Trump has opened new avenues of adventurism for China and Russia :::: Venezuela was more than a coup and 'less about regime change' ::::: Bangladesh was a 'regime change and soft coup' - US President in office and Deep State are never contradictory to each other

In private, most European leaders agree that the US intervention with its summary arrest and exfiltration of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, and their transfer to US jurisdiction, broke all the established rules of international law.

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If Russian invasion of Ukraine and the US invasion of Venezuela appear too close and similar -- it is because they are both acts of Might is Right; Unilateral and in Aggression.

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The erstwhile Joe Biden administration in the US and Maduro-led establishment in Venezuela sought to workout some joint deals and collaboration after the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Biden was keen to bring Venezuelan oil into the global markets as Western sanctions against Moscow made things quite tougher initially. 

US President Donald Trump (right) observing the US raid that captured Venezuelan Prez Nicolas Maduro, on Jan 3. (Straits Times)

But the negotiations failed and hence it will be of general academic and strategic interest now whether Washington and Caracas can actually hammer out a sustainable arrangement. This will be interesting globally and perhaps one of the vital elements for India too. 

Of course, India's reaction against the US intervention against a ruling establishment in Venezuela was seen as too soft in comparison to the statements from its BRICS partners. Among Sickular journos - there were whispering and usual jokes shared. 

But Trump's crazy style is unpredictable and hence India's opposition parties are not speaking or tweeting much. Not even Congress whose 'crown prince' knows best when PM Narendra Modi shivers or 'surrenders'. 

Closer analyses of India's interests in Latin America over the decades has been revolving around - less we speak it could be better. There were some bonhomie no doubt; and those were mostly symbolic.  

"The past fascination with Fidel Castro or Che Guevara produced more posters and T-shirts than purposeful policies. As South America enters a new political phase — shaped by deep internal churn and restructured great power relations — India must seek to deepen and widen its own footprint in the region," wrote an old hand in fereign affairs C Raja Mohan in 'Indian Express'. 

Now India must tap the 'new window' of opportunity in Latin America. New Delhi is going cautious. 

But elsewhere with its BRICS friends - Trump has opened new avenues of adventurism too. 

First, the Cold War power play is back in the conference room. 

Second; China gains propaganda leverage and booster for its ambitions with Taiwan and other areas. 

Thirdly; Vladimir Putin benefits. Russia's Ukraine campaign almost legitimised and Moscow is now delighted to talk about US double standards and crystal clear hypocrisy.  

Trump Sarkar - now a pain !!

Now take a closer look at the events those led to the ouster of Sheikh Hasina.  The students' protest against Sheikh Hasina was almost on a non-issue but quickly it found acceptability in public and soon it became a regime-change mass campaign. 

The manner in which the puppet Yunus was planted in the top post shows how things were planned so effectively. 

The fact of the matter is Bangladesh was "caught in a cross fire" of a larger international power play taking place in the region specially with regards to civil war and other armed conflicts in neighbouring Myanmar. The interest of US vis-a-vis St Martin Islands were well known too.   

It is altogether that India handled Bangladesh with caution and patience. If project 'Yunus as powerful puppet in Dhaka' succeeded, it could have unleashed much lasting geopolitical consequences.

It's Deep State's ill-luck that over the decades they trusted a virtually no useful man. He only exposed that he was being remote controlled. 

Hasina might have paid a big price via-a-vis St Martin Islands

We also had a round of regime change in Nepal too.

Now comes Venezuela, the US has done something extra ordinary but certainly not as the first test of American love for imperialism. 

Trump now is talking of Greenland as essential to US security. He has already spoken about Cuba, Columbia ad Mexico. He said that Colombia was being “run by a sick man” and accused him of producing and selling cocaine to the US. But these are the areas wherein the Russian angle comes in.

Analysts say any peace plan in Ukraine will have to 'concede' the Donbas to Russia. That will be a big goal against Ukraine. We have in hand - The degeneration from a rules-based world to one defined by competition and use of force.

The US President’s strategy - as Raja Mohan states - seems less about “regime change” and more about “regime seduction”. 

ends