Trump's warning?…Apparently notified China in advance of 'airstrike on Venezuela' [Lee Sang-eun's Washington Now]

The United States announced on the morning of the 3rd (local time) that it had conducted an airstrike on Venezuela and taken Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro captive, amid suggestions that the U.S. may have used the incident as a 'warning to China.'

Laura Loomer, a far-right influencer reportedly close to President Trump, said that President Maduro was meeting with Chinese officials at the time of the airstrike and arrest operation. He said, "Just hours before the U.S. airstrike on Venezuela began after midnight, Nicolás Maduro met with a Chinese delegation led by Qiu Xiaoqi, the Chinese government's special representative for Latin America and the Caribbean who visited on behalf of President Xi Jinping," adding, "Lan Hu: China's ambassador to Venezuela, Liu Bo: Director-General for Latin America and the Caribbean at the Chinese Foreign Ministry, Wang Hao: Deputy Director-General of the same department, Liu Xen: regional officer, and senior Chinese Communist Party (CCP) officials attended."

According to the post he reposted, President Maduro posted a video of him meeting with the Chinese special envoy delegation before the airstrike. Loomer said, "The U.S. military operation against Venezuela began in the early hours of January 3, immediately after the meeting between Maduro and the Chinese officials at the Miraflores Palace in Caracas ended," adding, "Reports indicate that the Chinese officials are still believed to be staying in Caracas."

Loomer claimed that conducting the airstrike on Venezuela while the Chinese special envoy was present was a 'strong message (warning) to China.' The interpretation is that the airstrike was deliberate, occurring at a time when Venezuela and China were strengthening ties and, particularly amid tensions with the U.S., confirming Chinese support.

In this context, it is presumed that the U.S. had delivered a warning to China regarding the airstrike. According to the White House schedule notified to reporters on the 1st, President Trump had scheduled a private meeting with the Chinese ambassador to the U.S. at 6 p.m. on the 2nd at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida.

In Washington, this was received as somewhat unusual. If they wanted to summon the Chinese ambassador over issues like Taiwan, the State Department in Washington could have called them in. As a result, it is possible that this was a process to notify China in advance of the airstrike and the capture process and to preemptively prevent or deter any intervention. If it was a 'prior notice' to China, it could be interpreted as a conciliatory gesture, but choosing the timing of the Chinese envoy's visit itself can be seen as including a warning message.

Meanwhile, U.S. officials have suggested the possibility that President Maduro could face criminal prosecution in U.S. courts. Marco Rubio, U.S. Secretary of State, posted that President Maduro is not the president of Venezuela and that his regime is not a legitimate government. Secretary Rubio emphasized that he is merely illegally occupying Venezuela as the leader of a drug organization called 'Los Soles.' However, congressional officials have expressed concerns about the appropriateness of unilaterally conducting an airstrike on another country and capturing President Maduro in the absence of a proper declaration of war or armed conflict. Some lawmakers have issued statements of support for President Trump, but criticism continues over the fact that Congress, which has the authority to approve declarations of war, was not even informed in advance.

Washington=Lee Sang-eun, correspondent selee@hankyung.com