torok said:
What I mean is that they are involved now, trying to achieve some objectives (getting rid of Maduro). I'm just pointing that the whole crisis didn't started because of the US and even if there was zero US involvement it would still be almost as bad as it is now (and it seems we agree on that). I also agree that military action would be a disaster for US foreign relations, specially with Latin America. The US is linked to several coups and is also not considered a reliable ally (Falkland war situation, that resulted in Latin countries refusing to help the US with Iraq and the end of the Rio treaty). But since the end of the Cold War the relations seem to have healed a bit, so it wouldn't be on their best interests to ruin this. I would say that the country the US fears most in relation to Latin America is not Russia, but China. While the Bolivarian governments seem to have an infatuations with the old URSS idea, the real treat to US hegemony in the region is Chinese money. With Trump avoiding trading deals or simply exiting existing ones, China is an interesting partner with plenty of demand for Latin exports. Anyway, I don't think the Venezuela situation will escalate to a Civil War. We will probably see a coup (US involved or not with it) in the next few years. |
China is definitely the main economic adversary to the US, since Russia's economy is only the size of Australia's. But I would lump China and Russia together because while they're not technically allies, both powers have been working together against the US. Russian or Chinese actions are often followed upon by each other since they are much stronger together than separate. China has the money, Russia has the connections.
As you said with Trump, he has created an opening for his rivals to swoop in and I'm sure they will do everything in their power so Trump's successor will be helpless to stop them.