A Mexican student in Beijing warned that the U.S. strike on Venezuela is a wake‑up call, exposing the Trump administration's resource‑driven interventions in Latin America and shattering long‑held illusions of "freedom and democracy".
Juan, an international student in Beijing, told China Global Television Network (CGTN) that Saturday marked a dark day for his home region, after the Trump administration launched large‑scale strikes on Caracas in the early hours and seized Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.
"At the end of the day, it is pure interest and resources. Needless to say, Venezuela has the largest proven oil reserves in the world. They have gas, they have all sorts of industrial metals, precious metals, rare earth minerals. Many Latin Americans, including myself, we believe that this is an attempt to refinance the American economy," he said.
Saturday's strike represents the most significant U.S. military intervention in Latin America since the 1989 invasion of Panama. Reactions across the region have been mixed, with leaders from Colombia, Brazil and Mexico strongly condemning the attack.
Juan said that the attack sounded the alarm for not only Latin American neighbors but other resource-rich countries across the world, alerting them to be vigilant against the hegemonic intentions of the U.S. under the guise of assistance.
"We used to have friends and even family members that would still believe the narrative of freedom and democracy. And they would believe that, 'oh, the Americans are helping the Venezuelan people overcome the largest economic crisis in history and the worst inflation crisis in history of the world.' But it's not true. After what happened today, even them, they are starting to see the truth and to accept it. I believe this is a wake-up call not only for people in Latin America, but also for people in many other countries that might be in a position to face a similar situation," he said.
"Once I was in a barber shop and the barber was Venezuelan and he told me something I would never forget. He said, 'Las cifras en Venezuela no se escriben con tinta, se escriben con petróleo, y la historia de Venezuela es tan cruda como su crudo.' That translates into: 'The stories of Venezuela, they are not written in ink, they are written in oil, and the history of Venezuela is as crude as its crude oil.' This is at the same time one of the most beautiful and most tragic examples to explain the Latin American history," Juan added.
Mexican student calls US strike on Venezuela "wake up call" for other countries
Mexican student calls US strike on Venezuela "wake up call" for other countries
Mexican student calls US strike on Venezuela "wake up call" for other countries
