US intervention in Latin America is repeating history?

Pars Today – Millions of Americans woke up on the first Saturday of the new year with one question: Are we at war with Venezuela?

Middle East Eye wrote that the US action to abduct Nicolás Maduro, the president of Venezuela, has far-reaching consequences not only for Venezuela itself but also for the global standing of the United States and even for domestic and international laws regarding the presidency. According to Pars Today, abducting a foreign president is a shocking act, as under international norms such an action is considered a form of war.

To justify this action, Trump claimed that Maduro was involved in drug trafficking and posed a threat to the security of the American people. However, his subsequent statements revealed that he exaggerated Venezuela’s role and intends to increase US influence through hard power in a region he considers America’s “backyard.”

This event is reminiscent of the era of US interventions in Latin America, when leaders deemed undesirable by Washington were overthrown and puppet governments installed. Trump’s press conference at Mar-a-Lago, held simultaneously with Maduro’s transfer to New York, was full of triumphal display, evoking memories of George Bush’s victory announcement in Iraq in 2003. The US Secretary of War even described the action as surpassing the historic moments of Lincoln and Roosevelt.

However, within the United States, Democrats are outraged because US attacks in Venezuela are effectively considered an act of war and require Congressional approval. Some senators have emphasized that Trump entered a conflict without authorization and must be held accountable. Nevertheless, Republican leaders have voiced their support for him.

Polls indicate that most Americans oppose military intervention in Venezuela, and even some of Trump’s supporters feel betrayed, as they had expected him to end endless wars.

Experiences in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Libya have shown that the rapid overthrow of a leader without proper planning can plunge a country into chaos. Venezuela faces the same risk. Trump spoke naively about Venezuela’s future, even stating that the US would govern the country until a “safe transition” takes place. He also openly said that oil companies would enter and reclaim Venezuela’s oil. On the global stage, this move demonstrated that the United States seeks to consolidate complete dominance in the Western Hemisphere.