The US attack on Caracas was a flagrant violation of international law – that has filled many Venezuelans with hope

Over the last quarter of a century, it has been hard to look at Venezuela objectively. Politically, it is often interpreted more as a symbol than as a society: for the right, a recurring argument to discredit left-wing politics, and for the left, an uncomfortable topic that is best avoided.

But both of these perspectives overlook the country’s authoritarian drift and its human consequences, making it hard to understand why much of the Venezuelan diaspora greeted the US intervention on Jan 3 with relief, and even happiness.

Geopolitical precedents

From an international…

© La Conversation - lundi 12 janvier 2026