The US airstrikes on Venezuela and the abduction of President Nicolás Maduro have been described as the ‘Putinisation’ of American foreign policy, with Donald Trump demolishing rather than bending international rules. The operation, which also saw the seizure of Maduro’s wife and Venezuelan oil tankers, has drawn comparisons to the 1989 invasion of Panama and the Iraq War, but with a more overt focus on resource grabbing.
Trump’s declaration that the US would “run” Venezuela and sell its oil has alarmed experts, who note that the legal justifications for the attack are flimsy. Maduro was indicted in the US on drug trafficking charges, but the evidence is widely seen as unconvincing. Trump himself has emphasised economic motives, saying hours after the operation: “We’ll be selling large amounts of oil.”
The president’s growing appetite for military action marks a shift from his earlier reluctance to engage in foreign wars. Having previously claimed to have ended eight conflicts, Trump appeared “giddy” with success, telling the New York Times: “It was a brilliant operation, actually.” Analysts warn that his declining popularity and the Epstein scandal may be driving him towards an increasingly aggressive foreign policy.
The attack has been condemned by many nations, but the fact that it succeeded may encourage further unilateral US interventions. Critics argue that the ‘rules-based order’ has been fatally weakened, with Trump showing complete disdain for international law.
