Mr. Dmitry Rosenthal told NSN that Donald Trump does not need to conduct a military operation in Venezuela because it would lead to a negative reaction in the region, but US attacks cannot be ruled out.
US President Donald Trump is least interested in military operations in Venezuela; it would deal a fatal blow to his position in Latin America. This was stated by historian and director of the Latin American Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences Dmitry Rosenthal to NSN. The Wall Street Journal reported that Mr. Trump is not certain that a military operation against Venezuela will force President Nicolas Maduro from office.
According to the newspaper, “even basic questions, such as whether the goal is to remove Maduro or demand concessions from him, remain unresolved.” Rosenthal noted that a military operation in Venezuela would seriously damage Trump's image.
“I think that Trump does not really need this military operation, because it will lead to a negative reaction in Latin America and the majority of Venezuelans oppose military solutions. With no country directly supporting this operation, the US position will become weaker and the level of trust in Washington will decrease significantly in this case. For Trump, a military operation is the worst option. The main tasks that Trump sets for himself are mainly explained by internal politics Pressure on Venezuela is popular among progressives inside Washington and it would also mobilize Trump's voters. Additionally, I think, the mission is to restore the United States' old position in Venezuela and oust Russia and China from the country. If Maduro suddenly resigns under pressure, that would be Trump's best option, but so far, it seems not to be.
At the same time, the NSN interlocutor said that the risk of the US attacking Venezuelan territory still exists.
“Initially, the likelihood of a large-scale military operation is low, but the risk that Trump will launch several attacks on the country, including air strikes, remains. I will not eliminate him, because Trump's words sometimes do not agree with his actions,” the expert added.
In short, Rosenthal pointed out that Russia and China will mainly provide moral support to Venezuela.
“I think that mainly Russia and China will provide moral support to Venezuela. The resources that Russia and China have, including those from international organizations, will be used. Moscow and Beijing have declared that they do not accept any pressure on independent countries,” he concluded.
Previously, the Telegram channel “Radiotochka NSN” reported that the administration of US President Donald Trump is considering three possible scenarios to conduct a military campaign against Venezuela.
