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Against the backdrop of the considerable disarray following the United States attacks on Venezuela, the capture of leader Nicolás Maduro, and statements from Trump that the US will “control” the country and “reclaim the petroleum resources”, a single fact remains evident – they set a truly chilling precedent.

A Dark Legacy and an Unprecedented Move

The United States possesses a dark record of interference, invasion and occupation in Latin America, but the recent overnight operation witnessed its premier large-scale offensive on South American land. “American dominance in the western hemisphere will never be questioned again,” Mr Trump declared.

The choice to militarily strike another state and abduct its leader – mere days after he openly looked for a diplomatic solution – has still wider repercussions. 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 rigged the previous presidential vote. They now face extreme instability in the best case. Mr Trump has remarked that Maduro's second-in-command, Delcy Rodríguez would do as the US says, and rejected conservative dissident leader and Nobel prize-winner María Corina Machado as a viable alternative.

However, Ms Rodríguez, now the temporary head of state, has so far adopted a posture of resistance – and other factions of the leadership-stricken government are considerably more radical.

The Superpower as Rogue State

A man who won power pledging to stop foreign wars now says he is “not afraid of boots on the ground”. Rebranding the Department of Defense as the Department of War was a substantive signal. He no longer views the world’s superpower as a international peacekeeper; he is transforming it into a lawless actor.

He is convinced that the US’s might permits it to do as it wishes with minimal cost: consider the attacks in Nigeria and against Iranian nuclear sites. He asserts that control of Venezuela's petroleum means this most recent venture “won’t cost us a penny”.

An Illegal Assault on Sovereignty

George W. Bush initiated war in Iraq on a lie. But this action without legal basis came without UN resolutions of any kind or congressional approval; Democrats were not even informed and say they were deliberately deceived in briefings. Mr Trump aims not merely to stretch international norms, but to obliterate them.

Put aside the message this sends to Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping and others, and ask where the US itself is heading. While the raid allegedly resulted in the deaths of 40 Venezuelans, including civilians, no US personnel died. Mr Trump’s increasing belief in his impunity will surely embolden more reckless actions.

The Thin Pretext and True Motives

Few believe the excuse that this is about drugs. Venezuela is only a minor conduit for cocaine; Mr Trump recently pardoned the former Honduran president Juan Orlando Hernández for related criminal convictions. Mr Trump himself made it clear that he is driven by the allure of petroleum resources as well as machismo, the ideology of some in his administration, and the appetite for triumphalism as his standing with the American public falters.

World Leaders' Silence and a Weakened UN

The global reaction, especially in Europe, has – with a few principled deviations – been alarmingly quiet. That’s not due to Mr Maduro’s sins, but fear of Mr Trump’s wrath. The firm response from UN Secretary General António Guterres was notable, but this episode underscores the institution’s growing irrelevance.

Mr Trump’s anti-interventionist domestic base could still pressure him to focus on domestic issues once more – but escalating insurance prices, economic unhappiness and other domestic scandals increase his appetite for distraction.

Barely 12 months into his presidential term. World leaders may regret it if they fail to speak up today, with the question of which nation is next looming.