"The initial reaction of European leaders to Donald Trump's illegal military intervention in Venezuela was not only weak, it also had the briefest of shelf lives. Refusing on Sunday to condemn the attack as a breach of international law, European Union member states called hopefully for a negotiated, democratic, inclusive and peaceful solution to the crisis, led by Venezuelans. The delusional nature of that response was laid bare as Mr Trump told reporters the same day: We're in charge."
"As Mr Trump's marginalising of the Nobel prize-winning opposition figurehead Maria Corina Machado illustrated early on, the will of Venezuelans is not on his list of priorities. Operation Absolute Resolve was about exercising raw power to dominate a sovereign nation, and controlling Venezuela's future oil production. Faced with such nakedly imperialist ambitions, and a brazen contempt for rules-based multilateralism, Sir Keir Starmer and his European allies need to do much better than cover their eyes and disingenuously shift the focus of discussion."
European leaders initially refused to condemn the US military attack on Venezuela and instead urged a negotiated, democratic, inclusive, and peaceful Venezuelan-led solution. President Trump publicly declared 'We're in charge' and reiterated threats of further military action if remaining repressive forces failed US demands. The operation prioritized exercising raw power, marginalizing Venezuelan opposition figures, and securing future oil production. European politicians, including Sir Keir Starmer and Emmanuel Macron, showed reluctance to confront the US approach. Calls warn that US actions will embolden other global bullies to violate international norms. European governments must urgently prepare for a world in which the traditional concept of the west is less useful.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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