SAN ANTONIO – While Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro’s arrest and removal have been praised by some, the way the Trump administration went about it is being heavily criticised by others.
This military mission, as well as the boat strikes, moved some protest in San Antonio.
“What we’re really here to do is condemn Trump and condemn the U.S. government for doing this act,” protestor Tori Ramirez said. “We should not be celebrating the illegal kidnapping of the head of a sovereign state.”
Saint Mary’s University professor Betsy Smith, who has expertise in Latin American politics and democratic crises, said that loyalty to Maduro runs deep.
“All of the institutions, the supreme court, the electoral tribunal, the assembly, are all loyal to Nicolas Maduro,” Smith said. “You have a remarkably loyal military structure, and that was by design.”
Former vice president Delcy Rodríguez is now the acting president, but questions remain about whether she will cooperate with President Donald Trump’s transition plan.
“Whether or not Delcy Rodríguez is working with the United States as part of a transition, or whether Delcy Rodríguez, as acting president of Venezuela, is biding her time until President Maduro returns to Venezuela, is an important question,” Smith said.
Recently, President Donald Trump has stated he has not ruled out American boots on the ground in the South American country.
“We’re not afraid of it. We don’t mind saying it, but we’re going to make sure that that country is run properly,” Trump said. “We’re not doing this in vain.”
Smith said Maduro’s capture is proof of that, but she questions to what extent.
“The fact that the United States is willing to take such huge actions to make this change says that the United States is committed to this course, the question always remains for any country, but especially the United States, is how long are we willing to engage in Venezuela to ensure we’re going to get what we want?”, she said.
Smith admitted she is optimistic Venezuela will see a transition to a healthier democracy but holds a realistic caution.
“We really have to be careful to really understand how that process towards democracy is going to unfold with such a significantly strong regime in power,” Smith warned.
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