đź”— Share this article From Superpower to Rogue State: The Implications of the US Seizure of Venezuela's Maduro Amid the considerable disarray regarding the American military actions on Venezuela, the apprehension of leader Nicolás Maduro, and Donald Trump's announcement that the US will “run” the country and “take back the oil”, there is no doubt – they set a deeply alarming precedent. A Grim History and a New Escalation The United States has a grim history of meddling, military incursions, and control in Latin America, but the early hours of Saturday saw its first major military attack on the soil of a South American nation. “US supremacy in this hemisphere shall not be challenged from now on,” the President stated. The decision to unilaterally attack another sovereign country and capture its head of state – mere days after he openly looked for a diplomatic solution – carries even broader implications. It should alarm us all. Profound Uncertainty for Venezuela Venezuelans have endured a repressive, kleptocratic and incompetent regime under Mr Maduro, widely believed to have rigged the previous presidential vote. They now face a future of deep insecurity. Mr Trump has indicated that Maduro's second-in-command, Delcy RodrĂguez would follow US instructions, and brushed aside prominent critic and Nobel prize-winner MarĂa Corina Machado as a credible successor. However, Ms RodrĂguez, now the temporary head of state, has so far sounded notes of defiance – and other elements of the decapitated regime are considerably more radical. A Shift in Global Role A man who came to office promising to abandon foreign wars now says he is “willing to put soldiers into combat”. Redesignating the Department of Defense as the Department of War was a substantive signal. He no longer views the world’s superpower as a global policeman; he is turning it into a lawless actor. He believes that the America's power permits it to do as it wishes with minimal cost: observe the strikes on Nigeria, on Iran’s nuclear facilities. He promises that control of Venezuela's petroleum means this latest episode “will pay for itself”. A Move Devoid of International Legitimacy George W. Bush launched the invasion of Iraq on a lie. But this action without legal basis came absent any United Nations mandate or congressional approval; key legislators received no advance notice and say they were actively misled in briefings. Mr Trump is not trying to twist international norms, but to obliterate them. Put aside the message this sends 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 growing sense of invincibility will almost certainly fuel further adventurism. The Stated Reason Versus the Real Aims Few believe the justification that this is related to the drug trade. Venezuela is only a small transit route for cocaine; Mr Trump recently pardoned the former Honduran president Juan Orlando Hernández for related criminal convictions. Mr Trump himself has stated plainly that he is motivated by the lure of oil as well as personal bravado, the beliefs held by certain advisors, and the appetite for triumphalism as domestic popularity wanes. A Muted Global Reaction and Institutional Irrelevance The international response, especially in Europe, has – with honourable exceptions – been alarmingly quiet. That’s not a result of Mr Maduro’s sins, but trepidation regarding Mr Trump’s wrath. The forceful statement from UN Secretary General AntĂłnio Guterres was welcome, but this episode highlights the UN's diminishing clout. Mr Trump’s voters who oppose foreign entanglements could still pressure him to turn attention back home – but escalating insurance prices, public anxiety over the economy and distracting files fuel his desire for external drama. Barely 12 months into his four-year term. World leaders may come to rue the day if they fail to speak up today, given what – and who – could be next.