🔗 Share this article Trump's Capture of Maduro: Turning a Global Superpower into a Lawless Actor Within the immense confusion regarding the US strikes on Venezuela, the apprehension of President Nicolás Maduro, and Donald Trump's announcement that the US will “control” the country and “take back the oil”, one thing is clear – this establishes a deeply alarming precedent. Past Interference and a New Threshold Crossed The United States possesses a dark record of interference, invasion and occupation in the region, but this past Saturday morning saw its premier large-scale offensive on the continent of South America. “US supremacy in this hemisphere shall not be challenged from now on,” Trump proclaimed. The move to assault another sovereign country and seize its president – just a short time after he publicly sought an off-ramp – has still wider repercussions. It should alarm us all. Deep Instability for a Nation in Crisis Venezuelans have endured a repressive, kleptocratic and incompetent regime under Mr Maduro, widely believed to have stolen the last election. They now face extreme instability in the best case. Mr Trump has suggested that the vice president, Delcy Rodríguez would follow US instructions, and rejected prominent critic and Nobel prize-winner María Corina Machado as a credible successor. However, Ms Rodríguez, now the interim president, has so far struck a defiant tone – and other elements of the decapitated regime are far more intransigent. From Global Policeman to International Outlaw A man who came to office promising to abandon foreign wars now says he is “not afraid of boots on the ground”. Renaming the Department of Defense as the Department of War was a substantive signal. He no longer views the world’s superpower as a international peacekeeper; he is turning it into a rogue state. He is convinced that the US’s might enables it to do as it wishes with little consequence: observe the military actions against Nigeria and Iranian installations. He claims that the oil resources of Venezuela means this new undertaking “will pay for itself”. A Move Devoid of International Legitimacy George W. Bush invaded Iraq on a lie. But this illegal attack came without UN resolutions of any kind or authorization from lawmakers; Democrats were not even informed and say they were given false information in briefings. Mr Trump doesn’t seek to bend international norms, but to destroy them. Set aside the signal this transmits 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, not a single US soldier was lost. Mr Trump’s increasing belief in his impunity will surely embolden additional military gambits. The Stated Reason Versus the Real Aims No one buys the pretext that this is about drugs. Venezuela is only a minor conduit for cocaine; Mr Trump recently granted clemency to the past Honduran leader Juan Orlando Hernández for related criminal convictions. Mr Trump himself has stated plainly that he is driven by the promise of energy wealth as well as a desire to project strength, the beliefs held by certain advisors, and the appetite for triumphalism as his standing with the American public falters. Tepid International Response and Waning Global Governance The worldwide reception, especially in Europe, has – with notable outliers – been shockingly muted. 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 notable, but this episode highlights the waning power of international bodies. Mr Trump’s anti-interventionist domestic base could yet press him to redirect his gaze inward – but rising medical costs, financial discontent and ongoing controversies make foreign conflicts more appealing. It has been less than 12 months into his four-year term. World leaders may live to repent if they fail to speak up today, given what – and who – could be next.