Depending on how you see it, having oil crude in a territory may be a blessing or a curse for a country. Needless to say why it is a blessing, but it may also be a curse because of the foreign interest in having something to do with its production, distribution, management, and even the profits this crude produces. This may certainly pose an international security threat for the country, its neighbors, and allies as well. Having oil crude for Venezuela has meant a long period of prosperity, “petrodollars” and power in the region. But like the song says: those days are long gone! This is despite Maduro’s wishes, as he thinks he still is what he once was and that the country is at the peak of its glory, and therefore that the world -particularly “el imperialista Estados Unidos”- are after the already exhausted Venezuelan oil. Just like a scared kid at night sees the bogeyman everywhere, Maduro thinks that the U.S. and Trump are trying to get him and his oil at any cost.
According to the article from aljazeera.com – Venezuela’s Maduro says U.S. spy captured near oil refineries – a former American marine was caught in the area with specialized weapons, tons of cash, and other items. Maduro’s affirms that this man was on a mission to detonate the refinery or attempt to it somehow. He said in public TV that thanks to this spy’s detention, a brutal attack on the Venezuelan production of oil was dismantled last Wednesday.
So a single armed, with tons of cash, former marine posed a threat to the Venezuelan oil production and the country as a whole. Right! Then, how about the Russian ships and troops of soldiers that were seen on the Venezuelan coasts? Are they bringing cultural exchange to the country? I don’t think so. The one posing a threat to Venezuela, to the people, the region, and beyond is Maduro himself and his plans to perpetuate his endless power. He is the major international security threat and now he is getting “a little help from his friends” to continue with his macabre plans.
Thank you for your time!
Maria.
Link to article: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/09/200912062436674.html
Good blog post, Maria. As you undoubtedly know, Maduro inherited his position from Hugo Chavez after the latter was stricken with terminal cancer. It was clear from the outset that he did not possess anywhere near the political skill and intelligence that Chavez did. Fairly quickly, he turned Venezuela into an economic disaster with run-away inflation and unable to deliver services to the people, despite having the largest proven oil reserves in the world. And it has gone down hill from there!
The recent, abortive effort to overthrow Maduro, which included a number of former US Army soldiers was reminiscent of the Bay of Pigs invasion of Cuba, and it had an equally bad outcome. Maduro will somehow have to be overthrown or forced to abdicate by internal Venezuelan forces, though it remains to be seen whether Guaido is up to the task and enjoys sufficient popular support.
–Professor Wallerstein