Tehran - BORNA - The New York Times Editorial Board warned in an op-ed on Saturday that the U.S. military operation resulting in the detention of President Nicolás Maduro lacks any legal justification. The board emphasized that such a move could have perilous implications for regional security and the international order.
The article noted that the Trump administration has deployed extensive military forces in the Caribbean over recent months and has now escalated tensions to an unprecedented level by launching a "large-scale strike" against Venezuela.
According to the newspaper, the U.S. President has failed to provide a coherent explanation for the move and entered into a military operation without Congressional authorization. While the editorial claimed the Maduro government possessed an "oppressive nature," it argued that this cannot serve as a justification for military intervention.
The New York Times reminded readers that the experience of the past century—from Iraq and Afghanistan to Libya and U.S.-backed coups in Latin America—demonstrates that regime change efforts typically lead to greater instability and violence.
The Editorial Board described the U.S. government's claims of fighting "narco-terrorism" as baseless, writing that Venezuela plays no significant role in the U.S. drug crisis. The newspaper suggested that the primary motivation may be the Trump administration’s new national security strategy, which emphasizes "restoring U.S. dominance over the Western Hemisphere."
The NYT warned that Washington’s unilateral action could provide a pretext for China and Russia to conduct similar interventions in their own neighborhoods, noting that this trend is reminiscent of the mistakes that led to the Iraq War in 2003.
In conclusion, the editorial stated that this operation not only contradicts domestic and international laws but also carries the risk of intensifying violence in Venezuela, causing regional instability, and damaging long-term U.S. interests.
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