Aidi Amin criticizes US operation in Venezuela as ‘act of war’ echoing Iraq invasion.
PETALING JAYA: PKR deputy secretary-general Aidi Amin has issued a strongly-worded statement condemning the recent United States military operation in Venezuela that resulted in the capture of President Nicolás Maduro, calling it an “act of war” that sets a dangerous precedent for international relations.
In a statement, today, Aidi drew parallels between the Venezuelan intervention and the 2003 Iraq invasion, questioning America’s moral authority to police other nations while continuing what he described as transgressions against independent countries.
“Moral policing should never be the responsibility of a leader who refuses to acknowledge his nation’s own crimes and furthermore continues to commit such transgressions against other independent nations,” Aidi stated, referencing the controversial 2003 Iraq War launched on claims of weapons of mass destruction that were never found.
The PKR deputy secretary-general emphasised how the Iraq invasion destabilised the Middle East and reshaped its geopolitical landscape, creating power vacuums that facilitated the rise of non-state actors. He questioned whether Venezuela and Latin America would face similar consequences.
Aidi highlighted a critical factor often overlooked in international discourse: Venezuela’s massive petroleum wealth. “With an estimated 303 billion barrels, Venezuela is home to the world’s largest proven oil reserves,” he noted, suggesting this cannot be ignored when analysing Trump’s declaration that the US will “run” the country until a “safe” transition.
The statement pointed to Trump’s explicit interest in controlling Venezuelan oil resources, raising concerns about resource exploitation disguised as humanitarian intervention.
Aidi also expressed alarm at what he sees as an escalating pattern of coercive American foreign policy. “Globally nation leaders are still adjusting to Trump having weaponised ‘tariffs’ to protect US industries and extract concessions from them, and now a precedent has been set for sending the troops when one does not ‘listen’ to the American President,” he warned.
This observation comes as Southeast Asian nations, including Malaysia, navigate complex trade relationships with the United States amid Trump’s aggressive tariff policies and demands for trade concessions.
The statement noted that Colombia, a United Nations Security Council member, requested an emergency meeting following the military operation that removed Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, from Venezuela. Venezuela also submitted a letter on January 3 requesting an emergency Council meeting, with support from China and Russia.
The UN Security Council convened on January 5, 2026, where Secretary-General António Guterres expressed deep concern about violations of international law and the dangerous precedent the operation could set for relations between states.
Aidi also acknowledged that critics have drawn comparisons to the 1989 American incursion into Panama, which removed General Manuel Noriega. “The circumstances may have been different, but history is always written by winners,” he observed, suggesting that the legality and morality of such interventions often depend on who controls the narrative.
His statement carried an implicit warning: “Humanity must be reminded that once you get more empowered you must instead become more inclusive.”
In a broader reflection on global governance, the PKR leader lamented that the COVID-19 pandemic did not provide the reset opportunity many had hoped for. “Covid-19 clearly did not provide a reset for world leaders to develop a framework for nations to coexist,” Aidi stated.
He concluded with a sobering assessment: “The start of a new year is just another opportunity to teach us that humanity remains to be its own greatest enemy.”
The statement from PKR reflects the party’s longstanding position on international justice and opposition to unilateral military interventions. As part of Malaysia’s opposition coalition, PKR has consistently advocated for respect of international law and the sovereignty of nations, particularly in the Global South.
Malaysia, as a non-aligned nation and former chair of ASEAN, has traditionally supported multilateral approaches to international disputes through bodies like the United Nations. The country has historically been vocal about Western interventionism, particularly when it involves nations rich in natural resources.
