Kathrine Frich
The dramatic arrest of Venezuela’s president has sent shockwaves through global politics.
While Washington hails the move as decisive action, critics warn it could have far-reaching consequences.
Concerns are growing that the episode may reshape how military force is justified worldwide.
Donald Trump has boasted that he is now effectively in charge of Venezuela after its leader was seized and taken to the United States.
The operation has triggered outrage abroad and unease among allies.
Bragging rights
Over the weekend, US forces captured Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro, who was later brought before a court in New York to face drug trafficking charges.
Trump publicly claimed he was now “running” the South American nation.
The intervention was praised by some of his supporters. Nigel Farage said:
“The American actions in Venezuela overnight are unorthodox and contrary to international law, but if they make China and Russia think twice, it may be a good thing.”
The comments did little to calm critics, who questioned both the legality and the wider message sent by the operation.
A dangerous signal
Anthony Glees, a professor of security studies at the University of Buckingham, warned the move could backfire.
He said attempts to defend the action “makes us look silly and irrelevant”.
Glees told the Daily Star: “Well, it’ll make them think twice what clever thugs they’ve been and since Trump now seems to think that Might is Right, that justifies Putin’s foul war of aggression on Ukraine and Xi’s vile attempts to bully Taiwan into submission.”
He described the bombing of Venezuela and deployment of US troops as a potential turning point in relations between the Trump administration and Western Europe.
Europe on edge
Glees said Britain and its allies could no longer assume US protection.
“Trump’s Venezuelan coup shows yet again how weak we are in the UK and how much we need strong leadership and strong weapons capability amongst all the European NATO member states,” he said.
He added: “We were not told, let alone consulted… we cannot rely on the USA to secure us from that other big land-grabber in Europe, mad Vlad Putin.”
According to Glees, Europe now faces an urgent need to rebuild conventional military strength.
Political fallout
Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper urged MPs not to draw direct comparisons between Venezuela and Ukraine.
She later said: “We should be careful about recognising what we say and the implications of it.”
Labour MP Richard Burgon was more critical, accusing the government of appeasing Washington. “Isn’t the reality that the Prime Minister is willing to ditch international law,” he said.
Maduro has denied the charges against him. His allies argue the intervention is driven by oil interests, though Glees dismissed that as secondary.
