US President Discovers 'Ultimatum' is Not a Diplomatic Term
The Independent reports Donald Trump has issued an 'ultimatum' to Venezuela's Maduro, threatening strikes. This theatrical posturing, however, conveniently sidesteps decades of US foreign policy in Latin America, which has rarely seen such 'ultimatums' lead to anything but destabilization and economic hardship for the populace. Remember the 1973 Chilean coup, orchestrated by the US to replace a
democratically elected socialist? Or the numerous interventions throughout Central America, often leaving behind a trail of brutality and poverty, not democracy. The pattern is clear: accuse a leader of tyranny (often after backing a coup attempt, as with the 2002 coup attempt against Hugo Chávez in Venezuela, supported by the US), impose crushing sanctions (which primarily harm civilians), and
then, when the country still refuses to capitulate, threaten military action. This isn't diplomacy; it's a playbook for regime change disguised as concern for 'democracy,' typically when resource-rich nations like Venezuela refuse to play ball with US corporate interests. And, one might wonder, if such concern for 'democracy' is genuine, where is the comparable US 'ultimatum' for Saudi Arabia?