The University of New Mexico Latin American and Iberian Institute and Department of Political Science held a “Teach-In” event on Monday, Jan. 26, to discuss U.S. intervention in Venezuela and attacks on alleged drug-smuggling boats in the Caribbean. The teach-in consisted of lectures by UNM Political Science Professors Mark Peceny and William Stanley, and closed with a Q&A.
The presenters spoke on the U.S. attacks on alleged drug smuggling boats, the seizure and blockade of Venezuelan oil tankers, the U.S. military strikes on Caracas, Venezuela, and Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, being taken from their home and brought to the U.S. to face criminal charges while the Trump administration seeks to assert control over the Venezuelan oil industry.
The “Teach-In” also examined the potential consequences within the broader context and history of U.S. interventions in Latin America.
During the presentation, Peceny said there was a good reason for U.S. President Donald Trump to want Venezuela’s oil, but that it’s harder to process compared to other sources.
Peceny spoke on the importance of holding events like the “Teach-In.”
“Universities need to be places where people can talk about important issues of the day and think about them collectively from a variety of perspectives,” Peceny said.
Stanley said political science and other academic disciplines can provide important perspectives on unique and shocking news events.
“I think it provides an opportunity for some reflection and to apply knowledge from other cases and perspectives from the comparative analysis of different foreign policy incidents to help understand what is going on,” Stanley said.
Both Peceny and Stanley spoke on what they hope people who were in attendance would take away from this event.
“People have realized that these are really complicated things, and you need to look at it from a number of perspectives, and to build an understanding so that you can know how to respond more effectively based on a better understanding,” Peceny said.
Stanley said he thinks the biggest takeaway is the U.S. and other major powers’ abilities to take action.
“Great powers like the U.S. can do things that other countries can’t prevent them from doing that can in the long run have unforeseen consequences, and that’s why I was stressing the question of international law and the ways in which this action may erode international legal morals,” Stanley said.
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At the end of the event, Peceny and Stanley spoke about attendees’ perceptions of the event and current events, and whether the event heightened or reduced uneasiness.
“The main thing that eases anxiety around major disruptive political events is when thoughtful people get together and talk about them together. I think there’s some reassurance that comes from that. And we’re all facing this very dynamic situation together, bringing communities together,” Peceny said.
Elizabeth Bolke is a freelance reporter for the Daily Lobo. She can be reached at culture@dailylobo.com or on X @dailylobo
