Letters | What US military action in Venezuela looks like to Southeast Asia

From Southeast Asia, the US military operation in Venezuela may appear geographically remote, yet politically and historically it feels strikingly familiar. Many in this region have a long memory of external interventions justified in the language of democracy, security or humanitarian necessity – often with outcomes that proved far more destabilising than promised. Southeast Asia’s own colonial experience has fostered a deep scepticism about interventionist solutions. From Indochina to Indonesia, external involvement has rarely produced stability or democratic consolidation. Instead, it has often entrenched division, weakened institutions and prolonged conflict. This historical memory shapes how the region views events in…