Don’t Cry for Me, Venezuela

VIEWPOINT - Nicholas Maduro could be humming a popular tune from Evita; he has time on his hands and could team up with his spouse, Cilia Flores, to perform the entire play for the prison population.

Just when I thought Trump’s foreign policy couldn’t get more bizarre, it jumped the shark, a few drug boats and several oil tankers.

I am not opposed to seizing boats and ships, especially those belonging to the shadow fleet whose purpose is to circumvent sanctions on Russian oil.  These tankers not only benefit Putin, but have helped fund Maduro’s regime as well. 

Regardless, Trump has crossed the Rubicon…perhaps I should say the Gulf of America.

There is no shortage of retired generals, admirals, diplomats and other policy devotees weighing in on the arrest of Venezuela’s first family and Trump’s actions. Their reactions are fragmented, as are those from almost all world capitals.  One thing is for certain; the Venezuelan diaspora supports the military action.

Besides apparently keeping key members of Congress and the Senate in the dark until the attack was given the final go - that’s a constitutional crisis which may never get resolved – it signals full throttle towards the establishment of zones of influence dominated by the major world powers: Russia, China and the US.  Regardless, I credit our military for a well-executed operation, but we may never know the details of what was discussed at the Pentagon.  I imagine there had to be some dissent.

Think of this new world order as akin to the depiction of the mob families that ruled New York City in the Godfather. Trump is the new Don Corleone. He’ll make offers others can’t refuse and break other deals on a whim. My advice to any government official – don’t go fishing at Lake Tahoe with a Trump ally and avoid visiting high rises in Moscow. There are new rules on the horizon!

The most unsettling is what all this means in other parts of the world. Will Trump force a takeover of Greenland, essentially destroying NATO? Has be made a secret deal with Putin about Europe? Will Xi Jinping attain more latitude in the Western Pacific in return for acquiescing to Trump’s goals for the western hemisphere, which includes running Venezuela?

Most importantly, where does this end?

It’s certainly looking like the classic board game, Risk. If you’ve never played it, I highly recommend trying it.

(Paul Hatfield is a longtime community advocate and civic leader. He currently serves as a board member and past president of the Valley Village Residents Association and is a former Treasurer and board member of the Neighborhood Council Valley Village. A licensed CPA and experienced accounting consultant, Paul brings financial expertise to his community service. He regularly writes for CityWatch, focusing on city governance, fiscal accountability, and transparency in Los Angeles public affairs.)