Bangladesh, Jan. 4 -- President Donald Trumps public warnings to Mexico, Colombia, and Cuba following the US military operation in Venezuela mark a dramatic escalation in Washingtons posture toward Latin America. What began as a controversial special forces raid that resulted in the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has now widened into a broader confrontation with multiple governments in the region, raising alarms about sovereignty, international law, and the future stability of the Western Hemisphere.

The January 3 operation, which US officials framed as a decisive blow against what Trump labeled a “narco-terrorist regime,” was immediately condemned across Latin America and beyond. But Trumps subsequent re...