US wants to expose that alliance with Venezuela is stronger, says professor
The tragedy that devastated Venezuela, with a death toll that was already approaching a thousand and expected to exceed 10 thousand victims, placed the country in the center of attention of the international community.
The mobilization of foreign aid, especially from the United States, raises questions about the geopolitical interests behind the declared solidarity.
In an interview with Hora H this Friday (26), Denilde Holzhacker, professor of International Relations at ESPM, analyzed the political dimension of the international response to the catastrophe.
According to her, Venezuela had already faced a serious humanitarian crisis in recent years, worsened by internal economic and political problems, and is now faced with one of the greatest natural tragedies in its history.
Poor infrastructure worsens the impact of the tragedy
The expert highlighted that the country had been suffering a process of deterioration of its entire infrastructure, which amplifies the effects of a disaster of this magnitude.
"It is a country that has a population living at the poverty line, one of the largest in Latin America, with projections of almost 80% of the population living in poverty", stated Denilde. Given this scenario, any large-scale tragedy generates a very broad humanitarian and economic impact.
US interest goes beyond humanitarian aid
When analyzing the United States' actions, Denilde pointed out three factors that explain the rapid and comprehensive response. The first concerns oil: according to the expert, Venezuelan production was not directly affected by the tragedy, which maintains American interest in the sector.
The second factor is related to support for the country's transitional government. "There is support for Delcy Rodrigues' government, and this situation could be an opportunity for her to show that she is capable of leading the country in a time of crisis", explained the professor.
The third point raised by Denilde is of a geopolitical nature. By acting faster than China - a country that has historically maintained close ties with Venezuela - the United States seeks to stake out ground.
"Here also demarcating that the alliance between the United States and Venezuela would be stronger in this transitional government", he stated.
The specialist highlighted that, initially, the actions are emergency, focusing on removing survivors from the rubble and preventing contamination. The next phase, reconstruction, would be one in which the American government would act as a major investor.
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Source: CNN