Hindi English Translation || Editorial || Tragedy and farce: On the U.S. and Venezuela

Tragedy and farce: On the U.S. and Venezuela

Trump’s illegal Venezuela strikes (हमला, बमबारी) constitute the latest act of U.S. imperialism (साम्राज्यवाद)

Tragedy has followed every act of imperialism by the U.S., but under President Donald Trump, the consequences have also taken on a farcical (हास्यास्पद, मज़ाकिया) character, typical of the Theatre of the Absurd. In 2003, the invasion (आक्रमण, घुसपैठ) of Iraq, on false premises (आधारभूत धारणा, पूर्वधारणा) to depose (सत्ता से हटाना, पदच्युत करना) a dictator and “export” democracy, instead rendered the nation asunder (टुकड़ों में, अलग-अलग), birthed (जन्म देना, पैदा करना) outfits (संगठन, समूह) such as ISIS, and destabilised (अस्थिर करना, कमजोर करना) West Asia. The same playbook was used later in north Africa. In 2026, the world is witness to another tragedy that is also a farce: a repeat of the imperial script in Venezuela, orchestrated (initiate, organize, coordinate, mobilize, stage, engineer, mastermind, choreograph, influence) by a Trump administration that has traded coercive (बलपूर्वक) diplomacy (कूटनीति) for bombing campaigns (अभियान) and naval (नौसैनिक) blockades (नाकाबंदी, घेराबंदी). The apprehension (arrest, detention, incarceration, imprisonment) and forced exile (expulsion, expelling, banishment, expatriation, deportation, eviction, extradition, expatriation, repatriation; removal, dismissal) of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro is a flagrant (shockingly noticeable, evident, glaring, blatant, obvious, conspicuous, transparent, palpable, disgraceful) violation of international law and also flouts (violate, break, contravene, go against, defy, ignore, disregard) Article 2 of the UN Charter (body of law; system of rules; regulations, fundamental principles). By conducting “interdictions” of oil tankers and illegally killing civilians (non-military person, ordinary citizen) on boats in Caribbean waters under the unproven guise of anti-narcotics (an act/step/measure which is opposing illicit drugs and their use and distribution) operations, the U.S. has bypassed (avoid, circumvent, find a way round, sidestep, evade, dodge (something problematic)) the UN Security Council (it is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations, charged with ensuring international peace and security) to position itself as judge and executioner (hangman, official killer). This intervention is driven (cause to happen) by a familiar calculus (a method of calculation). The first is the resurrection (re-emergence recovery, revival, renewal, reintroduction, restoration) of the Monroe Doctrine (a key U.S. foreign policy statement announced by President James Monroe in 1823. It warned European powers against further colonization or interference in the Western Hemisphere (North and South America)) to re-establish U.S. hegemony (leadership, dominance, authority, control, power) in the Americas (it refers collectively to North, Central, and South America, encompassing the entire landmass of the Western Hemisphere), an order that regimes (government) such as Venezuela’s sought to upend (overturn, overthrow, topple over, knock down, capsize, cancel; turn something upside down) through alternative alliances with Cuba. The second is the desire to sever (terminate, end, stop, discontinue, break off, put an end to) Latin America’s ties with China, as the Maduro regime looked eastward for investment and oil trade. The third is the cynical (distrustful, sceptical, pessimistic, disbelieving) drive to control Venezuela’s very large crude reserves. These resources represent a “prize” for U.S. business.

