The claim by Mohamed Saeed (The Mercury, January 6) that the abduction of Nicholas Maduro is “indefensible,” and the fulminations of the ANC-controlled Dept of International Relations about the “violations of international law” are devoid of credibility because they are so steeped in hypocrisy.
Such emotional outbursts stand in stark contrast to the silence of those voices over the years of oppression of the people of Venezuela by Maduro and the narco-terrorist cartels. Of course, these are the same voices that went mute when Hamas slaughtered 1,219 Jews on October 7, 2023 and abducted 251 as hostages.
If those ostensible clarions of morality considered the context of Maduro’s removal, they might be more cautious about shouting from the rooftops. Not reported by the mainstream media was the telephone offer President Trump made to Maduro weeks ago of a free passage from Venezuela without terms and conditions if he relinquished power. Failing that, Trump indicated that his Administration would act decisively.
It should also be borne in mind that the Trump Administration had branded the Maduro regime as a narco-terrorist and as such, essentially a threat to and an enemy of the US. In terms of the Monroe Doctrine, Trump is fully justified in acting against a state within the Western hemisphere that violates the stability of the region and is hostile to the US.
The feeling of relief amongst rank and file Venezuelans that the ogre of oppression has been lifted is proof enough that they welcome their liberation, which Trump has made possible. That should be something to celebrate instead of hypocritically grandstanding about the “rights” of a tyrant.
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