Editorial 2: ​​Dangerous paradigm

Context

Trump has weakened established norms governing conduct on the global stage.

Introduction

The forcible abduction of a sitting head of state, carried out through unauthorised military action, marks a profound rupture in international norms. Under Donald Trump, U.S. foreign policy appears to be embracing neo-imperialist coercion, openly threatening sovereignty, multilateralism, and the rule-based global order, while signalling a readiness to reshape geopolitics through force and intimidation.

Unprecedented U.S. Military Action

• Kidnapping and transfer of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife to U.S. soil
• Operation conducted without U.S. Congressional authorisation and without UN approval
• Overnight strike on Caracas, reportedly involving artillery and special forces
• Objective: To extract the Maduros to face drug trafficking and weapons charges, which Mr. Maduro denied

Expansionist Signals from Washington

• U.S. President Donald Trump indicated a broader neo-imperialist posture
• Explicit or implicit threats directed at Colombia, Greenland, Mexico, Cuba, and Iran
• Remarks suggesting:
  • Regime pressure on Colombia, targeting President Gustavo Petro
  • A “national security need” to control Greenland
  • Possible military or coercive action against Mexico to combat drug cartels
  • Cuba’s vulnerability due to reduced Venezuelan oil support
  • Severe retaliation against Iran if protests were forcefully suppressed

Break from International Norms

• Trump administration has consistently diluted global norms governing state conduct
• Sharp departure from bipartisan U.S. foreign policy traditions
• Open unauthorised intervention and regime-change tactics mark a new low in hemispheric politics
• Disregard for international law, sovereignty, and multilateral institutions

The “Donroe Doctrine” and Its Risks

• So-called “Donroe Doctrine” rooted less in democracy promotion and more in strategic resource capture, especially Venezuelan oil
• Sets a dangerous precedent for other powers inclined toward unilateral military action
• Risk of normalising force-based regime change, encouraging global instability

Global Domino Effect

• Venezuela today, Ukraine yesterday, and potentially Taiwan tomorrow
• Such a paradigm could trigger cross-border conflicts and major power confrontations
• Autocrats elsewhere may feel emboldened to act aggressively under similar pretexts

Need for Collective Global Response

• UN leadership and targeted states have voiced opposition
• Effective deterrence requires collective resistance
• India, Europe, Australia, Africa, and Latin America must speak in one voice
• Unified action is essential to halt the spread of this destabilising doctrine and restore international restraint

Conclusion

If left unchecked, this dangerous precedent risks legitimising unilateral aggression, encouraging authoritarian adventurism, and accelerating global instability. Preventing the spread of this norm-breaking doctrine demands a collective international response, where major powers reaffirm international law, resist regime-change by force, and uphold the principle of sovereign equality in global affairs.