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Against the backdrop of the immense confusion surrounding the United States attacks on Venezuela, the seizure of leader Nicolás Maduro, and the declaration by Donald Trump that the US will “control” the country and “take back the oil”, a single fact remains evident – these actions create a truly chilling precedent.

Past Interference and a New Threshold Crossed

The United States carries a troubling legacy of interference, invasion and occupation in the region, but this past Saturday morning saw its premier large-scale offensive on South American land. “American dominance in the western hemisphere will never be questioned again,” Trump proclaimed.

The move to assault another sovereign country and capture its head of state – just a short time after he openly looked for a diplomatic solution – possesses far-reaching consequences. This ought to concern everyone.

Profound Uncertainty for Venezuela

Venezuelans have lived through a dictatorship marked by theft and failure under Mr Maduro, commonly thought to have fraudulently won the most recent election. They now face a future of deep insecurity. Mr Trump has indicated that the vice president, Delcy Rodríguez would follow US instructions, and brushed aside conservative dissident leader and Nobel prize-winner María Corina Machado as a plausible replacement.

However, Ms Rodríguez, now the acting leader, has so far adopted a posture of resistance – and other parts of the headless administration are far more intransigent.

The Superpower as Rogue State

A man who won power promising to abandon foreign wars now says he is “willing to put soldiers into combat”. Redesignating the Department of Defense as the Department of War was a substantive signal. He fails to perceive the world’s superpower as a international peacekeeper; he is transforming it into a renegade nation.

He believes that the US’s might permits it to do as it wishes with minimal cost: witness the military actions against Nigeria and Iranian installations. He promises that Venezuelan oil means this new undertaking “will pay for itself”.

A Move Devoid of International Legitimacy

George W. Bush invaded Iraq on a lie. But this illegal attack came lacking any form of UN approval or the consent of the US Congress; key legislators received no advance notice and say they were actively misled in briefings. Mr Trump doesn’t seek to bend international norms, but to destroy them.

Disregard the implication this carries to global powers like Russia and China, and consider the destination for America itself. While the raid reportedly killed 40 Venezuelans, including civilians, not a single US soldier was lost. Mr Trump’s increasing belief in his impunity will likely encourage further adventurism.

The Stated Reason Versus the Real Aims

Few believe the pretext that this is concerning narcotics. Venezuela is only a secondary pathway for cocaine; Mr Trump recently pardoned the former Honduran president Juan Orlando Hernández for related criminal convictions. Mr Trump himself has stated plainly that he is propelled by the lure of oil as well as machismo, the ideology of some in his administration, and the appetite for triumphalism as domestic popularity wanes.

Tepid International Response and Waning Global Governance

The international response, especially in Europe, has – with honourable exceptions – been shockingly muted. That’s not because of Mr Maduro’s sins, but anxiety over Mr Trump’s wrath. The strong reaction from UN Secretary General António Guterres was commendable, but this episode emphasizes the UN's diminishing clout.

Mr Trump’s anti-interventionist domestic base could still pressure him to turn attention back home – but escalating insurance prices, public anxiety over the economy and other domestic scandals make foreign conflicts more appealing.

It has been less than 12 months into his four-year term. Other governments may regret it if they remain quiet at this juncture, with the question of which nation is next looming.