In any case (whatever happens or happened; moreover; anyway, anyhow, at any rate, however, notwithstanding, nevertheless), the U.S.’s claims (assertion, statement, affirmation, contention) of victory could be pyrrhic (meaningless, valueless, worthless, useless, profitless, pointless, futile, of no use, of no value (a pyrrhic victory is a victory that causes such a severe damage on the victor that it is equivalent to defeat)). While Maduro’s governance was authoritarian (oppressive, draconian, undemocratic, dictatorial, totalitarian), the United Socialist Party of Venezuela retains a strong support base (a group of people considered as supporting an organization/party). The Bolivarian (referring to the political ideology inspired by Venezuelan revolutionary Simón Bolívar who led the revolutions against Spanish rule) movement (campaign, crusade, drive, push) rose to tackle the rampant (uncontrolled, unrestrained, unchecked, out of control; widespread, very common, pervasive, omnipresent, ubiquitous, prevalent, rife) inequality fostered (encourage, promote, develop) by previous U.S.-backed elite (high society people; the group of most powerful people in a society) regimes. By forcibly installing (introduce, establish, put in place) a new order, the U.S. is not “liberating” the people but validating their fears of colonial looting (robbery, plunder, stealing). The hypocrisy (an act of saying something and doing something else; double-dealing, dishonesty, humbug/empty talk, duplicity) is stark (clear, distinct, evident, obvious, striking). While the Trump administration justifies Maduro’s removal by labelling (categorize, classify, tag, designate, describe, identify) him a cartel (a group of manufacturers/businesses fixing a high price to avoid competition and to make more money) leader without public evidence, it ordered the release of the narcotics-trafficking convicted (declare/find/pronounce guilty; give someone a sentence) former leader of Honduras, Juan Orlando Hernández, and helped facilitate (make easy, make possible, enable, assist, help/aid) the rise of the pro-Washington Nasry Asfura. The hope that a globalised, interdependent world would yield (provide, produce, bring in, furnish, contribute) a stable liberal order following the Cold War (The Cold War was a state of political and military tension after World War II between powers in the Western Bloc (the United States and a group of countries) and powers in the Eastern Bloc (the Soviet Union and a group of countries)) has been repeatedly belied (contradict, misrepresent, falsify, give the lie to, distort, be at odds with, call into question) by the actions of the U.S. and Russia. Yet, by withdrawing (leave, pull out of, quit, move out of) from climate accords and escalating (increase, heighten, exacerbate, intensify, deepen, aggravate) tariff wars, the U.S. has signalled a contempt (it refers to the offence of showing disrespect to the dignity or authority of a court (& its officers)) for international norms (standard, convention, regulation) that surpasses (exceed, be better than, be greater than, transcend, go beyond; be more than something; to do more than something) other egregious (shocking, horrible/terrible, very bad) acts. Venezuela’s invasion is the natural, violent conclusion of this isolationist (sectarian, chauvinist, jingoistic; excessively patriotic, excessively nationalistic)-imperialist hybrid of Trumpism (a political ideology, style of governance, political movement and set of mechanisms for governance associated with United States president Donald Trump). If the international community remains silent, it ratifies (support, approve, uphold, justify) a world order where sovereignty (autonomy, independence, self-government, self-rule, freedom) exists at Washington’s pleasure.

Courtesy: The Hindu

Important Word List With Meaning

1.strike (noun)

Hindi Meaning - हमला, बमबारी
English Meaning - attack, bombing.

2.imperialism (noun)

Hindi Meaning - साम्राज्यवाद
English Meaning - an action that involves a country (usually an empire or a kingdom) extending its power by the acquisition of territories.

3.farcical (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - हास्यास्पद, मज़ाकिया
English Meaning - ridiculous, absurd, comical, laughable, senseless, pointless, useless, ineffectual, hysterical, foolish

4.invasion (noun)

Hindi Meaning - आक्रमण, घुसपैठ
English Meaning - attack, offensive, onslaught, incursion, assault.

5.premise (noun)

Hindi Meaning - आधारभूत धारणा, पूर्वधारणा
English Meaning - assertion, supposition, thought, belief.

6.depose (verb)

Hindi Meaning - सत्ता से हटाना, पदच्युत करना
English Meaning - bring down, topple, unseat, overthrow, dethrone, oust.

7.asunder (adverb)

Hindi Meaning - टुकड़ों में, अलग-अलग
English Meaning - apart, up, in two.

8.birth (verb)

Hindi Meaning - जन्म देना, पैदा करना
English Meaning - give birth to

9.outfit (noun)

Hindi Meaning - संगठन, समूह
English Meaning - organization, group, unit.

10.destabilise (verb)

Hindi Meaning - अस्थिर करना, कमजोर करना
English Meaning - undermine, weaken, impair, damage, subvert, sabotage.

11.coercive (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - बलपूर्वक
English Meaning - strong-arm, aggressive, forceful, bullying, oppressive, threatening, intimidatory.

12.diplomacy (noun)

Hindi Meaning - कूटनीति
English Meaning - international politics, foreign affairs, foreign policy; negotiations, discussions, talks, dialogue (related to international politics).

13.campaign (noun)

Hindi Meaning - अभियान
English Meaning - military operations, offensive, attack, war, battle.

14.naval (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - नौसैनिक
English Meaning - relating to a navy (ships).

15.blockade (noun)

Hindi Meaning - नाकाबंदी, घेराबंदी
English Meaning - barrier, barricade, roadblock, hurdle, obstacle, stumbling block, impediment, hindrance.

