What if Maduro stays or falls?

THE EDITOR: TT’s open support of the US, reaffirmed by PM Persad-Bissessar, comes at a time of heightened tensions between Washington and Caracas. There are some questions to be asked:

• If the US fails to remove Maduro, how will the government in Caracas view TT’s position? Could TT’s energy, security, and trade relations suffer under a Maduro-led administration emboldened by surviving a US-backed attempt to unseat him?

• If the US succeeds but pulls out too soon, leaving Venezuela unstable, are we prepared for the fallout? We’ve seen what happens when military victories aren’t followed by nation-building with Iraq and Afghanistan being cautionary tales.

Chaos, mass migration, criminal networks, and regional destabilisation could directly impact our borders and economy.

• Are we balancing strategic diplomacy with national security? By openly aligning with US military exercises, are we protecting TT’s interests or risking being pulled into a geopolitical storm not of our making and one we can’t control?

Our leaders, businesses and policymakers must carefully weigh short-term benefits against long-term consequences.

In an era where energy markets, security strategies and regional alliances are shifting rapidly, neutrality may no longer be an option but neither is blind alignment.

Thus, the real question is – Are we preparing for both scenarios, Maduro staying or Maduro falling; or are we betting everything on one outcome?

NIGEL TENIA

San Juan