The United States attacked Venezuela recently, capturing President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, in a pre-dawn raid that has sent shockwaves across the globe. Some are expressing outrage over the move, but far too many U.S. elected officials and leaders of foreign nations have been silent.
This silence might be the most dangerous aspect of this whole sordid chapter.
The midnight extraction
Just after 4:30 a.m. on January 3, 2026, President Donald Trump announced “Operation Absolute Resolve” on social media. Since then, Maduro and his wife have been indicted in the U.S. District Court in the Southern District of New York. U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi confirmed the charges, citing “narco-terrorism” as a primary justification.
The U.S. government claims this intervention is necessary to fight drug trafficking, address migration, and secure access to oil resources. However, this marks the most direct U.S. intervention in the region since 1989, when the military abducted Panamanian leader Manuel Noriega. Like Noriega, Maduro was once a regional player the U.S. dealt with; now, he sits in a New York courtroom pleading not guilty and declaring himself a “prisoner of war.”
While Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez has been sworn in as interim president, indicating she will “cooperate” with the U.S., she pointedly described Maduro and his wife as “hostages.”
Cost of “Precision”
The administration has labeled the raid “brilliant,” but the human cost tells a different story. The Intercept reports that 80 Venezuelan and Cuban citizens were killed by U.S. gunfire and airstrikes, including an 80-year-old woman as she slept. According to Al Jazeera, 55 soldiers—32 Cuban and 23 Venezuelan—died in the assault.
Public opinion is fractured. A Reuters/Ipsos poll found that only 33% of Americans approve of the action, while 72% expressed concern that the U.S. will become too deeply involved in Venezuela. Even among Republicans who approved of the attack, 54% shared those concerns.
Chorus of silence
Predictably, strategic adversaries like China, Russia, and Iran condemned the strike as a violation of sovereignty. Russia’s Foreign Affairs Ministry stated on X: “The US committed an act of armed aggression… The pretexts used to justify these actions are untenable.”
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was more blunt: “One must stand firmly against the enemy and bare one’s chest in resistance. We will not yield.”
But where is the rest of the world? The vast majority of U.S. officials and Western leaders—the self-appointed guardians of democracy—have offered nothing but “milquetoast, middle-of-the-road, diplomatic responses.”
An editorial by The Guardian (Jan 5, 2026) noted that the EU’s reaction was “not only weak, it also had the briefest of shelf lives.” EU officials, such as Kaja Kallas and Ursula von der Leyen, spoke of “closely monitoring” and “restraint,” but refused to condemn the breach of international law. As Jordi Diez, a professor at the University of Guelph, noted: “They’re dealing with a volatile White House,” and fear of angering the U.S. administration has paralyzed the international community.
Even the African Union’s call for “inclusive political dialogue” feels like fence-straddling. These diplomatic niceties mean nothing to a White House practicing “global gangster moves.”
The “Donroe Doctrine”
This isn’t just about Venezuela. Trump has already hinted at a “Donroe Doctrine” (a refashioning of the 1823 Monroe Doctrine to justify occupying Latin American nations).
“Under our new national security strategy, American dominance in the Western Hemisphere will never be questioned again,” Trump declared (I bet you could hear his voice when you read his words).
The hit list is growing. The administration has taken aim at Cuba and Colombia, hinted at intervention in Mexico, and renewed aspirations to annex Greenland. If the only repercussions Trump faces are “non-condemnations,” why would he stop? As Defender Managing Editor Reshonda Tate asks, “Who gon’ stop him, Boo?”
Zero Fs given
Some insist the “rule of law” will rein this in. Please. Trump attempted to overturn U.S. democracy on Jan. 6, 2021—and was re-elected. His administration routinely sneers at constitutional limits. Actions taken in 2025 only reinforce the belief that he is above the law. Silence enables that belief.
And let’s be clear: those who are cool with white nationalism going global are never silent. Some will even cosign attacks on their own people in front of global audiences (hello Nicki Minaj). Trump allies abroad cheered. Argentina’s President Javier Milei posted, “LA LIBERTAD AVANZA. VIVA LA LIBERTAD CARAJO.” Translation: “freedom moves forward. Long live freedom dammit.” Okay.
Weapons of Mass Distraction
This coup may be the ultimate “Weapon of Mass Distraction,” the title of a book written by someone close to me. While the media focuses on Caracas, the U.S. economy is tanking. Over 100 U.S. companies have issued WARN (Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification) notices, legally required notices that companies must issue 60 days in advance if they are about to engage in massive layoffs.
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell recently admitted the government has been overestimating job growth. While the White House claims 40,000 new jobs a month, Powell suggests the real number could be a loss of 20,000 jobs a month.
Then there is the most recent Epstein file revelation, which allegedly lists Trump as a witness to the murder of an infant he fathered with a minor—the very “post-birth abortion” he once accused Democrats of supporting.
Your silence will not protect you
Not everyone is silent. Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva called the bombings an “unacceptable line” and a “grave affront to sovereignty.” U.S. Congressman Thomas Massie is one of the few Republicans who has stood against the abduction.
But most leaders are hiding, hoping that staying quiet will keep them off the imperialist radar. They are like those who told Marcus Garvey, Ida B. Wells, MLK, Fannie Lou Hamer, and/or Malcolm X to “shut up” to avoid making things worse.
They should listen to the late Audre Lorde, who put it point-blank: “Your silence will not protect you.”
It never has, and in the face of this global lawlessness, it never will.
