This article provocatively argues that while right-wing figures, including Donald Trump, warn of left-wing candidates turning countries into 'the next Venezuela,' Trump's own administration exhibits striking parallels to Venezuela's authoritarian shift. It highlights how Trump's actions—dismantling constitutional checks, manipulating elections, and repressing opponents—mirror the very system he criticizes, creating a 'Venezuela on steroids' in the US.
The article delves into the peculiar tradition in the Americas where prominent right-wing figures, including Donald Trump, predict that left-wing electoral victories will lead to their countries becoming 'the next Venezuela.' Trump himself used this rhetoric during the 2024 election cycle, claiming Kamala Harris would turn the US into 'Venezuela on steroids.' However, the author contends that it is Trump's America that is increasingly resembling Venezuela's authoritarian trajectory. The piece acknowledges the undeniable crisis in Venezuela, evidenced by the exodus of nearly 8 million people since 2014 due to hyperinflation, food shortages, and increasing repression under Nicolás Maduro. It also critically examines the US's role, citing a belligerent stance for over two decades, including supporting a 2002 coup against Hugo Chávez, imposing sanctions, and the Trump administration's recent military strikes on civilian boats and consideration of intervention to depose Maduro. The article criticizes the demonization of Venezuelan immigrants by Trump, labeling these actions as disgraceful and ironically similar to the authoritarian playbook he condemns. Three significant parallels are drawn between Trump's actions and Venezuela's path to authoritarianism: 1. **Dismantling Constitutional Limits:** Chávez used a dubious referendum to establish a constitutional assembly that significantly expanded executive authority and suspended other branches of government. The article argues that the conservative supermajority on the US Supreme Court has similarly functioned as a 'constitutional assembly,' reshaping constitutional norms to create a 'unitary executive' with fewer checks on power, even without literally rewriting the constitution. 2. **Manipulating Electoral Districts:** Chávez's constitutional assembly eliminated Venezuela's proportional representation system, replacing it with winner-take-all districts to inflate his party's congressional representation. This is compared to Trump's efforts to stack Congress through gerrymandering, a tactic blessed by the US Supreme Court, allowing the party in power to manipulate district lines for electoral advantage. 3. **Repression of Political Opponents:** Chávez's government faced accusations of intimidating judges and arresting opposition candidates, with critics reporting heavy-handed tactics. The article draws parallels to Trump's deployment of troops in Democratic-led cities, the alleged use of federal agencies like ICE as 'personal secret police,' and his push to systematically arrest political opponents. In conclusion, the author asserts that while Venezuela is in crisis, Trump's military aggression offers no benefit to either country. The piece condemns Trump's abuses of power both domestically and internationally, viewing them as two sides of the same authoritarian coin.
