Posting as someone with direct family ties to Venezuela.

[Anonymous]

Venezuelans who celebrated Trump yesterday just realized they’re going to be deported with 900,000 others into the arms of a dictatorship with long memories.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My wife is Venezuelan. She desperately wants to be able to go back someday—to visit safely, to see family, to recognize her own country again. Right now, that’s not possible. Much of her family is current or former military, and they want exactly what civilians want: freedom from an oppressive regime that destroyed their country from the inside.

She does not like Trump. Let’s get that out of the way. But let’s also stop pretending Venezuela is a Democrat vs. Republican issue. It’s not.

Under Maduro, people were run over by armored vehicles. Protesters were shot. Elections were a farce. The country became a narco-state while ordinary people starved or fled. That reality didn’t change depending on who was in the White House.

And for those suddenly clutching pearls about U.S. involvement—Biden continued dealings with Venezuelan oil despite repeated warnings from human-rights organizations. So please spare us the selective outrage.

China and Iran didn’t embed themselves in Venezuela out of goodwill. They wanted oil, minerals, leverage. Everyone knows this. Acting shocked now is disingenuous.

Here’s what’s missing from most of these takes: the majority of Venezuelans want the regime gone, even if that comes with hard compromises. They understand the cost because they’ve already paid it.

This isn’t about loving Trump.
It’s about wanting Venezuela back.

Thanks for your post, OP. Yes - it seems that nearly all of those protesting the arrest of Maduro are NOT from Venezuela, have no ties to Venezuela, and know nothing of the horrible conditions in which the Venezuelan people have been forced to live.

This is good for Venezuela, good for the US, and good for the whole region.
Venezuela deserves to return to the beautiful, free country it once was. That is not possible under Maduro.

You are on a fool if you think this was about anything but Venezuela! Trump could care less about the US or Venezuela. This was good for Trump's ego, his political priorities and wallet. Venezuela will return to a hot mess of a leaderless country - cause if you think Maria Noble Prize winner gets to lead it I have some ice to sell you - Trump needs someone he can push around to "be in control" but of course it's Trump that heads up that country now. Venezuela may be rid of Maduro but all that means is they have US running it, no longer a sovereign independent country of their own. You bet that anything financially viable will be robbed from Venezuela.

I understand why everyone from that country is happy but they are too emotional to see the big pic. I have expectations that a non Venezuelan is a bit more clear headed?

Give them a month or so and they will hate the US even more than all the other countries in the world...

I am bookmarking this so I can come back and say I told you so.
You are clueless and so biased that you cannot see the reality here.
It will take time, but Venezuela will return to a vibrant, free nation in the not too distant future. They will have FAIR and FREE elections and choose someone who will lead them on a path to prosperity.
Maduro is responsible for the deaths of Americans and Venezuelan citizens. His reign has caused over 7 million Venezuelans to flee their country - many coming to the US. So, yes - he has had a direct impact on our country. He sold diplomatic passports to drug lords so they could import drugs with very little accountability.
It was just a couple years ago that DEMOCRAT politicians were calling for the ouster of Maduro. But, since it was Trump that got it done, they are complaining. So damned predictable.

Not going to happen. I’ll be back to say I told you so. Name one thing Trump has accomplished successfully. Name one country where US meddling has resulted in betterment for the citizens.

DP. Panama seems like an obvious example.

Might want to talk to the people of Panama. They hate the US. Also Panama was taken from Columbia so we could build the canal and we just took that land with no compensation.

Non responsive.

Panama’s citizens are objectively better off than they were before US deposed Noriega.

Not saying that will happen in Venezuela, but it is clearly a case where US intervention produced an objectively positive outcome.

Could go either way, but it’s silly to say “intervention never works”. Sometimes it does.

I had to do a little digging because I couldn’t remember the details of the US invasion of Panama and their subsequent ouster of Noriega. It’s only been a few days, but already there are some differences in how the current administration is handling the situation in Venezuela and the way the Noriega situation was handled.

It turns out that the US immediately installed the opposition leader who had won the election annulled by Noriega and worked to establish democracy. In contrast, the Trump administration has allowed Maduro’s deputy to take charge and Trump has practically disavowed opposition leader Machado and not mentioned the politician who actually won the election Maduro claimed he won. In addition, Trump keeps talking about oil and saying that the US will run Venezuela. There doesn’t seem to be any clear plan to restore democracy the way there was with the Panama example.

Historical background on Panama:

After Manuel Noriega's arrest in January 1990 (following the US invasion in December 1989), the United States did not directly govern or "run" Panama. Instead, Guillermo Endara, the opposition leader who had won the annulled May 1989 election, was sworn in as president on December 20, 1989 (at a US military base during the invasion). He led a civilian government until 1994.

