US Warships Off Venezuela: A 'Humanitarian' Blockade?
Brazilian President Lula da Silva reportedly voiced 'enormous' concern about the US military presence off Venezuela. The State Department, of course, insists this is about 'regional stability' and not, say, access to Venezuela's vast oil reserves. Remember the 'responsibility to protect' that justified interventions elsewhere? Apparently, that principle comes with specific geographic and
resource-based qualifiers. One might wonder if this display of 'deterrence' is related to Venezuela's recent referendum on the Essequibo region, or perhaps its continued refusal to play ball with US corporate interests. This pattern of 'preemptive diplomacy' via naval power has a distinctly 'Monroe Doctrine' flavor, which historically translated to 'our backyard, our rules.' Lula, from a nation
that knows a thing or two about US influence in its neighborhood, seems to be recalling those lessons rather keenly.