The Venezuelan tragedy: A microcosm of a global tragedy

Editor's Note: Wang Yiwei is Jean Monnet Chair Professor, Director of Institute of International Affairs, Director of Center for European Studies at Renmin University of China. The article reflects the author's opinions and not necessarily those of CGTN.

That the president of a nation can be openly kidnapped by another country and taken overseas to be tried – regardless of the charges or motives – is a tragedy for humanity and a source of ridicule for the world in the 21st century.

Undoubtedly, this will not be the last incident of this kind.

Why do these tragedies occur? It is pointless to blame only the United States, since, after defeating Spain in the Spanish-American War of 1898, the country has dominated the Americas. In less than a century, it has invaded Latin America 41 times, orchestrating coups under the guise of anti-communist, anti-terrorist and anti-drug campaigns to overthrow governments and capture their leaders – a long-standing practice. This also constitutes Trump's tribute to the United States' 250th anniversary, his bid to "Make America Great Again," as well as a preemptive strike ahead of this year's midterm elections.

However, none of this addresses the root cause. The world's main problem remains the inability to dismantle the "three mountains" – imperialism, colonialism and hegemony – along with their national representatives. The UN Charter proclaims sovereign equality, but when nations lack the capacity to defend their sovereignty, this principle is nothing more than ink on paper.

The only nation capable of dismantling these three pillars is undoubtedly China. Whether through its historic "standing up" or its current refusal to rely on U.S. operating systems, search engines, artificial intelligence and other core U.S. technologies and systems – which enables it to genuinely compete with the United States – China has effectively avoided U.S. colonial subjugation. However, complete liberation from U.S. constraints remains difficult to achieve, as evidenced by our long-standing, albeit grudging, acceptance of U.S. arms sales to Taiwan region and interference in China's internal affairs. If China finds itself in this position, what hope remains for other nations?

The tragedy unfolds: the so-called "economic dependence on China and security dependence on the United States" is not merely an Asian paradox, but a global one. "Security dependence on the United States" affects not only U.S. vassal states, but other nations as well. 

The world is out of balance. One need only consider the tepid reaction of European leaders after the arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro to realize that their tone toward Russia contrasts sharply with the one they use toward the United States. Who could credibly warn the United States against repeating such actions? Cuba? Iran? Or Brazil? Hence the nuclear confrontation with Democratic People's Republic of Korea, a successful demonstration of defiance.

The ills of the Americas are diagnosed with clear causes and remedies prescribed, yet they remain incurable. The fundamental reason lies in the fact that the Americas remain the backyard of the United States. South America is a blend of civilizations: through racial and cultural fusion with the West, it has neither fully embraced the "Protestant ethic and the spirit of capitalism" nor retained the confidence to defend its traditional heritage. The so-called "anti-Americanism" is nothing more than rhetoric: these nations lack the capacity to free themselves from American influence, let alone rebel against it. Hence the recurring nostalgia for figures like Che Guevara and Fidel Castro. However, these are relics of the past. Simón Bolívar and San Martín failed to complete the liberation of Latin America.

Unlike what is typical of enduring civilizations, these nations have failed to chart development paths suited to their national conditions. They have not overcome the "three great mountains," they have not achieved true independence and autonomy, nor have they completed the revolutionary tasks of the modern era. To this day, they remain under the shadow of U.S. hegemony. As late Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping stated at the Sixth Special Session of the UN General Assembly in 1974: "Without economic independence, political independence is not secure." Sovereignty is not only unreliable under such conditions – it can be trampled with impunity, leaving nations powerless to escape this fate. "Too far from God, too close to America": this is the tragedy of the Americas. Some Asian countries share this lamentable condition.

Thus, the recently published U.S. National Security Strategy Report makes the fate of Venezuela abundantly clear. In it, Trump warns the Americas that they must choose between "a world dominated by the United States, or a parallel world influenced by nations on the other side of the globe." The target is, without a doubt, China.

Therefore, the United States' intervention in Venezuela conveys three main messages.

First, it signals the removal of leaders of any government that dares to challenge Washington – not through Israeli-style targeted assassinations, but through humiliating trials. This is meant to send shivers down the spines of others. Could Iran be next? By toppling the Maduro regime, the United States seeks to reassert its authority. Will leftist forces in Cuba, Brazil, and elsewhere now reconsider their options? All of this serves to strengthen Washington's position and advance its strategic competition with China.

Second, it is a warning to other Latin American nations: the United States is back. Latin America remains Washington's backyard, and Trump's version of the Monroe Doctrine has arrived. The United States defines order, justice and security in the region. In short: "The Americas belong to the Americans."

Third, Latin America should not depend on major external powers such as China for critical minerals, strategic resources or port development. The United States intends to intervene and counter China's influence. Washington seeks to secure Venezuela's key oil reserves and critical minerals, particularly those linked to the Lithium Triangle. This is because the U.S. views competition with China in artificial intelligence as a matter of hegemonic survival, while China sees it as essential to national development. Therefore, Trump must exert control over sources of oil, minerals and lithium. As a result, Latin America cannot chart a development path suited to its own national conditions. It cannot emulate China's economic trajectory, as Rwanda has under President Paul Kagame's leadership, nor can it meaningfully participate in the Belt and Road Initiative to share China's experience and opportunities for modernization.

Latin American academics have long recognized this reality. The Uruguayan writer Eduardo Galeano's Open Veins of Latin America captures it perfectly. Despite more than half a century of debate on dependency theory, no solution has emerged. Civilizations with hybrid characteristics similar to those of Latin America do not place all their hopes in China either. The world is becoming increasingly polarized between the United States and China.

The tragedy in Venezuela illustrates not only the regression of the United States, but that of the entire world. Washington is no longer pretending: it is openly pursuing hegemony in the Western Hemisphere – a centuries-old tradition. This pursuit inherently aims to counter China's influence, reshape supply chains for critical minerals and energy resources, and serve its so-called strategic competition with Beijing.

The world lacks sufficient forces to counter this imbalance and therefore places its hopes in China. Should China falter or prove incapable, global prospects would deteriorate even further. Many major revolutions or crises have, thus far, tended to reinforce American hegemony and exacerbate the divide between China and the United States.

Digitalization, networks and smart technologies have further reinforced U.S. digital colonialism and imperialism, intensifying the clash between the two major systems.

Building a community with a shared future for humanity and pursuing global governance based on consultation, cooperation and shared benefits remains a long and arduous road. Yet, as the saying goes, "after the storm comes the calm." The world is increasingly placing its hopes in China. The reason the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation is described as "great" is precisely because it is aimed at building a community with a shared future for humanity.