Yeni Demokrasi – The US Attack on Venezuela: Justifications and Objectives
We hereby share an unofficial translation of an article by Yeni Demokrasi.
On January 3, Venezuelan President Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores were abducted in a US attack on Caracas. This attack followed months of threats framed by Trump as an effort to combat “drug trafficking” and so-called “narcoterrorism.”
Trump also suggested the operation was a tool for forcing regime change. He said the operation was justified because under Maduro’s rule, the South American country was “harboring foreign enemies” and “acquiring threatening, aggressive weapons” that threatened U.S. security. However, Trump also expressed a desire to control Venezuela’s oil industry, claiming the country was “stealing” from the U.S. He said that while “governing” Venezuela, he would fix the country’s “badly broken” oil infrastructure and improve oil refining and extraction operations.
Today, US President Donald Trump, claiming that US oil companies will rebuild all of Venezuela’s oil infrastructure, stated, “They’re going to spend at least $100 billion, and the oil they have (in Venezuela) is incredible.” Venezuela is an oil-rich state with some of the world’s largest oil reserves. After World War II, it had the fourth-highest GDP per capita globally. However, poverty has increased significantly due to the ongoing economic crisis and sanctions. Whether the real reason for this attack on Venezuela is Trump’s desire for oil or something else has been widely debated. Venezuela is in a position to maintain relations with China and Russia due to US sanctions, and China’s influence is increasingly felt in the region. Between 2000 and 2023, Venezuela received $106 billion in loans from Chinese state sector creditors, making it the fourth-largest recipient of Beijing’s official loans. Therefore, there are strong indications that this attack aims to limit China’s influence in the region and re-establish US dominance. The goal is to prevent China from obtaining oil from Venezuela and to place Venezuelan oil under US control.
Following Maduro’s abduction, protests were organized across the country, but the media portrayed it more as a celebration of his kidnapping. While there were global reactions to Maduro’s abduction, the media portrayal showed that there wasn’t enough organized resistance within the country to bring him back. This can be explained by the deep economic crisis the country is facing. In a country where poverty is increasing daily, the people are now expressing their dissatisfaction with the government. Furthermore, Maduro’s popular support in Venezuela has never been as strong as Chavez’s. This also undeniably contributed to the disorganized and fragmented nature of the protests.
ELECTIONS WILL NOT BE HELD FOR A WHILE.
Following Maduro’s abduction, Vice President Delcy Rodríguez was sworn in as Venezuela’s interim president on January 5. A longtime ally of Maduro and Chávez and former oil minister, Rodríguez garnered public support from Trump, but Trump threatened that Venezuela would pay “probably a much bigger price, much bigger than Maduro” if it didn’t bow to US demands. Trump stated that Venezuela would not hold elections within the next 30 days and that the US would “run the country” until a time when it could have a “safe, proper and judicious transition.” Rubio explained that the US government planned to pressure Venezuela to influence its political future and seize control of its oil industry, rather than directly governing the Venezuelan government in an administrative capacity. Speaking to the New York Times, Trump said that US oversight of the country could last for years.
Venezuelan President Maduro and his wife stated in court in New York on January 5 that they were innocent and prisoners of war. Maduro and his wife were detained in the US, and their next court hearing is scheduled for March 17.
