The USA Kidnaps Venezuela's Leader and That's Okay, Right?

President Maduro in US Custody.

On the same day the US Administration decided to kidnap Venezuela's President and his wife, I happened to catch a 20 minute video overview on the history of Venezuela from about the time President Maduro came into power to days before his 'capture'.

The 20 minute video by Australian ABC News called, What's Going on in Venezuela?, may sway your thought process on Maduro's kidnapping - if you're highly opposed to that action - because it give the impression President Trump might actually be the lessor of two rogue idiots when it comes to running a country. I highly recommend you give it a watch if the link still works, and you want to get up to speed fast on events in Venezuela.

President Maduro has run Venezuela so far into the ground it can't afford the supplies it needs to export its major income stream, oil (though his predecessor, President Chávez, should get much of the credit). So bad that their currency is devalued to the point you almost literally would need a wheel barrow to carry the cash you need to buy a loaf of bread. Honestly, I don't know that about bread for sure but when one US dollar equals an amount in the trillions of a local currency... it's bad!

Despite the fact that MAGA supporters have been caught posting fake videos of Venezuelans celebrating in the streets (some of these videos were either AI generated or dipicted Venezuelan football fans celebrating a team win years earlier), you have to wonder if there isn't at least some Venezuelans contemplating the notion that, having their President removed by force by the US, may actually be a good thing for the country overall?

According to Venezuelan Journalist, Andreína Chávez, who is in Venezuela, and gave this interview to Katie Halper, no such celebrations are occuring in the country itself - though there are small pockets of protestors demanding the return of President Maduro (which is something Maduro urged his supporters to do should this exact scenario eventuate).

Anyone not protesting is basically in a state of flux, keeping to themselves, and waiting to see what happens next?

I have no doubt, like many people, the US is doing this to control the country's oil supplies. Particularly after President Trump stated that he would be moving in large US Oil companies to help revive their industry (Venezuela is said to have up to one fifth of the world's total oil supplies).

Clearly it's in the USA's best interest to get the Venezuelan Oil industry up and running again. Unfortunately this isn't how the US should have gone about it. Even though it seems like the US has been trying to solve this for at least two decades through other means of bringing about regime change.

It's not okay for any country to remove the leadership of another without going through the proper, agreed, international channels. For example, remember how many international hoops the USA had to go through in order to invade Iraq, trying to prove that country had weapons of mass destruction?

Once a country as big as the USA starts bypassing international law it erodes the protections smaller countries have against unprovoked invasion. We're looking at you China, Taiwan ‘prepared’ for Venezuela-style attack: MND.

While President Maduro may have the line honors for being an even worse leader than the current US President, it is for the people of Venezuela to bring about regime change... (though, if that change was to secretly encourage a US covert opperation to kidnap the President and then be half assed outraged about his return, I certainly wouldn't blame them. If you're going to be invaded, the US seems like a far better option than say, Russia, or Israel).

Bottom line though, kidnapping another country's leader and taking over running the country in their absence is not okay. As World Leaders react, it'll be really interesting to see if International Law has any teeth on consequences for the US because this is a case where globalization, and countries working together to maintain peace is preferable to every country for themselves.