US forces provided security, dissolved Noriega's Panama Defense Forces, and supported reconstruction (e.g., via Operation Promote Liberty), but sovereignty was transferred to the elected Panamanian government, not retained as a US administration or occupation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This isn’t about drug trafficking or drug smuggling or corruption. It’s about oil. Power vacuums rarely lead to peaceful transitions of power. I hope your wife gets to visit her family sometime soon, but Trump doesn’t actually care about the people of Venezuela. See the hypocrisy of pardoning the Honduran president.

+1 .
1. Saying this is about drug trafficking, while pardoning the drug kingpin Honduran President is a huge lie.
2. Before Trump stepped in, Maduro and his fellow Chavistas — the movement founded by Hugo Chavez — faced strong opposition from domestic pro-democracy forces led by María Corina Machado. Edmundo González, a Machado ally, clearly won Venezuela’s 2024 election, only to have Maduro steal it. So, if Trump wanted regime change he would be supporting Machado and her movement, but he's not, and has disparaged her (despite her Nobel Peace Prize this win), because his advisers probably told him that she won't let him take Venezuela's oil for US companies.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This isn’t about drug trafficking or drug smuggling or corruption. It’s about oil. Power vacuums rarely lead to peaceful transitions of power. I hope your wife gets to visit her family sometime soon, but Trump doesn’t actually care about the people of Venezuela. See the hypocrisy of pardoning the Honduran president.

+1 .
1. Saying this is about drug trafficking, while pardoning the drug kingpin Honduran President is a huge lie.
2. Before Trump stepped in, Maduro and his fellow Chavistas — the movement founded by Hugo Chavez — faced strong opposition from domestic pro-democracy forces led by María Corina Machado. Edmundo González, a Machado ally, clearly won Venezuela’s 2024 election, only to have Maduro steal it. So, if Trump wanted regime change he would be supporting Machado and her movement, but he's not, and has disparaged her (despite her Nobel Peace Prize this win), because his advisers probably told him that she won't let him take Venezuela's oil for US companies.

There’s another theory as to why he disparaged Machado. Sounds on brand.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This isn’t about drug trafficking or drug smuggling or corruption. It’s about oil. Power vacuums rarely lead to peaceful transitions of power. I hope your wife gets to visit her family sometime soon, but Trump doesn’t actually care about the people of Venezuela. See the hypocrisy of pardoning the Honduran president.

+1 .
1. Saying this is about drug trafficking, while pardoning the drug kingpin Honduran President is a huge lie.
2. Before Trump stepped in, Maduro and his fellow Chavistas — the movement founded by Hugo Chavez — faced strong opposition from domestic pro-democracy forces led by María Corina Machado. Edmundo González, a Machado ally, clearly won Venezuela’s 2024 election, only to have Maduro steal it. So, if Trump wanted regime change he would be supporting Machado and her movement, but he's not, and has disparaged her (despite her Nobel Peace Prize this win), because his advisers probably told him that she won't let him take Venezuela's oil for US companies.

There’s another theory as to why he disparaged Machado. Sounds on brand.

LOL! If Trump wasn’t getting the peace Nobel before there’s even lesser chance that he’d ever get it now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My wife is Venezuelan. She desperately wants to be able to go back someday—to visit safely, to see family, to recognize her own country again. Right now, that’s not possible. Much of her family is current or former military, and they want exactly what civilians want: freedom from an oppressive regime that destroyed their country from the inside.

She does not like Trump. Let’s get that out of the way. But let’s also stop pretending Venezuela is a Democrat vs. Republican issue. It’s not.

Under Maduro, people were run over by armored vehicles. Protesters were shot. Elections were a farce. The country became a narco-state while ordinary people starved or fled. That reality didn’t change depending on who was in the White House.

And for those suddenly clutching pearls about U.S. involvement—Biden continued dealings with Venezuelan oil despite repeated warnings from human-rights organizations. So please spare us the selective outrage.

China and Iran didn’t embed themselves in Venezuela out of goodwill. They wanted oil, minerals, leverage. Everyone knows this. Acting shocked now is disingenuous.

Here’s what’s missing from most of these takes: the majority of Venezuelans want the regime gone, even if that comes with hard compromises. They understand the cost because they’ve already paid it.

This isn’t about loving Trump.
It’s about wanting Venezuela back.

Thanks for your post, OP. Yes - it seems that nearly all of those protesting the arrest of Maduro are NOT from Venezuela, have no ties to Venezuela, and know nothing of the horrible conditions in which the Venezuelan people have been forced to live.

