My Friend... Maduro Was Taught a Lesson

My friend called me unusually, being someone who dislikes phone conversations or social media interactions, angry about the kidnapping of Venezuelan President "Nicolas Maduro" by American military forces in a swift operation that "didn’t last an hour." I told him to take it easy, my friend; the United States has a powerful military and intelligence capability that can reach anyone whenever and wherever it chooses. Its forces are stationed in the waters of the ocean near the country, and its intelligence and instruments have been present in the heart of the capital, "Caracas," for years. My friend's voice rose in anger, as if my response had provoked him, saying that this operation does not depend on the power of the United States and its weapons; it is treason, my friend.

  I replied in a calm voice, or I was keen to appear calm, saying it is unreasonable for this to be treason; the system is behind him, and the crowds were surrounding him just days ago. He has been in power for many years, forming a government system that surrounds him with trusted allies and excluding those he does not trust from among professionals. He has security forces in every neighborhood, if not in every home throughout Venezuela.

My friend insisted that treason only comes from "trusted allies," who are unprofessional and place their interests above the country’s interests. The safety of their individuals is prioritized over that of the leader or the country and its people. I pointed out that we have not seen any serious movement from the Venezuelan government in response to the kidnapping operation, and the armed forces did not mobilize to defend the president. They have been on alert for ongoing threats over the past months, so it's unreasonable for helicopters to enter the capital without a reaction to hinder their operation, as if a plan had been orchestrated against him from all corners of his government. I told him that things are still unclear and shrouded in mystery, and it is impossible to jump to conclusions. In my opinion, the upcoming days will reveal the secrets, whether it is a conspiracy or an understanding between the Venezuelan president and the U.S. administration to emerge from the escalating crisis to avoid a war that would devastate what remains of the country's resources, or sacrificing it for the retention of the ruling system and the safety of the country, or the weakness of military capabilities being behind this event.

My friend continued, during this time my friend's breath calmed down, and his voice became less sharp, regaining a tone of wisdom to build what seems like a rational conclusion – Maduro, regardless of the kidnapping operation and the intentions of the American colonial administration and its dominance over the western hemisphere, and the theft of the resources of the peoples in Latin America, teaches leaders in Latin America and the Arab world that rulers need popular support for their programs and approaches, trust from the public in those in power, and citizens' satisfaction with the performance of government institutions. This "triangle of support, trust, and satisfaction" is not achievable under dominance by certain and limited individuals in power for long years, the spread of corruption in the ruling political class, poverty and unemployment, and the blockage of horizons for young people to engage in public work, as well as the prevention of participation in policy-making and weakening public ownership, and the failure to meet programs for people's needs. Even if the president comes from the lower strata of society, the years of power, its splendor, and its advantages make him forget the needs of people like him, and those who came after him overlook the necessities of life.

I stopped my friend, saying: the Palestinian people have lost a leader who supports their cause. He interrupted me with his anger evident in his voice, saying, the Palestinian people need leaders who believe in human rights in their country, who ensure a decent life for their people, and who invest the riches of their country to strengthen their communities, empower their states, and prosper their countries to contribute to global civilization. They do not need leaders who squander the money and wealth of their people in external noise without regard for internal issues. He concluded his words by saying that had the Venezuelan people been supportive of him, they would have gone out in droves to defend the president. However, the situation seems just the opposite, as we did not see any movement in the critical moments and hour of need; as the popular saying goes, "the one who wraps himself in something other than people is naked," which applies to those who do not make the people their allies, and warm the pockets of their group at the people's expense, securing their hold on people's necks, not realizing that national dignity for peoples does not mean clinging to the leader and his group, but rather preserving the homeland and the safety of the country.