Mr Nicolás Maduro, the President of Venezuela, has reportedly been arrested by US special forces, specifically Delta Force, following a large-scale military attack by the US Army on his heavily fortified, steel-built compound. Maduro has ruled Venezuela for more than a decade. Venezuela is an oil-rich nation and is believed to possess oil reserves even larger than those of Saudi Arabia. After this action, US President Donald Trump openly claimed that Venezuela would now be run under US influence and that its oil resources would be managed accordingly.
Maduro has been prosecuted in a federal court in New York on charges related to drug trafficking and terrorism. If true, this would be an unprecedented event in modern history: an elected sitting president of a sovereign country being arrested and taken to another country for trial. Such an act raises serious questions about international law, sovereignty, and global norms.
President Trump, who has publicly promoted himself as a candidate for the Nobel Peace Prize, claiming credit for reducing tensions between countries such as Pakistan and India, now appears to be doing the opposite by initiating military action against a neighbouring region.
In doing so, he has effectively bypassed or ignored the United Nations, acting unilaterally and in full public view. When questioned by journalists about past US military actions, Trump stated that responsibility for the invasion of Iraq lay with former President George W. Bush. At the same time, he admitted that the Iraq invasion was a mistake because it destabilised the Middle East. Despite this acknowledgement, Trump’s current actions appear to repeat similar patterns. While seeking recognition as a peacemaker, he is simultaneously violating international norms and contributing to the escalation of new conflicts.
The US now speaks loudly about democracy in Venezuela and condemns the dictatorship there. However, it has remained silent or even supportive when it comes to long-standing dictatorships in the Middle East. This selective approach exposes a clear double standard in US foreign policy.
Major global powers such as Russia and China have openly opposed the attack on Maduro, further highlighting the growing international divide
The invasion of Iraq did remove Saddam Hussein from power, but two decades later, Iraq still lacks stability and true democracy. Instead, a Shia-led government came to power, creating new challenges for the US and its allies. Iraq was devastated based on claims of weapons of mass destruction, which later proved false. Years later, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair publicly apologised, admitting that Saddam Hussein did not possess such weapons.
Syria has also been destroyed by prolonged conflict. Today, a former leader of an extremist organisation has been accepted and recognised as a legitimate ruler, welcomed at the White House, and even encouraged to meet Israeli leadership. This creates a contradiction: in Venezuela, the US claims to support democracy, while in Syria, it supports figures with extremist backgrounds.
In Libya, France, along with allied forces, attacked and ultimately killed Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, a long-time opponent of the US. His killing was brutal and chaotic. Ironically, during this period, the US ambassador in Tripoli was also killed due to miscommunication, leading to major political consequences for then Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Libya today remains deeply unstable, with little hope for peace.
The so-called “War on Terror” in Afghanistan lasted for two decades. The US spent trillions of dollars, yet the outcome was widespread destruction, loss of life, and suffering for the Afghan people. In the end, the Taliban returned to power. The US withdrawal was rushed, leaving behind billions of dollars’ worth of weapons, many of which are now in the hands of the Taliban and militant groups.
Across the Middle East and nearby regions, Yemen, Somaliland, Sudan, and others, conflicts continue, largely driven by competition over natural resources such as oil, gas, minerals, and uranium, as well as strategic geographic locations. Powerful nations pursue these interests at the cost of entire countries and their populations.
Israel continues military operations despite ceasefires, while the United Nations remains largely ineffective. The influence of powerful lobbying groups has weakened international accountability. Iran, however, has proven to be a difficult target to defeat. It has responded forcefully, launching missile attacks on Tel Aviv and other key Israeli locations—an unprecedented moment in Zionist history. Unable to succeed through direct war, efforts have reportedly shifted towards creating internal unrest in Iran to pursue regime change.
Protests across Latin America, including in front of the White House and in other parts of the world, suggest that President Trump may face serious global backlash, particularly for actions taken against Latin American nations and Iran. Major global powers such as Russia and China have openly opposed the attack on Maduro, further highlighting the growing international divide.