To: Donald J. Trump, President of the United States of America
From: William D. Troast, Foreign Policy Expert
Date: 2 April 2018
Subject: Suggested Action Towards Venezuela
The current situation in Venezuela has reached a point where the United States can no longer sit by and watch it unravel. To effectively correct the crisis in Venezuela we must not impose sanctions against the government, but encourage the international community to get involved and put pressure on the Maduro administration to prove that he can no longer get away with these injustices. We are not looking to topple the regime, but instead, provide support to the opposing party so that they can win over the hearts of the Venezuelans. If a new party can win their support then Maduro’s time in power will be short lived.
Context
Although the Cold War ended 27 years ago, the United States now faces many new threats. One threat which is not taken as seriously as it should be is the corruption in Venezuela spread by President Maduro. Having an unstable leader such as Maduro as the head of Venezuela can cause many problems for the United States. Since Venezuela is so close to the US, they could become a security threat. Other potential threats include the loss of a major trade partner as well as losing influence in the region. If Venezuela is allowed to run rampant, then the United States may lose the trust of their neighbors. Losing this trust could also lead to damaged relations with these other nations.
Task
Toppling Maduro’s regime should not be the United States’ goal. The United States has attempted to remove corrupt leaders in Latin America many times before, and their track record is not very successful. Take, for example, Cuba. The US supported leader was removed and Fidel Castro went on to lead the country for over 50 years. Instead of trying to replace the leader ourselves, the United States needs to instead focus on winning over the support of the Venezuelan population. To cause change in a corrupt country it is crucial for movements to be started and carried out by the people and not a foreign entity. Only the people within the country itself can create effective change because they have the best understanding of what change is needed in the country. If the United States can convince the people to make a change in their county and simply assist if needed, the crises they face will be solved.
Solution
How can the United States convince the people that they need a regime change? They must convince the international community that the humanitarian problems in Venezuela require the attention of an outside organization. For example, evidence of breaches of human rights has become apparent. The United States could present this evidence to the United Nations who would then be able to launch an international investigation in Venezuela. Something that the United States could lead on their own is the protection of migrants trying to escape the atrocities occurring in Venezuela. By showing the population how citizens should be treated by their government the people may be able to begin an uprising against Maduro which extends past the current ongoing protests.
Conclusion
The crisis which has been plaguing Venezuela has gone on for long enough and deserves the attention of not only the United States, but the international community before the situation is impossible to solve. The citizens of Venezuela need to be the ones who change the political climate within their borders, and the United States must simply be present in case they need more support. The United States must do whatever they can to avoid becoming entangled in the replacement of a foreign leader because, as the past has shown, this has lead to the creation of more problems than solutions.
I like your argument but I believe that you are missing a critical point. The United States in Venezuela is an extremely unpopular country and overarching threat. For the United States to be seen in anyway as assisting an opposition party, that would play directly into the rhetoric and plan of Maduro and the regime. They would claim that the opposition are just stooges for the United States to take over the country. Any open or even tacit support for a political party that is in opposition would likely hurt rather than assist their case.
ReplyDeleteBesides this, Venezuela has been met with the ire of many countries as it stands. They are not a popular country in the world, but they do have their allies. The idea of using the international community as an assist to pressure is good, but there are countries such as Russia, Iran, Bolivia, Nicaragua, Cuba, and others which are firmly entrenched in the Venezuelan camp. It is not likely that any world wide condemnation will do anything. I am curious, besides rhetoric, what you exactly mean by pressure. It is not economic, which I agree with, so it would have to be something other than just lip service.
Yes, entering a nation in which the United States is very unpopular is a difficult task, but the United States should not be acting alone and should not be acting for the opposition party. The United Statse should not focus on trying to topple the Maduro regime on their own, nor should they attempt to support the opposition party. The goal of American intervention should be to help support the citizen population. Through international organizations such as the UN, or nonprofits such as the Red Cross, the United States should focus on offering humanitarian aide to the population. By leading an international humanitarian intervention legitimized by the international community the United States could unintentionally win over the favor of the population so that they are not viewed as evil. Even if they are not able to win over the population, by helping ease the tension between the government and the public it is possible that US-Venezuelan relations will be enhanced, and the threat reduced. If the US can improve the situation between the two countries then this could lead to more effective negotiations between the two countries.
DeleteI agree with Aran's point-- if Venezuela does not even want America involved, can we expect any efforts on our part to actually be successful? Additionally, I would question the success of simply supporting the opposition party and the leader chosen by the majority of Venezuelans. Reflecting on our discussion on Zimbabwe in class this past week, can a majority be trusted to choose the best democracticagly-elected leader? Yes, our focus would not be on toppling the Maduro regime, but is the focus instead on just electing someone who would be more conducive to American interests? Or, is our focus simply on promoting a democratic process, despite the leader that the election yields?
ReplyDeleteIf the United States does not focus their attention on trying to enact change within the political scheme of Venezuela I believe our action would be very successful. The United States must focus on positive change within the population. this would include helping to combat the inflation, helping to restock the country with food, and be removing sanctions so the country can run more efficiently. If the United States shows that they are willing to help conduct actual democratic elections, and are willing to work with whoever is elected I believe the tensions between the two countries will diminish. The United States cannot rig the election so a pro-American candidate is elected. We must be willing to work with whoever is elected.
ReplyDeleteI agree that there is a humanitarian crisis in Venezuela and the United States and other nations should do their best to help the government fix these wrongs. Although, due to the United States history, we have to be careful of not interfering in their elections and destabilizing their government.
ReplyDeleteThe United States primary goal should not be to destabilize the government through the election. I suggested that the United States take action against to try and help solve the humanitarian crisis through international initiatives because the government has proven time and time again that they cannot be trusted to handle the issues on their own. I hinted at the possibility of the Venezuelan citizens turing on their government and voting in a new party when they see how a stable government can solve the problems which they are facing, but never did I suggest that the United States intervene directly in the election.
ReplyDelete