Former Minister of External Affairs, Professor Bolaji Akinyemi, has faulted the reported invasion of Venezuela by United States special forces, accusing President Donald Trump of recklessly “playing with World War III.”
Akinyemi said the action amounted to a blatant violation of Venezuela’s sovereignty and exposed what he described as Trump’s double standards in global diplomacy.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Monday, the former Director-General of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs recalled how Trump had earlier accused Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of instigating a third world war at the onset of the Russia–Ukraine conflict.
“At his first meeting with the President of Ukraine, Trump was screaming at Zelenskyy that you are playing with World War III,” Akinyemi said.
“It is Trump who is playing with World War III, and this is frightening.”
He warned that Nigeria must take global instability seriously, stressing the need for strategic self-protection.
“We in Nigeria are at the crossroads of global instability. When I was Director-General of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs in the 1970s, I advocated that Nigeria should build a power base to protect itself.
“People thought I didn’t know what I was talking about. Even my colleagues at the university felt I had no business discussing power,” he added.
On January 3, Trump announced the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, from the Miraflores Palace in Caracas. He later posted an image of Maduro blindfolded and handcuffed aboard the amphibious warship USS Iwo Jima as proof.
The development has sparked widespread international condemnation, with world leaders questioning the legality of the U.S. action.
At an emergency United Nations Security Council meeting, UN Secretary-General António Guterres called for “respect for the principles of sovereignty, political independence, and territorial integrity.”
Mexico’s President, Claudia Sheinbaum, said the Americas “do not belong to anyone,” while Colombian President Gustavo Petro warned he was prepared to “take up arms” against what he described as U.S. aggression.
Maduro became Venezuela’s president in 2013, succeeding Hugo Chávez. The United States and the European Union have long accused him of rigging elections, jailing opponents, and presiding over widespread corruption.
His removal has plunged the country’s roughly 30 million citizens into uncertainty. On Sunday, about 2,000 Maduro supporters rallied in Caracas, waving Venezuelan flags, while lawmakers in parliament chanted “Let’s go, Nico!” in his support on Monday.
Despite this, the Trump administration signaled it may allow continuity within Maduro’s inner circle, provided they comply with U.S. demands. Interim President Delcy Rodríguez, formerly Maduro’s vice president, said she was ready for “cooperation” after initially resisting.
Trump ruled out backing opposition figures previously regarded as rightful election winners. Asked what Washington wanted from Rodríguez, he said:
“We need total access — access to the oil and other things in their country that allow us to rebuild their country.”
Venezuela holds the world’s largest proven oil reserves, but years of sanctions and mismanagement have left its infrastructure in poor condition. Following the announcement, shares of U.S. oil companies Chevron, ExxonMobil, and ConocoPhillips surged on Wall Street.
Trump has also escalated rhetoric across the region, declaring that communist Cuba was “ready to fall” and reiterating claims that Greenland, a territory of U.S. ally Denmark, should be controlled by the United States. He also issued threats against Colombia’s Petro.
Although U.S. officials say there are currently no American troops stationed in Venezuela, Washington maintains an oil blockade and has warned of further military action. A large U.S. naval force, including an aircraft carrier, remains deployed in the Caribbean.
Details of the Caracas operation are still emerging. Cuba claimed that 32 of its nationals were killed during the attack. U.S. officials said no American service members were killed, though some were wounded.
Protests erupted in New York, where activist Sydney Loving said she stood “with the people of Venezuela.”
“We say no to U.S. wars. We say no to U.S. intervention. It does not make the U.S. safer; it makes people on Wall Street richer,” she told AFP.
However, some Venezuelans welcomed the development. Ángel Montero, who migrated to the United States, described Maduro’s downfall as “the best gift I ever received.”
“I’m going to thank Donald Trump,” the 36-year-old said.
ChannelsTV
