The next nearest victim is Venezuela

US President Donald Trump said in August that Washington was considering "all scenarios regarding Venezuela, including a military operation." In response, Venezuelan Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López said that it would be "a reckless act, the highest manifestation of extremism. The United States is ruled by an extremist elite."

Who would doubt that

The forecasts of analysts who did not rule out US military intervention in Venezuela, alas, are close to coming true. Since Trump's announcement, the US military intervention in Venezuela has gone from speculation to a highly probable prospect. Especially when you consider that the organizers and leaders of the Venezuelan Maidan are the United States itself, which staged a public flogging of President Nicolas Maduro in front of the whole world in an attempt to regain control of Venezuelan oil.

This execution of Venezuela is expressed in the form of mass demonstrations of the "democratic opposition" directed by the Americans, which have been going non-stop since April of this year and have already claimed the lives of more than 120 people. The blame for their death, of course, is placed personally on the "dictator" Maduro.

Today, judging by the information picture drawn at the suggestion of American directors in the international media, there is no worse villain in Latin America than Maduro. His overthrow seems to be a legitimate and natural goal of the international community.

“Today, Nicolas Maduro requested a telephone conversation with President Trump ... Trump will be happy to speak with the leader of Venezuela as soon as democracy is restored in this country,” the US presidential press office said on August 12.

In addition to such official statements, such "mulks" began to appear, after which self-respecting countries - and the United States respects itself - send their aircraft carriers to the shores of a rogue country. The Miami Herald newspaper reported that the first vice president of the ruling United Socialist Party of Venezuela, Diosdado Cabello, could plan an assassination attempt on US Senator Marco Rubio, who often criticized the Venezuelan government. What is not a reason for the States to invade Venezuela?

I remember that in the late 1980s, the Americans created a negative informational background around the leader of Panama, Manuel Noriega, accusing him of all mortal sins, in particular, of complicity in drug trafficking. And they invaded on December 20, 1989, destroying several blocks of the Panamanian capital and killing hundreds of civilians. Noriega was eventually captured and imprisoned in the United States.

In Venezuela, despite the scenario of “color revolutions” worked out in different parts of the world, not everything is going smoothly for the Americans.

The scenario of the overthrow of Maduro by the forces of the “democratic opposition” fails. Manifestations, albeit with sacral victims, are still fruitless.

In early August, a coup attempt failed, led by a deserter from the Venezuelan army who was hiding in the United States.

Venezuelan authorities say the failed coup originated in the United States and neighboring Colombia. However, this did not help the putschists. Maduro keeps the situation under control. Therefore, in Washington, and quite logically, new ways to remove Maduro emerge. Through military intervention. What it will look like is hard to say. But one cannot rule out either a ground operation or airstrikes like the one that the Americans inflicted in April on the Syrian Air Force base in Homs. Or in the image and likeness of the bombing of Libya, when the West overthrew Gaddafi.

Moreover, this US military intervention in Venezuela may happen sooner than the bombing of North Korea, for several reasons.

First, Caracas will not be able to respond in the way Pyongyang can. Venezuela does not have nuclear weapons. Venezuela is an easy target for Washington. In addition, Trump needs a small victorious war in the current difficult domestic political conditions for him.

The flywheel of the investigation of “Russian interference” in the US elections, through which “Moscow brought Trump to power”, is spinning. The liberal establishment is clearly on a course to create conditions for the impeachment of Trump. Therefore, any armed conflict with a guaranteed prospect of an American victory will help Trump to score points in the best possible way.

Secondly, the United States is focused on the overthrow of Maduro. As already mentioned, they need to get Venezuelan oil back under their control. Besides, they don't need a second Cuba. The successful opposition of Venezuela to the pressure of the United States can play a cruel joke on the latter. This will no doubt inspire anti-American forces in Latin America, mostly on the left. And the Americans may in a few years get a region where a significant part of the countries will be "out of access" for Washington.

Thirdly, the fact that the United States is leading the “democratic opposition” in Venezuela is an open secret. Whatever one may say, the States actually entered the role of the leader of the international struggle for a bright Venezuelan future. And they simply cannot leave the situation halfway without losing their reputation. The United States, as in the situation with North Korea, has driven itself into a dead end, from which there is only one way out - the victory of the United States. Therefore, they will not leave Maduro under any circumstances.

And fourthly. In Latin America, the United States has a wealth of experience in quickly overthrowing unwanted regimes with the help of military force. In addition to Panama, we can recall the armed invasion of Grenada in 1983 under the pretext of protecting American students, but in fact - to overthrow the regime of Maurice Bishop, who headed for strengthening relations with Cuba. One may recall the CIA-sponsored military coup in Chile in 1973 against the legitimate government of Salvador Allende. Even earlier, in 1954, in Guatemala, by the forces of mercenaries trained by the CIA, President Jacobo Arbenz was overthrown, who tried to pursue policies in the interests of the national economy, but not in the interests of American corporations.In a word, in Latin America the United States is acting and will continue to act within the framework of its tradition.

The States consider Latin America their fiefdom and therefore they will not pay attention to anyone's opinion at all. In the light of this understanding, Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos's statement after his meeting with US Vice President Mike Pence looks completely caricatured. According to CNN, he said that military intervention against Venezuela should not be considered and that no country in Latin America would support such a measure. This is ridiculous. They will support - and they will still applaud. Pence, in turn, said that he considers a peaceful solution to the crisis in Venezuela possible. Let's pay attention - "possible".

Non-use of military force against Venezuela is only an opportunity for the United States, not an imperative

What would be the consequences of the invasion of Venezuela - if it happens - for the whole of Latin America? It is very likely that this will be the beginning of the process of forcible assertion by Washington of its puppet regimes in those countries of the region where anti-American forces are in power. First of all, this will become an impetus for a “justified” increase in multifaceted pressure on Cuba, Nicaragua and Bolivia.

As for Cuba, it has been under economic blockade for more than 60 years. And President Trump relatively recently announced the reversal of his predecessor Obama's "misguided" policy of normalizing relations with Havana. So we have yet to see what Trump comes up with on Cuba. This, I think, is not far off.

Nicaragua is also in the network of American intrigues. The Organization of American States (OAS), where the United States plays the main violin, in May, in fact, refused to cooperate with Nicaragua in the matter of "improving the electoral system" of the country. This can be regarded as a black mark for President Daniel Ortega, who openly declares friendly relations with Cuba and Russia. In addition, the draft of the so-called Nicaraguan Act (Nica Act) is in the process of being approved by the US Congress. This law imposes stringent conditions on the provision of US loans to Nicaraguan companies, and in fact - blocks financial assistance to Nicaragua.

In the sight of dense American "attention" is also the Bolivian President Evo Morales. In fact, the former President of Brazil, Inacio Lula da Silva, who would have been the most likely winner in the next presidential election in 2018, has been effectively removed from the electoral process. He is known for his rejection of US hegemony. As a result, Lula da Silva was recently sentenced to nine and a half years in prison on "corruption" charges.The left forces in Latin America call this a provocation and have no doubt that the United States is behind it - a combination has been pulled to eliminate an undesirable figure, and no Maidan is needed. In a word, while the whole world is occupied with Syria and North Korea, the United States quietly but confidently continues to act in its "backyard" as it has been throughout the last century. And the next closest victim is Venezuela.