Geopolitical gangsterism
Let it be said from the outset that classical thinkers, from Cicero to Plutarch, defended tyrannicide, and that Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro is still alive and a dictator who has subjugated his people, turning the country into a miserable prison. That said, the US intervention to control Venezuela is a geopolitical disaster. Trump is turning foreign policy into a B-movie titled Midnight HammerThe operation, announced as a fight against drug trafficking, was—without any shame—an open attempt to profit from Venezuela's enormous oil reserves. Many questions remain unanswered after the capture of Maduro and his wife. Primarily, what role did an army that was conspicuously absent from the country's streets on Saturday play in the operation, and what role did regime leaders, who appeared disunited and trembling, play in handing the country over to the United States? A divided Venezuela
The main question is how the US intends to "lead the country until there is a transition," as Donald Trump announced at his victory press conference. The US president threatened a new military operation that is supposedly ready, but we will have to see how things develop in the streets of Venezuela, a society that has been punished and divided. It would also be good to hear from the opposition leader, Maria Corina Machado, who has been scorned by the Trump administration.
Trump has boasted about the new national security strategy, and while until now in Venezuela the Monroe Doctrine had not been applied so much as a formal law, but rather as an underlying logic—the United States does not accept governments or alliances that escape its control in the Western Hemisphere—that is no longer the case. Venezuela has become an emblematic case of the clash between national sovereignty and regional hegemony, where a 19th-century doctrine is being imposed on 21st-century politics. And no one can claim that Nicaragua, Colombia, or Cuba are following Venezuela's lead.
Trump's operation was carried out with contempt for domestic and international law. Not only does it lack a solid legal basis, but it also jeopardizes regional stability and erodes the international credibility of the United States. Domestically, the lack of congressional authorization, a key requirement under the U.S. Constitution, is blatant. The president can only act unilaterally in very specific situations, such as immediate self-defense against a clear and imminent threat. This sets a dangerous precedent for the abuse of executive power.
The attack also violates fundamental principles of international law, especially the prohibition against the use of force against a sovereign state without a United Nations mandate. The United States finds itself in a contradictory position: demanding respect for global norms while ignoring them when it suits its purposes. In doing so, it erodes the rules-based international order and weakens Washington's ability to lead legitimately in an increasingly tense geopolitical context. The administration has not explained what it intends to achieve with the attack beyond oil control, through whom it will control the country, or how it plans to prevent an escalation of the conflict. Venezuela is already experiencing a profound humanitarian crisis, with shortages of food, medicine, and basic services. A military escalation could dramatically worsen the situation. The credibility of the U.S.
Trump's operation further weakens the credibility of the US. Acting without a clear legal basis and without international support, Washington compromises its moral authority and weakens democratic alliances. Trump said on Saturday that the "country is respected like never before," but he is wrong. The United States is no longer a democratic or stabilizing force. It is a country in the hands of a megalomaniac who, in practice, has divided the world among himself with other predators in spheres of influence. From now on, do China and Russia also have carte blanche? Can they act without limits in Ukraine or Taiwan?
Today we have a divided global leadership in which the US, China, and Russia impose themselves on the world in areas of influence where each of the predators will act according to its own interests. Europe has its opportunity, but it will have to wake up from its slumber. It has no allies, and Europe's security will depend solely on the decisions of the Union. It remains an economic power and must behave as such. It remains a bastion of human rights and must demonstrate this. No one is waiting for it, nor will anyone help it.
