The ruins of Gaza are not merely the aftermath of war; they serve as a forewarning of what “catire” Trump is willing to unleash to enforce his new world order.
While buildings in the Strip are flattened by bombings to lay the groundwork for a future luxury “Riviera” over the grave of extremists and defenseless civilians, in Venezuela the focus is on the subsurface: oil, coltan, and uranium, which chavismo has mortgaged to the Russians, Chinese, Iranians, and especially their esteemed Cuban friends.
For Donald Trump, traditional diplomacy is dead when it comes to Venezuela. He’s done with boasting and threats; no longer does he seek peace, democracy, or negotiations; he desires ownership. The parallel is precise and terrifying for those still in power in Miraflores: just as in Gaza there was no mercy for those attacking Israel, in Venezuela the “surgical intervention” that has already decapitated Maduro is only the beginning.
The message for the multi-headed “Medusa” still lingering in the PSUV, with Diosdado Cabello as its last refuge, is clear: look in the mirror of Gaza. There, the cost in bricks was total; but here, in Venezuela, Trump wants the whole infrastructure. He won’t hesitate to apply the same annihilation recipe if the transition isn’t handed over on a silver platter with all necessary utensils.
For years, many viewed Donald Trump simply as a narcissistic egomaniac granted the power to govern the world’s mightiest nation. His confrontational style and obsession with presenting himself as the ultimate truth holder reinforced that view. However, his political journey has shown he is more than that: an actor embodying the most pragmatic powers of the United States and its allies.
Gaza: evidence of power
The Gaza conflict became a stage where Trump clearly demonstrated his alignment with Israel and the most radical sectors of Zionism. Unconditional support for military operations has led to a humanitarian tragedy: over 67,000 civilian deaths, mostly women and children, according to international organizations.
Instead of condemning the devastation, Trump stated the U.S. needed to “take control of the Gaza Strip” and turn it into “the Riviera of the Middle East,” which implied the forced resettlement of its inhabitants. This proposal, rather than a solution, revealed a vision of territorial and economic dominance disguised as reconstruction.
Venezuela: the disputed backyard
Simultaneously, Venezuela became another battleground. For nearly three decades, the country has been under the control of a group that, under the guise of socialism, established a system marred by drug trafficking, corruption, and institutional decay. The outcomes have been devastating: more than 8 million Venezuelans have emigrated, while those who stayed face poverty and repression.
Upon taking office, Trump warned Nicolás Maduro that he had to leave power for rigging elections. As a show of strength, he deployed military might off the Venezuelan coast, an unprecedented act in Latin America. This maneuver led to the indictment of Maduro and his wife on charges of drug trafficking and terrorism in U.S. courts. However, chavismo refuses to crumble. Its command structure transformed after Chávez’s death into a segmented ‘medusa’ enabling regeneration. In this configuration, Diosdado Cabello’s head stands as the true center of gravity of the regime.
The clash of interests
The comparison with Gaza is intentional. In Venezuela, Trump isn’t looking to build a paradisiacal Riviera: his interest lies in strategic resources—oil, coltan, uranium, gold, diamonds, and rare earths. The difference is that, in this instance, the Venezuelan population shows massive rejection of chavismo, facilitating any political transition attempts.
María Corina Machado called for calm following Maduro’s exit and proposed a 100-day period to negotiate with Delcy Rodríguez. However, this window faces a central hurdle: Diosdado Cabello. His control over paramilitary groups and organized crime makes him the real backbone of chavismo.
Conclusion
Recent history shows that in both Gaza and Venezuela, Trump has operated under a logic of power that intertwines geopolitical and economic interests with a narrative of strength. In Venezuela, the outcome appears nearer: chavismo is wobbling, and Cabello’s figure stands as the last significant obstacle to a transition.
Even though he oversees paramilitary groups and certain gangs, his absence from the political scene would turn these structures into a hoard of undisciplined criminals. Hence, chavismo’s story seems very close to its end.
The price Venezuela would pay in terms of lives would be relatively low, as Trump isn’t seeking a fragmented or destroyed nation: he wants it whole, with all its resources intact. In this light, Cabello’s followers should look in the mirror of Gaza, where it was proven that there is no room for mercy.
Siglic Gutiérrez