THE American action that had been brewing for long finally took place -- in complete disregard to international ethos and law. In a way, it was yet another expression of what can be described as ‘American normal’ demonstrating the usual hooliganism the United States has often practised -- symbolised by the invasion of Venezuela by the US forces and capture of Venezuelan President Mr. Nicolas Maduro and his wife. What a travesty of ‘justice’ by a country that swears by international harmony ! Though Venezuela has prepared itself to face the situation in whatever manner possible, the problem is less likely to drag on like the Russia-Ukraine conflict has done. For, Venezuela is not likely to get enough international support to fight back the American forces -- particularly when US President Mr. Donald Trump has said it insistently that America would run that country -- and tap its oil reserves.

 

With such a clear assertion of why the US took the step, very few countries would step in to stall the American intentions. The United Nations Secretary General Mr. Antonio Guterres has, naturally, decried the American action as a “dangerous precedent” with “potential worrying implications for the region”. India also has expressed its deep concern over the development and has called for a peaceful solution. Russia and China, however, have taken a tougher stand and asked the US to withdraw from Venezuela.

 

The United States is least likely to listen to such voices of dissent since President Mr. Trump has made up his mind not to budge in any situation. He, thus, presents two contradicting faces of himself -- one in the Russia-Ukraine war where he wants Ukraine to agree for a 15-year hiatus from conflict; and the other in Venezuela where he wants that country to submit to his aggression. When powerful countries get down to using invasion of other countries to implement their idea of internationalism, they actually heap injustice on the weaker nations. In Venezuela -- and earlier in Ukraine -- this was what actually happened. There is no doubt that Venezuela has been a country that demonstrated a nearly complete absence of sanity in its own management. The general international impression was that drug lords and mafia ran the country while the government existed only on paper with least regard to genuine interests of the people. The international community, thus, regarded Venezuela as a wayward country.

 

Despite this, the world is under no illusion that the United States intends to correct the wrong in Venezuela and set things right and then hand over the country back to its own people. It is obvious that the US will not think of getting out in a short while. For, Mr. Donald Trump’s statements point to the American intentions that the US military presence would stretch well beyond normal idea of any such action. It is common knowledge that Venezuela has vast reserves of oil and gas -- good enough for the world to survive on those stocks for endless time. The US has its own oil reserves, all right. Yet it wants to swoop on the Venezuelan reserves as part of its global greed. Russia, too, has its own oil surplus. But China has no oil of its own, and often depended on Venezuela for those supplies.

 

The American blockade of Venezuela will affect the Chinese oil supplies badly, throwing out of gear Beijing’s idea of energy security. Hence the Chinese unease -- which it has expressed initially only in mild terms. The situation on that front may worsen as time passes. For time being, the world would choose to wait and watch -- and then start taking steps to protect its own interests. No matter the subsequent reactions, the US has earned no friends through this action in Venezuela. Much to the contrary, it has earned much antagonism -- about which it does not care. Such is the arrogance Washington has built over time, thanks to its superpower position (pointing to the American normal).