for a diplomatic solution – has still wider repercussions. We all have reason to be worried.
Deep Instability for a Nation in Crisis
Venezuelans have suffered under an oppressive, corrupt, and inept government under Mr Maduro, widely believed to have fraudulently won the most recent election. They now face extreme instability in the best case. Mr Trump has remarked that Mr Maduro’s deputy, Delcy Rodríguez would comply with American demands, and rejected conservative dissident leader and Nobel prize-winner María Corina Machado as a viable alternative.
However, Ms Rodríguez, now the temporary head of state, has so far struck a defiant tone – and other parts of the decapitated regime are even more hardline.
The Superpower as Rogue State
A man who was elected pledging to stop foreign wars now says he is “willing to put soldiers into combat”. Rebranding the Department of Defense as the Department of War was not merely symbolic. He does not see the world’s superpower as a guardian of order; he is converting it into a lawless actor.
He is convinced that the United States' strength permits it to do as it wishes with scant penalty: observe the strikes on Nigeria, on Iran’s nuclear facilities. He asserts that control of Venezuela's petroleum means this new undertaking “won’t cost us a penny”.
An Attack Without Legal Justification
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; the opposition party was kept in the dark and say they were deliberately deceived in briefings. Mr Trump is not trying to twist international norms, but to destroy them.
Disregard the implication this carries to Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping and others, and consider the destination for America itself. While the raid is said to have slain 40 Venezuelans, including civilians, no US personnel died. Mr Trump’s growing sense of invincibility will surely embolden additional military gambits.
The Thin Pretext and True Motives
Few believe the excuse that this is related to the drug trade. Venezuela is only a small transit route for cocaine; Mr Trump recently granted clemency to the former Honduran president Juan Orlando Hernández for drugs and weapons crimes. Mr Trump himself made it clear that he is motivated by the promise of energy wealth as well as personal bravado, the beliefs held by certain advisors, and the appetite for triumphalism as his standing with the American public falters.
A Muted Global Reaction and Institutional Irrelevance
The worldwide reception, especially in Europe, has – with honourable exceptions – been surprisingly subdued. That’s not because of Mr Maduro’s sins, but trepidation regarding Mr Trump’s wrath. The strong reaction from UN Secretary General António Guterres was commendable, but this episode emphasizes the waning power of international bodies.
Mr Trump’s anti-interventionist domestic base could potentially force him to focus on domestic issues once more – but rising medical costs, economic unhappiness and other domestic scandals increase his appetite for distraction.
We are not yet 12 months into his presidential term. Other governments may live to repent if they stay silent now, considering the potential next target.