By Harinder Mahil

We can now say that Donald Trump owns Venezuela. According to press reports, the US administration has advised Venezuela’s interim president Delcy Rodriguez that the country must cut ties with China, Russia, Iran and Cuba, and agree to partner with the US on oil production. Trump administration officials have also stated that the US would sell Venezuela’s oil.

Donald Trump’s action in Venezuela and his plans to annex Greenland and his threats to Columbia and Cuba should serve a warning to Canadians. His reference to the 19th century Monroe doctrine means that he sees the US as having dominance over the western hemisphere and can do whatever he wants to do. The US had used the Monroe Doctrine to justify US interventions in Latin America for over a century.

We must remember that soon after he became president in his second term, he talked about Canada becoming the 51st state. He had also claimed that he wanted to impose tariffs on Canada because we were sending fentanyl to the US which he had termed “a weapon of mass destruction”.

If he can kidnap the president of Venezuela because he was some kingpin of cocaine, he can do something similar in Canada because he believes we are sending fentanyl to his country.

One thing is clear – whatever the US attack on Venezuela is about, it is not about the freedom of the Venezuelan people. Trump made it clear in his statement to the press that he wants to control Venezuelan oil. In fact, that is all he talked about.

The US has attacked many countries before, but it was never this naked. Previous US presidents spoke about bringing “democracy” or protecting “human rights”. Not this time. Trump made it clear – it is all about oil. The logic of taking Venezuelan oil is laid out in Trump’s recently published National Security Strategy. In a social media post on January 6, Trump announced that interim leaders in Venezuela would turn over 30 to 50 million barrels of oil, which he would sell at a market price.

This brings to the question at hand. How do we as Canadians prepare ourselves for whatever Trump may want to do to us?

When he is finished dealing with Greenland, Cuba and Columbia, he will target us. Whether he would be prepared to use military action against Canada is now a subject that’s up for debate. We know that Donald Trump does not take Canada’s sovereignty seriously.

It is irresponsible for any Canadian politician to congratulate Trump, as was done by Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre, on arresting Nicolas Maduro. We must realize the implications for Canada. To support Trump means a willingness to dismantle the international order that has kept Canada and other smaller countries safe.

I am extremely worried about what may happen in the coming weeks and months. I hope our politicians realize the gravity of the situation. What was unthinkable a few weeks ago is no longer so anymore.

Let us hope our politicians have begun to take steps to protect Canada.

Harinder Mahil is a human rights activist and is secretary of Dr. Hari Sharma Foundation.