BBC Expert Labels Trump’s Venezuela Move Dangerous

The BBC’s chief international correspondent Lyse Doucet said Donald Trump had established a “dangerous precedent” with his action in Venezuela.

The US president launched a military strike on the South American nation and captured the country’s president Nicolas Maduro in the early hours of Saturday morning.

Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores have been indicted on narco-terrorism conspiracy charges in the States, and Trump has claimed the US will “run” Venezuela until a safe transition of power can take place.

He also said the US is “not afraid of boots on the ground” and claimed Venezuela had “stolen” oil from the US.

Asked by BBC presenter Laura Kuenssberg if this was a “jaw-dropping” turn of events, Douset said it was.

“To use the words of UN secretary general Antonio Guterres, [this sets] a dangerous precedent,” the chief international correspondent said. “What must Russia and China be thinking now?

“President Trump is looking at his own backyard so is President Putin looking at Ukraine seeing it as part of its sphere of influence, the Chinese has military action around Taiwan, which is seen as a dress rehearsal for invasion of Taiwan.

“If any country can certainly do what it wants, this is a very dangerous time.”

She also pointed out that Trump has gone back on his previous vows to push for peace.

She said: “We heard yesterday from President Trump, in a stunning reversal of everything he said he wouldn’t do during his time in office, he has now said, in his words, ‘run Venezuela’, and that the allies and former officials working with Nicolas Maduro were ‘very gracious’ he said, about working with us.”

She pointed out that officials in Caracas have already denounced that, claiming they still see Maduro as the official president.

Venezuela’s vice-president Delcy Rodriguez has also insisted that Venezuela will not be “a colony” of America.

Trump has long been angling to win the Nobel Peace Prize and claims to have stopped eight wars around the world.

On New Year’s Eve, reporters asked the president what his resolution for 2026 was. He replied: “Peace on Earth.”

He sent troops into Venezuela three days later.