Victoria Coates: Venezuela Strike Signals 'New Dawn' for Western Hemisphere, Could Cripple Cuba

Strategic Implications Beyond Venezuela

• 💡 The operation against Venezuela is framed as a 'new dawn' for the Western Hemisphere, with implications far beyond Venezuela itself.
• 🎯 The primary goal was to apprehend Nicholas Maduro, an indicted criminal under US law, for trial.
• 🚀 This action is compared to President Trump's surgical strikes, such as the one against Qasem Soleimani, aiming to remove high-value targets.

Economic Impact on Cuba

• 📉 The fall of the Soviet Union led Venezuela to supply Cuba with cheap oil, becoming its economic lifeline.
• 💥 If this oil supply is cut off by Venezuela's new interim government, it could lead to the collapse of Cuba's communist regime.
• ✅ This outcome is seen as a significant strategic benefit to the United States, potentially restoring Cuba as a friendly nation.

International Response and US Authority

• 🌍 The international response, particularly from Iran, China, and Russia, is expected to be muted due to their inability to replicate such capabilities.
• ⚖️ Mexico's President Claudia Sheinbaum's condemnation, citing the UN Charter, is addressed by noting that Article 2 of the UN Charter is not binding US law, unlike Article 2 of the US Constitution, which authorized the action.

Legal Proceedings and National Security

• 🏛️ The operation was conducted in conjunction with US law enforcement agencies like the DEA, and the trial is expected to proceed by the book, likely in New York.
• ⚠️ Venezuela's descent into a 'naroterrorist state' and Maduro's direct involvement in cartels, like the Cartel de los Soles, made him a direct threat, similar to Manuel Noriega in Panama.
• 🌍 This situation is deemed a vital national security interest for the United States, not an act of altruism.

Historical Parallels and Regional Shifts

• 🧱 Congressman Carlos Jimenez's comparison of the event to the fall of the Berlin Wall is supported, especially for constituents of Cuban descent.
• 🌎 This action is seen as a catalyst for the potential opening up of Latin America, with positive implications for US relations with countries like Bolivia and Argentina.