Following our 2025 articles on the Death of Diplomacy:
2026 began with the stealth arrest of Venezuela’s president Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores. This was on 3rd January 2026, being the first full moon – which some call a Wolf Moon – for the year. A coincidence or what? The seizure of the president was a shock development justified by the US Drug Enforcement Administration, with the Delta Force operation paramount given the precedent of Panama’s Noriega case – coincidentally on the 3rd of January in 1990!!
AND, let me make clear one thing, as an outcome of the above case; Maduro fell or better say, made the same mistake as Zelenskiy. They decided to ignore the regional superpowers in their respective geographical areas and instead serve the interests of other Superpowers which were far away. In contrast, Belorussia’s Lukashenko, when the West tried to topple him in August 2021 and install a pro-Western regime, jailed 27,000 demonstrators and gave permission for Russian forces to be based in Belorussia thus saving his people from impending slaughter. This message is addressed to the puppet-politicians of the global system. You dead well know what I mean.
In continuation of the above two paragraphs, the majority of nations and media called upon the gravity and powers of International Law to call illegal and unjust Maduro’s arrest and blah blah… In my humble view, and as we know from academia and power politics, historically International Law has been developed to facilitate and legalise the colonial exploitation of rich mineral and other resources of the Global South. It was never legislated to defend the colonised nations and those nations which revolted against the colonialists. Under this proviso, International Law never ‘died’ because same was never born – it was stillborn.
Obviously from what we understand about the raid in Caracas, there are hundreds of documents confiscated which president Trump, if he wisely uses them, will show that many despots who offered “sanctuary” to Maduro’s drugs money, gold, etc will be more than implicated and lose their position, possibly be arrested too…
The GREENLAND issue continues and might involve also Canada and other places that the US president believes vital for the AMERICAN Continent’s – North and South – Safety, Security. Minerals, Offshore and in the Seabed said to be vital for the US’s bankrupt hegemony – US$ 38 trillion is the US debt, so president Trump has to reverse this by any means and playing out his own risk – the well-known board game… President Trump is in a make or break situ and he must succeed one way or another, otherwise you can’t imagine what can happen globally… He is a bold self-promoter, anxious to be noticed, driven by an impatient combative ego, so expect anything beyond imagination in whatever well planned asymmetrical actions – verbal or physical, he has in his mind!
The US relationship with Europe could become more than strained, particularly on money matters and obviously how much the US is expected to contribute to NATO… Internally, soon his intent to deport millions of undocumented immigrants might come true! Technology is on president Trump’s side, but he must be cautious as same might prove a bit …impractical.
On the Ukrainian-Russian mess, he might cut support to Ukraine and a peace deal might be fragile and an even bigger mess might take place as Europe might get its act together – you never ever know… In my humble view there isn’t even what people believe remains a special relationship between the US and the UK – for a long time now…
The Middle East is still in tatters and we wonder about the outcome over Gaza… Israel will do everything to maintain what it sees as its freedom on all fronts and at any cost. Türkiye is also to be watched as president Erdogan is predictably unpredictable and might jeopardise Peace in the Balkans and the entire Middle East… His troops must leave here and now the occupied part of Cyprus, a EU State!
Iran must also get its act together, the Mullahs must come to their senses before they come down to their knees and accept that if their theocratic regime continues its despicable actions internally and abroad, it will be wiped out as will their cronies…
China drills in the vicinity of Taiwan and we might see there a conflict with the US soon… The Year of the Horse begins on the 17th of February, just three days after Valentine’s Day. Love is in short supply…
Africa will continue to keep geopolitical earthquakes bubbling as its lands offer the proxy wars for past and modern day colonialism… AND what about the ‘forgotten’ atrocities of Sudan?
The Shipping industry will be faced with increased terrorism. Already we have seen happening with the Ukrainian-Russian conflict being carried at sea with ships being hit by various means beyond the region of conflict – Black Sea in particular. Also note the Somaliland case with its recognition by Israel and what might happen in the region and beyond. The environmental issues are still on the shelf following president Trump’s “drill baby drill” …maxim. Add the grey fleets with their deceptive practices, add the importance of Planet Ocean’s 22 dire straits and see what you get. Europe might abandon its support for globalisation as its unemployment rate spins out of control… Wonder how the Tariffs will affect shipping trade with the markets just surviving…
The BRICS are trying their best, but no luck…The Brazilian, Chinese and Indian economies might see an upturn but the warring environment doesn’t benefit them. Add the fact that Chinese aspiration to take the lead from the US are zeroed as China right now is in debt in the region of US$ 18 trillion. If CHINA were in the black, then its desire to become the number one economy could be possible in the next 50 (fifty) years, but… fat chance…
2026 will see many elections, 35 or 36 due to take place, so be on guard for multiple changes…
Wonder what all of you made of the latest Davos … Following my three-week visit to Canada August/September 2025 and having attended prime minister Mark Carney’s couple or so speeches at Cass (now Bayes) Prof Grammenos biennials when he was the Governor of the Bank of England, we were keen to hear what had to say at the World Economic Forum. His latest speech was polite, well construed and as a Greek, I was honoured by his mention of Thucydides. Carney wisely urged a new consensus of the “middle” nations based on human rights and liberal values. Everyone should study his words, freely available on the internet, sending multiple of messages all over! Time will tell how this Davos Forum develops…
“Love is so confusing and there is no peace of mind”; try to interpret this with “Peace and Diplomacy”. The Death of Diplomacy is a sign of the times. Happy New Year!
P.S. 1) Remember that News is what they don’t tell you… 2) I have been around the world many times, so I can make comparisons. AND, my visits were not with tourist groups on scheduled and pre-planned per the agencies program and not limited to where certain governments permitted visits… 3) Dealing with Difficult People is a charisma but few posses same; shipbrokers are top of the range on this matter. and 4) Greek City States were the then World’s top colonial powers, but they didn’t occupied the hinterland of other nations where they only established shipping and trading hubs / centers!
Here is the previous “Death of Diplomacy – part 12”, so readers can connect with the above 13th.
