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Within the immense confusion following the US strikes on Venezuela, the seizure of President Nicolás Maduro, and Donald Trump's announcement that the US will “run” the country and “seize control of the oil”, there is no doubt – they set a deeply alarming precedent.

Past Interference and a New Threshold Crossed

The United States possesses a dark record of meddling, military incursions, and control in Latin America, but this past Saturday morning saw its initial significant armed assault on South American land. “American dominance in the western hemisphere will never be questioned again,” Mr Trump declared.

The choice to militarily strike another sovereign country and seize its president – only a few days after he openly looked for a diplomatic solution – has still wider repercussions. We all have reason to be worried.

A Nation Left in Limbo

Venezuelans have suffered under an oppressive, corrupt, and inept government under Mr Maduro, widely believed to have rigged the previous presidential vote. They now face a future of deep insecurity. Mr Trump has indicated that the vice president, Delcy Rodríguez would follow US instructions, and rejected conservative dissident leader and Nobel prize-winner María Corina Machado as a plausible replacement.

However, Ms Rodríguez, now the temporary head of state, has so far adopted a posture of resistance – and other factions of the decapitated regime are far more intransigent.

A Shift in Global Role

A man who was elected pledging to stop foreign wars now says he is “not afraid of boots on the ground”. Rebranding the Department of Defense as the Department of War was not merely symbolic. He no longer views the world’s superpower as a global policeman; he is turning it into a rogue state.

He holds the view that the America's power allows it to do as it wishes with minimal cost: consider the attacks in Nigeria and against Iranian nuclear sites. He claims that the oil resources of Venezuela means this most recent venture “will be financially free”.

An Illegal Assault on Sovereignty

George W. Bush launched the invasion of Iraq on a lie. But this illegal attack came without UN resolutions of any kind or congressional approval; key legislators received no advance notice and say they were given false information in briefings. Mr Trump doesn’t seek to bend international norms, but to shatter them.

Put aside the signal this transmits to leaders in Moscow, Beijing, and beyond, and question the future path of the United States. While the raid allegedly resulted in the deaths of 40 Venezuelans, including civilians, there were no American fatalities. Mr Trump’s growing sense of invincibility will likely encourage further adventurism.

Flimsy Justifications and Underlying Drivers

No one buys the pretext that this is concerning narcotics. Venezuela is only a secondary pathway for cocaine; Mr Trump recently exonerated the past Honduran leader Juan Orlando Hernández for narcotics and arms offenses. Mr Trump himself has stated plainly that he is propelled by the allure of petroleum resources as well as a desire to project strength, the worldview of key officials, and the appetite for triumphalism as his support at home declines.

World Leaders' Silence and a Weakened UN

The worldwide reception, especially in Europe, has – with notable outliers – been alarmingly quiet. That’s not a result of Mr Maduro’s sins, but anxiety over Mr Trump’s wrath. The firm response from UN Secretary General António Guterres was notable, but this episode underscores the UN's diminishing clout.

Mr Trump’s anti-interventionist domestic base could yet press him to focus on domestic issues once more – but soaring healthcare premiums, financial discontent and other domestic scandals make foreign conflicts more appealing.

It has been less than 12 months into his presidential term. World leaders may regret it if they stay silent now, considering the potential next target.