6th of November, 2024. International News. Venezuela. GSA News.
Last updated: November 7, 2024 at 16:47 pm
In 2019, US President Donald Trump made a daring attempt to oust Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro from the Mira Flores Presidential Palace in Caracas, Venezuela. At that time, the entire world, with the exception of a handful of mostly communist nations, had recognized opposition leader Juan Guaido as the legitimate interim President of Venezuela. But this worldwide condemnation did not faze Nicolas Maduro to the slightest degree. He stubbornly held his ground and outdid the US President in daring. At the height of the tensions, Maduro was about to board a plane and flee to Cuba when Russian President Vladimir Putin called him and told him to stay put.
The previous Trump administration was bent on removing Maduro from office, by hooks or by crooks. Donald Trump would have considered it a major feather in his cap if he had managed to remove dictator Maduro from the seat of Venezuelan presidency, and perhaps much of the world might have seen eye to eye with him. But doing so required a herculean effort which was pretty much a daunting task.
In early 2019, the Trump administration strengthened diplomatic ties with neighboring Colombia. The then Venezuelan President, Ivan Duque, allowed the United States to build up troops and military equipment at the border near to Venezuela. Trump commented that Maduro could be removed “with a quick military operation.” But such an operation was easier said than done. In response to the growing threat, Maduro scrambled to mount anti-aerial defenses at strategic border locations and sent a brave message to Trump that the Venezuelan military was waiting for them to invade.
As tensions along Venezuela’s border with Colombia rose to an all time high, the US war machine, its allies and their liberal media cheerleaders were beating the drums of war. A US backed coup was on the horizon but it hit a major stumbling block: the Brazilian Defense Ministry refused to cooperate, stating that Brazil doesn’t want a war with Venezuela and that it would not allow US troops to carry out any military operation against Venezuela via Brazil.
Trump later, in 2020, sent his Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, on a diplomatic tour of several countries, including Guyana and Suriname, with the sole purpose of improving the strategy to topple Maduro. Trump lost his reelection bid that same year, and was out of office until he once again won the US Presidential election today, November, 6, 2024.
Trump is once again in office; and Maduro is still holding on to power illegally and tyrannically. Trump will very likely try to finish what he started five years ago. And this is bound to make Nicolas Maduro at least a tad bit uneasy. The Trump administration might pursue more aggressive measures to remove Maduro this time around. With Vladimir Putin weakened and worn out by the war with Ukraine, and Brazil/Venezuelan relations souring more with each passing day, Maduro might find himself in a very vulnerable position once Donald Trump turns his attention to him once again.
Venezuela still has over 300 billion barrels of oil which Uncle Sam would love to get his hands on. The Trump administration will try its hardest this term to “restore democracy” in Venezuela. Maduro’s only trump card is the firm commitment and blind loyalty of a corrupt military coupled with scores of armed gangs scattered across Venezuela which are loyal to him. Venezuela is one of the most difficult countries in the world to invade, and invading any country in this day and age is generally seen as a crime against humanity. All of these factors combined make the situation with Venezuela a complex one fraught with difficulty.
This time around, Guyana risks being dragged into the US conflict with Venezuela, a prospect that might strengthen Guyana’s position on the existing border controversy if the Guyana Government cooperates with the US. One thing is for sure: Donald Trump will try his best to remove Nicolas Maduro from office. And as the world hold its breath in anticipation of how this will unfold, the million dollar question here is: Will Donald Trump succeed in finally removing Maduro from the Presidential Palace? Only time will tell. One thing is sure: he will try; and Maduro knows that.
