On January 3 U.S. Special Forces entered the capital of Venezuela, Caracas, and captured Venezuelan President, Nicolas Maduro and his wife, taking them to the United States where they stand charged with narco terrorism. Although there were no U.S. casualties in the operation, at least 80 people died. Most would agree Nicolas Maduro and his government were/are an abomination that violates the values that most of us in democracies hold dear. His removal might ultimately be good for the Venezuelan people but the early signals are not encouraging.

Within hours of the American intervention Canadian Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre issued a statement praising Maduro’s capture and removal. Why the Leader of the Opposition in Canada felt it appropriate to issue this statement at that time is unclear but, if nothing else, it should remind Canadians why this man should never wear the mantle of Prime Minister.

Aside from the impropriety of speaking on behalf of Canadians to, I suspect, a mostly American audience, his rush to judgement ignored the obvious questions about legality and, perhaps most concerning, what comes next for Venezuela and the world. Shortly after his statement Donald Trump was announcing America would control Venezuela for the forseeable future and, perhaps most surprising, would work with the the current government in Caracas, the same goverment that was roundly rejected by the Venezuelan people in the last election and that has turned the once prosperous country into a police state and economic basket case causing over eight million of its citizens to flee as refugees to surrounding countries, the United States and Canada. And, in a remarkably candid comment, Donald Trump made it clear America’s interests are with Venezuelan oil, not the well being of its people or their right to live in a free and democratic society. In fact, Trump dismissed the opposition leader, Maria Corina Machada as “a nice lady but without the support of the Venezuelan people” despite her party gaining two thirds of the vote in the last election. And yet Pierre Poilievre, instead of waiting for the full facts to become known, or for the official comment from the Canadian government, leapt in feet first and is now left supporting gunboat diplomacy not seen in this hemisphere since the 1970’s.

But there’s more. Much more. Only days before the Venezuelan intervention, America issued a new foreign policy doctrine, one that built on the Monroe Doctrine of 1823 that asserted American hegemony over the western hemisphere, including Canada. Yes you heard that right, including Canada. And right on cue Donald Trump and his advisors were threatening to intervene in Colombia and Mexico, while renewing their claim to Greenland. Suddenly it’s not far fetched to envision a scenario where America uses its military to threaten Canada if it doesn’t fall in line behind American interests. And that is the key term “American interests”. Both Donald Trump and his advisors and Cabinet secretaries have been clear there main, if not only, objective is to pursue American security and economic interests without regard for the interests of smaller nations. On its face this doesn’t sound particularly radical except on closer examination it reflects a world view not of alliances and cooperation but of domination. As many have already observed this is a return to the world of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries where the words of the ancient Greek historian, Thurcydides, that “the strong do what they can and the weak suffer what they must” described a world order of empire and conflict that ultimately led to two world wars that cost nearly one hundred million lives.

So, without regard for what America’s actions and doctrine mean for Canada, the Leader of His Majesty’s Loyal Opposition becomes a cheer leader for American intervention in Venezuela and logically any other country that seems to be drifting from American hegemony. Canadians should take note.

Just sayin

GH

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