16.farce (noun)

English Meaning - absurdity, mockery, sham, joke, waste of time, laughing stock.

17.Theatre of the Absurd (phrase)

English Meaning - A type of drama that attempts to depict the absurdity (illogicality/stupidity) of human life using unreasonable, irrational, meaningless, and intentionally confusing action and dialogue. In layman’s terms, it was originally used to refer to a breach or violation of logic.

18.“export” democracy (noun)

English Meaning - a concept in foreign policy and international relations that refers to the active promotion or imposition of democratic institutions and values in other countries. This can be achieved through various means, ranging from diplomatic efforts and economic incentives to, in controversial cases, military intervention.

19.render (verb)

English Meaning - cause to be/become; make.

20.playbook (noun)

English Meaning - a set of strategies.

21.orchestrate (verb)

English Meaning - initiate, organize, coordinate, mobilize, stage, engineer, mastermind, choreograph, influence.

22.apprehension (noun)

English Meaning - arrest, detention, incarceration, imprisonment.

23.exile (noun)

English Meaning - expulsion, expelling, banishment, expatriation, deportation, eviction, extradition, expatriation, repatriation; removal, dismissal.

24.flagrant (adjective)

English Meaning - shockingly noticeable, evident, glaring, blatant, obvious, conspicuous, transparent, palpable, disgraceful.

25.violation (noun)

English Meaning - breach, contravention, infringement, breaking, non-observance.

26.flout (verb)

English Meaning - violate, break, contravene, go against, defy, ignore, disregard.

27.Article 2 of the UN Charter (noun)

English Meaning - it sets the core rules for UN members: all states are sovereign and equal, must act in good faith, settle disputes peacefully, avoid using force, support UN actions, and generally prevent interference in a country’s internal affairs except for UN-authorized peace and security measures.

28.charter (noun)

English Meaning - body of law; system of rules; regulations, fundamental principles.

29.interdiction (noun)

English Meaning - the action of preventing banned people’s movement.

30.civilian (noun)

English Meaning - non-military person, ordinary citizen.

31.under the guise of (phrase)

English Meaning - under the pretence or outward/external appearance of something; posture, semblance, (false) show/display.

32.anti-narcotics (noun)

English Meaning - an act/step/measure which is opposing illicit drugs and their use and distribution.

33.bypass (verb)

English Meaning - avoid, circumvent, find a way round, sidestep, evade, dodge (something problematic).

34.UN Security Council (UNSC) (noun)

English Meaning - it is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations, charged with ensuring international peace and security.

35.executioner (noun)

English Meaning - hangman, official killer.

36.drive (verb)

English Meaning - cause to happen.

37.calculus (noun)

English Meaning - a method of calculation.

38.resurrection (noun)

English Meaning - re-emergence recovery, revival, renewal, reintroduction, restoration.

39.Monroe Doctrine (noun)

English Meaning - a key U.S. foreign policy statement announced by President James Monroe in 1823. It warned European powers against further colonization or interference in the Western Hemisphere (North and South America).

40.Hegemony (noun)

English Meaning - leadership, dominance, authority, control, power.

41.the Americas (noun)

English Meaning - it refers collectively to North, Central, and South America, encompassing the entire landmass of the Western Hemisphere.

42.regime (noun)

English Meaning - government.

43.sought past tense of seek (verb)

English Meaning - try, aim, attempt.

44.upend (verb)

English Meaning - overturn, overthrow, topple over, knock down, capsize, cancel; turn something upside down.

45.sever (verb)

English Meaning - terminate, end, stop, discontinue, break off, put an end to.

46.ties (noun)

English Meaning - association, relationship, bond, connection.

47.cynical (adjective)

English Meaning - distrustful, sceptical, pessimistic, disbelieving.

48.drive (noun)

English Meaning - ambition, motivation, push, initiative.

49.crude oil (noun)

English Meaning - the raw natural resource that is extracted from the earth and refined into products such as gasoline, jet fuel, diesel and other petroleum products.

50.crude oil reserves (noun)

English Meaning - the estimated volume of recoverable crude oil located underground, determined by current technology and economic conditions.

51.in any case (phrase)

English Meaning - whatever happens or happened; moreover; anyway, anyhow, at any rate, however, notwithstanding, nevertheless.

52.claim (noun)

English Meaning - assertion, statement, affirmation, contention.

53.pyrrhic (adjective)

English Meaning - meaningless, valueless, worthless, useless, profitless, pointless, futile, of no use, of no value (a pyrrhic victory is a victory that causes such a severe damage on the victor that it is equivalent to defeat).