This is good for Venezuela, good for the US, and good for the whole region.
Venezuela deserves to return to the beautiful, free country it once was. That is not possible under Maduro.

You are on a fool if you think this was about anything but Venezuela! Trump could care less about the US or Venezuela. This was good for Trump's ego, his political priorities and wallet. Venezuela will return to a hot mess of a leaderless country - cause if you think Maria Noble Prize winner gets to lead it I have some ice to sell you - Trump needs someone he can push around to "be in control" but of course it's Trump that heads up that country now. Venezuela may be rid of Maduro but all that means is they have US running it, no longer a sovereign independent country of their own. You bet that anything financially viable will be robbed from Venezuela.

I understand why everyone from that country is happy but they are too emotional to see the big pic. I have expectations that a non Venezuelan is a bit more clear headed?

Give them a month or so and they will hate the US even more than all the other countries in the world...

I am bookmarking this so I can come back and say I told you so.
You are clueless and so biased that you cannot see the reality here.
It will take time, but Venezuela will return to a vibrant, free nation in the not too distant future. They will have FAIR and FREE elections and choose someone who will lead them on a path to prosperity.
Maduro is responsible for the deaths of Americans and Venezuelan citizens. His reign has caused over 7 million Venezuelans to flee their country - many coming to the US. So, yes - he has had a direct impact on our country. He sold diplomatic passports to drug lords so they could import drugs with very little accountability.
It was just a couple years ago that DEMOCRAT politicians were calling for the ouster of Maduro. But, since it was Trump that got it done, they are complaining. So damned predictable.

Not going to happen. I’ll be back to say I told you so. Name one thing Trump has accomplished successfully. Name one country where US meddling has resulted in betterment for the citizens.

DP. Panama seems like an obvious example.

Might want to talk to the people of Panama. They hate the US. Also Panama was taken from Columbia so we could build the canal and we just took that land with no compensation.

Non responsive.

Panama’s citizens are objectively better off than they were before US deposed Noriega.

Not saying that will happen in Venezuela, but it is clearly a case where US intervention produced an objectively positive outcome.

Could go either way, but it’s silly to say “intervention never works”. Sometimes it does.

I had to do a little digging because I couldn’t remember the details of the US invasion of Panama and their subsequent ouster of Noriega. It’s only been a few days, but already there are some differences in how the current administration is handling the situation in Venezuela and the way the Noriega situation was handled.

It turns out that the US immediately installed the opposition leader who had won the election annulled by Noriega and worked to establish democracy. In contrast, the Trump administration has allowed Maduro’s deputy to take charge and Trump has practically disavowed opposition leader Machado and not mentioned the politician who actually won the election Maduro claimed he won. In addition, Trump keeps talking about oil and saying that the US will run Venezuela. There doesn’t seem to be any clear plan to restore democracy the way there was with the Panama example.

Historical background on Panama:

After Manuel Noriega's arrest in January 1990 (following the US invasion in December 1989), the United States did not directly govern or "run" Panama. Instead, Guillermo Endara, the opposition leader who had won the annulled May 1989 election, was sworn in as president on December 20, 1989 (at a US military base during the invasion). He led a civilian government until 1994.

US forces provided security, dissolved Noriega's Panama Defense Forces, and supported reconstruction (e.g., via Operation Promote Liberty), but sovereignty was transferred to the elected Panamanian government, not retained as a US administration or occupation.

During WW2 the US established civil rules of the Philippines within three days of landing. October 20, 1944 MacArthur wades ashore at Leyte, famously declaring, "I have returned!" while the battle for the Philippines was still ongoing.
October 23, 1944 MacArthur with President Osmeña by his side announces the restoration of Philippine civil government in Tacloban, the temporary capital. The Philippines fought along side the US.

Today republicans would have kept on Jose Laurel. The collaborator who was the Japanese puppet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My wife is Venezuelan. She desperately wants to be able to go back someday—to visit safely, to see family, to recognize her own country again. Right now, that’s not possible. Much of her family is current or former military, and they want exactly what civilians want: freedom from an oppressive regime that destroyed their country from the inside.

She does not like Trump. Let’s get that out of the way. But let’s also stop pretending Venezuela is a Democrat vs. Republican issue. It’s not.

Under Maduro, people were run over by armored vehicles. Protesters were shot. Elections were a farce. The country became a narco-state while ordinary people starved or fled. That reality didn’t change depending on who was in the White House.

And for those suddenly clutching pearls about U.S. involvement—Biden continued dealings with Venezuelan oil despite repeated warnings from human-rights organizations. So please spare us the selective outrage.

