Trump’s Iran and Venezuela operations show contrasting outcomes
8 reported1 unconfirmed
According to a Vox report, President Donald Trump's foreign policy ventures in Iran and Venezuela have produced starkly different results. On July 13, Trump declared a return to military action in Iran, acknowledging that a war he expected to last four or five weeks will stretch past five months. In contrast, Venezuela's government, now led by former Vice President Delcy Rodríguez after Nicolás Maduro's capture in a US raid in January, has proven more manageable. The New York Times reported that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio effectively acts as "viceroy" of Venezuela, with direct control over oil revenues and requiring White House approval for Rodríguez's media appearances. Trump cited Venezuela as a model for Iran, speaking of finding another "Delcy" to run that country, but the article notes differences between the two nations made this unrealistic. The article suggests the easy success in Venezuela set the stage for difficulties in Iran.
What’s reported
On July 13, Trump formally declared a return to military action in Iran, with the war stretching past five months.
Venezuela's government is now led by former Vice President Delcy Rodríguez, who took power after Nicolás Maduro was captured in a US raid in January.
The New York Times reported that Secretary of State Marco Rubio is effectively the "viceroy" of Venezuela, ruling from Washington, DC.
The US has direct control over Venezuela's oil revenues, and Rodríguez asks for White House approval before appearing on Fox News.
Trump spoke of finding another "Delcy" to run Iran, but the article states this was never going to work given differences between the two countries.
Iran's combined forces are roughly three times the size of Venezuela's and far better equipped, with missile and drone capabilities.
Iran has the ability to block shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, while Venezuela does not have similar leverage.
Iran's leaders had detailed succession plans for when top leaders were eliminated, unlike Venezuela.
Open questions
The article does not clarify how long the US arrangement in Venezuela can last or whether the experience in Iran has changed Trump's views on regime change in other countries like Cuba.
Key figures
President Donald Trump
Former Vice President Delcy Rodríguez (now leading Venezuela)
Former President Nicolás Maduro (captured in January)
Secretary of State Marco Rubio
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (killed in airstrike)
Mojtaba Khamenei (chosen as successor by Iran's Assembly of experts)
Chris Sabatini (director of Latin America program at Chatham House)
Interior Minister Diasdello Cabello
Alex Vatanka (Middle East Institute)
Sources: vox.com
