US seizes oil tanker off Venezuelan coast
Tensions between the United States and Venezuela have escalated again after the US military seized the fully loaded oil tanker Skipper off the coast of the South American country on Wednesday. Washington said the Venezuelan tanker was being used illegally to transport "sanctioned oil from Venezuela and Iran". The regime of Nicolás Maduro has accused the US of committing an act of "international piracy".
A shameful act
For the Süddeutsche Zeitung's Latin America correspondent Jan Heidtmann, it is now clear what Trump is really after:
“The US is determined to topple Maduro and his regime. ... His goal is to secure US access to the world's largest oil reserves. From his point of view, that's understandable — but how this aligns with Machado's promises to build a just society in her country is questionable. One thing, however, is certain: Machado will have to pay a high price for Trump's support. The saddest role in this drama is played by the Venezuelans themselves. ... Even after Maduro's fall, they will hardly have a say in their country's future. What's unfolding there is simply a shameful act.”
"Peacemaker" Trump playing with fire
US President Trump is treading on thin ice here, writes Lidové noviny:
“The Venezuelans may not like their rulers much, but in many cases they hate America even more. ... More than 80 percent say they would defend their country. ... Crossing the Rubicon in Venezuela – that is, launching a direct attack – might be grudgingly tolerated by Russia and China, which behave similarly in their own regions, but not by Latin America. ... A conflict in America's backyard could ultimately cost billions in taxpayers' money. And how would 'peacemaker' Donald Trump then be any different from his predecessor George W. Bush – or even from Vladimir Putin?”
Predictable chaos
De Volkskrant doubts that a change of government imposed from outside can lead to stability:
“Trump wants to do business. The United States has always maintained close relations with Venezuela, from which plenty of oil flowed to American refineries until socialist leader Hugo Chávez put an end to this in 1999. Many Venezuelans would welcome a change of government, but given that Trump is acting purely out of economic self‑interest, they should harbour no illusions. A regime change imposed from outside for dubious reasons generally leads above all to chaos.”