China and Iran didn’t embed themselves in Venezuela out of goodwill. They wanted oil, minerals, leverage. Everyone knows this. Acting shocked now is disingenuous.

Here’s what’s missing from most of these takes: the majority of Venezuelans want the regime gone, even if that comes with hard compromises. They understand the cost because they’ve already paid it.

This isn’t about loving Trump.
It’s about wanting Venezuela back.

Thanks for your post, OP. Yes - it seems that nearly all of those protesting the arrest of Maduro are NOT from Venezuela, have no ties to Venezuela, and know nothing of the horrible conditions in which the Venezuelan people have been forced to live.

This is good for Venezuela, good for the US, and good for the whole region.
Venezuela deserves to return to the beautiful, free country it once was. That is not possible under Maduro.

You are on a fool if you think this was about anything but Venezuela! Trump could care less about the US or Venezuela. This was good for Trump's ego, his political priorities and wallet. Venezuela will return to a hot mess of a leaderless country - cause if you think Maria Noble Prize winner gets to lead it I have some ice to sell you - Trump needs someone he can push around to "be in control" but of course it's Trump that heads up that country now. Venezuela may be rid of Maduro but all that means is they have US running it, no longer a sovereign independent country of their own. You bet that anything financially viable will be robbed from Venezuela.

I understand why everyone from that country is happy but they are too emotional to see the big pic. I have expectations that a non Venezuelan is a bit more clear headed?

Give them a month or so and they will hate the US even more than all the other countries in the world...

I am bookmarking this so I can come back and say I told you so.
You are clueless and so biased that you cannot see the reality here.
It will take time, but Venezuela will return to a vibrant, free nation in the not too distant future. They will have FAIR and FREE elections and choose someone who will lead them on a path to prosperity.
Maduro is responsible for the deaths of Americans and Venezuelan citizens. His reign has caused over 7 million Venezuelans to flee their country - many coming to the US. So, yes - he has had a direct impact on our country. He sold diplomatic passports to drug lords so they could import drugs with very little accountability.
It was just a couple years ago that DEMOCRAT politicians were calling for the ouster of Maduro. But, since it was Trump that got it done, they are complaining. So damned predictable.

Not going to happen. I’ll be back to say I told you so. Name one thing Trump has accomplished successfully. Name one country where US meddling has resulted in betterment for the citizens.

DP. Panama seems like an obvious example.

Might want to talk to the people of Panama. They hate the US. Also Panama was taken from Columbia so we could build the canal and we just took that land with no compensation.

Non responsive.

Panama’s citizens are objectively better off than they were before US deposed Noriega.

Not saying that will happen in Venezuela, but it is clearly a case where US intervention produced an objectively positive outcome.

Could go either way, but it’s silly to say “intervention never works”. Sometimes it does.

I had to do a little digging because I couldn’t remember the details of the US invasion of Panama and their subsequent ouster of Noriega. It’s only been a few days, but already there are some differences in how the current administration is handling the situation in Venezuela and the way the Noriega situation was handled.

It turns out that the US immediately installed the opposition leader who had won the election annulled by Noriega and worked to establish democracy. In contrast, the Trump administration has allowed Maduro’s deputy to take charge and Trump has practically disavowed opposition leader Machado and not mentioned the politician who actually won the election Maduro claimed he won. In addition, Trump keeps talking about oil and saying that the US will run Venezuela. There doesn’t seem to be any clear plan to restore democracy the way there was with the Panama example.

Historical background on Panama:

After Manuel Noriega's arrest in January 1990 (following the US invasion in December 1989), the United States did not directly govern or "run" Panama. Instead, Guillermo Endara, the opposition leader who had won the annulled May 1989 election, was sworn in as president on December 20, 1989 (at a US military base during the invasion). He led a civilian government until 1994.

US forces provided security, dissolved Noriega's Panama Defense Forces, and supported reconstruction (e.g., via Operation Promote Liberty), but sovereignty was transferred to the elected Panamanian government, not retained as a US administration or occupation.

During WW2 the US established civil rules of the Philippines within three days of landing. October 20, 1944 MacArthur wades ashore at Leyte, famously declaring, "I have returned!" while the battle for the Philippines was still ongoing.
October 23, 1944 MacArthur with President Osmeña by his side announces the restoration of Philippine civil government in Tacloban, the temporary capital. The Philippines fought along side the US.

Today republicans would have kept on Jose Laurel. The collaborator who was the Japanese puppet.

Since you brought up the Philippines, it’s a good time to repeat that the US always does what is in its own best interest, which is not always in the interest of the people of a country it interferes with. Venezuela should take note.

