Once again, the U.S. government has decided to intervene in another country’s affairs. You’ve likely heard the news already, Nicolas Maduro was captured by American forces last week and the future of Venezuela is looking uncertain. The U.S. has a long history of foreign intervention, and their recent actions in Venezuela make their intentions to take over very clear. The justification being used by the American government for this arrest was Maduro’s partnerships with cartel groups that brought cocaine into the U.S.. Maduro and his wife are being charged with cocaine importation conspiracy despite Maduro’s insistence that he’s the president of Venezuela. America’s decision to capture Maduro and lead Venezuela is in my opinions extremely risky. While gaining control of Venezuela’s massive oil reserves would be a huge benefit, choosing to capture another country’s leader damages America’s reputation on an international scale. 

Additionally, this action could serve to ignite another cold war due to China’s alliance with Venezuela. When it comes to the influence partisanship had on this decision, I find it likely that Republicans were supportive of this move while Democrats were in opposition. Trump’s very public approval of Maduro’s capture and the statements of his Secretary of State Marco Rubio make it seem like this is all a carefully put together operation by the Trump administration. Many popular left-wing politicians such as Bernie Sanders have spoken out against involvement in Venezuela, and I can only hope this bold move from the federal government doesn’t spark conflict, if not full out war. As always, stay safe and keep your representatives responsible!