54.authoritarian (adjective)

English Meaning - oppressive, draconian, undemocratic, dictatorial, totalitarian.

55.base (noun)

English Meaning - a group of people considered as supporting an organization/party.

56.Bolivarian (adjective)

English Meaning - referring to the political ideology inspired by Venezuelan revolutionary Simón Bolívar who led the revolutions against Spanish rule.

57.movement (noun)

English Meaning - campaign, crusade, drive, push.

58.rampant (adjective)

English Meaning - uncontrolled, unrestrained, unchecked, out of control; widespread, very common, pervasive, omnipresent, ubiquitous, prevalent, rife.

59.inequality (noun)

English Meaning - Inequality is simply defined as “the state of not being equal, especially in status, rights and opportunities; imbalance, unevenness, disproportion, disparity.

60.foster (verb)

English Meaning - encourage, promote, develop.

61.backed (adjective)

English Meaning - supported.

62.elite (noun)

English Meaning - high society people; the group of most powerful people in a society.

63.install (verb)

English Meaning - introduce, establish, put in place.

64.looting (noun)

English Meaning - robbery, plunder, stealing.

65.hypocrisy (noun)

English Meaning - an act of saying something and doing something else; double-dealing, dishonesty, humbug/empty talk, duplicity.

66.stark (adjective)

English Meaning - clear, distinct, evident, obvious, striking.

67.label (verb)

English Meaning - categorize, classify, tag, designate, describe, identify.

68.cartel (noun)

English Meaning - a group of manufacturers/businesses fixing a high price to avoid competition and to make more money.

69.trafficking (noun)

English Meaning - the activity of buying and selling goods/animal/people illegally; (illegal/illicit) trading, dealing.

70.convict (verb)

English Meaning - declare/find/pronounce guilty; give someone a sentence.

71.facilitate (verb)

English Meaning - make easy, make possible, enable, assist, help/aid.

72.yield (verb)

English Meaning - provide, produce, bring in, furnish, contribute.

73.the Cold War (noun)

English Meaning - The Cold War was a state of political and military tension after World War II between powers in the Western Bloc (the United States and a group of countries) and powers in the Eastern Bloc (the Soviet Union and a group of countries).

74.belie (verb)

English Meaning - contradict, misrepresent, falsify, give the lie to, distort, be at odds with, call into question.

75.withdraw (verb)

English Meaning - leave, pull out of, quit, move out of.

76.Climate Treaty or Paris Agreement/Accord/pact (noun)

English Meaning - The Paris Agreement is a legally binding international treaty on climate change. It was adopted by 196 Parties at COP 21 in Paris, on 12 December 2015 and entered into force on 4 November 2016. Its goal is to limit global warming to well below 2, preferably to 1.5 degrees Celsius, compared to pre-industrial levels.

77.escalate (adjective)

English Meaning - increase, heighten, exacerbate, intensify, deepen, aggravate.

78.trade war/tariff war (noun)

English Meaning - a condition in which a country increases tariffs on foreign goods and imposes quota restrictions to restrict other countries’ trade.

79.contempt (noun)

English Meaning - it refers to the offence of showing disrespect to the dignity or authority of a court (& its officers).

80.norm (noun)

English Meaning - standard, convention, regulation.

81.surpass (verb)

English Meaning - exceed, be better than, be greater than, transcend, go beyond; be more than something; to do more than something.

82.egregious (adjective)

English Meaning - shocking, horrible/terrible, very bad.

83.isolationist (adjective)

English Meaning - sectarian, chauvinist, jingoistic; excessively patriotic, excessively nationalistic.

84.isolationism (noun)

English Meaning - a policy or doctrine of trying to isolate one’s country from the affairs of other nations by declining to enter into alliances, foreign economic commitments, international agreements, and generally attempting to make one’s economy entirely self-reliant.

85.imperialist (adjective)

English Meaning - relating to imperialism.

86.Trumpism (noun)

English Meaning - a political ideology, style of governance, political movement and set of mechanisms for governance associated with United States president Donald Trump.

87.ratify (verb)

English Meaning - support, approve, uphold, justify.

88.world/international/global order (noun)

English Meaning - the arrangement of power and authority that provides the system for the conduct of diplomacy and world politics in relation to the entire world.

89.sovereignty (noun)

English Meaning - autonomy, independence, self-government, self-rule, freedom.

90.at someone’s pleasure (phrase)

English Meaning - at the time when someone desires/wishes; as and when someone prefers.