President Trump: Tell John Bolton to Pound Sand

Donald Trump took center stage yesterday when he denounced Venezuelan socialism in front of a crowd of Venezuelan-Americans at Florida International University.

Trump called out Venezuelan strongman Nicolás Maduro for his socialist regime’s heavy-handed policies and his decision to block humanitarian aid to Venezuela.

Trump also gave Venezuela’s interim President Juan Guaidó a strong endorsement and implored the Venezuelan people to stand behind him.

It’s refreshing to see an American President make a strong moral case for capitalism and denounce the present-day posterchild of socialist failure.

However, it seems that the hawks in the Trump administration may be starting to gain more clout.

In the same speech, Trump stated that “We seek a peaceful transition of power, but all options are open.”

This isn’t the first time Trump has hinted at a potential military incursion in Venezuela. In 2017, Trump did not rule out a military option in Venezuela when talking to reporters in a New Jersey golf club.

Now, it seems that Trump is still flirting with interventionism.

National security advisor John Bolton, who has never seen a foreign escapade that he didn’t like, has been leading the charge against the so-called “Troika of Tyranny” in Latin America, made up of countries such as Cuba, Nicaragua, and Venezuela.

Not too long ago, Bolton was reported holding a notepad that detailed a rough plan to send 5,000 troops to Colombia. Naturally, this has re-kindled speculation of an intervention in Venezuela.

Indeed, countries like Venezuela are some of Latin America’s most notable political backwaters.

However, these countries are not a direct military threat to the U.S.

Bolton’s hawkish posturing is misguided at best, as any type of potential intervention could create an unprecedented refugee crisis in the region.

If the Boltons of the world want to reduce potential threats from the “Troika of Tyranny” they should stick to the principles that got Donald Trump elected in the first place. That means securing the border with a wall and drastically overhauling America’s immigration system.

Intervening will only create more refugees, which the political Left will take advantage of and guilt American lawmakers into accepting them within our borders.

Yes, Venezuela’s socialist regime should be condemned and ridiculed for its absurd economic policies. But it is ultimately a sovereign nation that willingly embraced socialism.

National sovereignty comes with the right to fail, so Venezuela should be allowed to fail on its own merits.

For those who want to see a better tomorrow for Venezuela, they should make their own private contributions and launch private awareness campaigns.

That being said, the U.S. government should completely stay out. The U.S. has already been involved in far too many nation-building schemes like Afghanistan and Iraq.

Fiscal chickens will come home to roost should the U.S. embark on another foreign adventure.