When Maduro, acting on intelligence that Colombia was plotting his overthrow with the United States, sent troops to the border with Colombia, the anti-invasion military exercises were only meant to secure Venezeula’s border. Venezuela wasn’t attacking anyone. It was simply exercising its right to self-defense, security and national protection.
But all of this was part of the big picture. The United States, through the Organization of American States, jumped on the opportunity to invoke the Rio Treaty against Venezuela.
What is the Rio Treaty?
The Rio Treaty is basically a peace-keeping treaty which may be enforced through military means. Invoking the Rio Treaty is simply a call for backup. And loud backup too. The treaty was first signed in 1947 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil by 19 countries: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, United States, Uruguay and Venezuela. Later, Ecuador, Micaragua and Trinidad-Tobago joined the alliance. In 1964, the members voted to suspend Cuba, bringing the number of countries in the alliance to 21.
What Does Invoking the Rio Treaty Mean for Venezuela?
The Rio Treaty was signed as a means of military alliance. It says if one of the member countries is attacked, the attack is considered an aggression on every one of the member countries. Therefore, in mutual alliance, all countries will pledge their military resources to counter the attack. In this case, the Rio Treaty was invoked against Venezuela. It means that if the showdown at the Colombian border escalates into fighting, all 21 countries (including the Venezuelan opposition) in the Rio Treaty should take military action against Maduro’s government – which is ultimately the United States’ objective – to quash the Maduro Regime.