Venezuela’s Defiance: Why the Military Didn’t Fight Back Against U.S.

Five years ago, I drove my entire life from Mexico City to Cancún in a packed Nissan. The plan was to stay six months. The Caribbean had other plans. Now, I run an e-commerce business from a hammock and spend too much time arguing about which taqueria is the best. Today, I’m writing to share insights on a recent news story that might interest expats and digital nomads in or near Cancún: Venezuela is under the control of the United States, according to a recent article in Quintana Roo Hoy.

The article, written by Javier, discusses how Venezuela’s military did not defend itself against a U.S. attack, despite the country's rhetoric of resistance. Delcy Rodríguez, the new president, declared that the U.S. is an illegal invader that needs to be repelled, but in private, she adhered to conditions that led to the removal of Maduro. This strategic move allowed her to maintain her credibility and authority, positioning herself as the leader of the ‘resistance’ rather than a collaborator.

It's interesting to note that despite having advanced air defenses like the S-300 and MANPADS, the Venezuelan military did not deploy them against the U.S. attack. Instead, they focused on glorifying the capture, which downplayed the uncomfortable truth that the operation’s success required prior agreements with powerful factions within Maduro's regime. Intelligence services negotiated with the president, securing guarantees for their safety and political survival, leading to a controlled transition that benefited both the invader and the existing power structure, at the expense of the revolutionary narrative.

This raises the question: why didn’t the Venezuelan military fight back? It wasn't due to a failure of Russian or Chinese support, but rather the military's and government's primary goal was their own institutional survival and the stability of the state they represent.