The U.S. government supported Ferdinand Marcos during his time as a dictator, primarily due to Cold War political interests and the strategic importance of U.S. military bases in the Philippines. Successive U.S. administrations of both parties provided substantial military and economic assistance to the Marcos regime. This support continued despite documented human rights abuses, widespread corruption, and the declaration of martial law in 1972, which allowed Marcos to assume dictatorial powers and suppress opposition. The US govt aided him in staying in power until they no longer could. I know because I lived there at the time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My wife is Venezuelan. She desperately wants to be able to go back someday—to visit safely, to see family, to recognize her own country again. Right now, that’s not possible. Much of her family is current or former military, and they want exactly what civilians want: freedom from an oppressive regime that destroyed their country from the inside.

She does not like Trump. Let’s get that out of the way. But let’s also stop pretending Venezuela is a Democrat vs. Republican issue. It’s not.

Under Maduro, people were run over by armored vehicles. Protesters were shot. Elections were a farce. The country became a narco-state while ordinary people starved or fled. That reality didn’t change depending on who was in the White House.

And for those suddenly clutching pearls about U.S. involvement—Biden continued dealings with Venezuelan oil despite repeated warnings from human-rights organizations. So please spare us the selective outrage.

China and Iran didn’t embed themselves in Venezuela out of goodwill. They wanted oil, minerals, leverage. Everyone knows this. Acting shocked now is disingenuous.

Here’s what’s missing from most of these takes: the majority of Venezuelans want the regime gone, even if that comes with hard compromises. They understand the cost because they’ve already paid it.

This isn’t about loving Trump.
It’s about wanting Venezuela back.

Thanks for your post, OP. Yes - it seems that nearly all of those protesting the arrest of Maduro are NOT from Venezuela, have no ties to Venezuela, and know nothing of the horrible conditions in which the Venezuelan people have been forced to live.

This is good for Venezuela, good for the US, and good for the whole region.
Venezuela deserves to return to the beautiful, free country it once was. That is not possible under Maduro.

You are on a fool if you think this was about anything but Venezuela! Trump could care less about the US or Venezuela. This was good for Trump's ego, his political priorities and wallet. Venezuela will return to a hot mess of a leaderless country - cause if you think Maria Noble Prize winner gets to lead it I have some ice to sell you - Trump needs someone he can push around to "be in control" but of course it's Trump that heads up that country now. Venezuela may be rid of Maduro but all that means is they have US running it, no longer a sovereign independent country of their own. You bet that anything financially viable will be robbed from Venezuela.

I understand why everyone from that country is happy but they are too emotional to see the big pic. I have expectations that a non Venezuelan is a bit more clear headed?

Give them a month or so and they will hate the US even more than all the other countries in the world...

I am bookmarking this so I can come back and say I told you so.
You are clueless and so biased that you cannot see the reality here.
It will take time, but Venezuela will return to a vibrant, free nation in the not too distant future. They will have FAIR and FREE elections and choose someone who will lead them on a path to prosperity.
Maduro is responsible for the deaths of Americans and Venezuelan citizens. His reign has caused over 7 million Venezuelans to flee their country - many coming to the US. So, yes - he has had a direct impact on our country. He sold diplomatic passports to drug lords so they could import drugs with very little accountability.
It was just a couple years ago that DEMOCRAT politicians were calling for the ouster of Maduro. But, since it was Trump that got it done, they are complaining. So damned predictable.

Not going to happen. I’ll be back to say I told you so. Name one thing Trump has accomplished successfully. Name one country where US meddling has resulted in betterment for the citizens.

DP. Panama seems like an obvious example.

Might want to talk to the people of Panama. They hate the US. Also Panama was taken from Columbia so we could build the canal and we just took that land with no compensation.

Non responsive.

Panama’s citizens are objectively better off than they were before US deposed Noriega.

Not saying that will happen in Venezuela, but it is clearly a case where US intervention produced an objectively positive outcome.

Could go either way, but it’s silly to say “intervention never works”. Sometimes it does.

I had to do a little digging because I couldn’t remember the details of the US invasion of Panama and their subsequent ouster of Noriega. It’s only been a few days, but already there are some differences in how the current administration is handling the situation in Venezuela and the way the Noriega situation was handled.

It turns out that the US immediately installed the opposition leader who had won the election annulled by Noriega and worked to establish democracy. In contrast, the Trump administration has allowed Maduro’s deputy to take charge and Trump has practically disavowed opposition leader Machado and not mentioned the politician who actually won the election Maduro claimed he won. In addition, Trump keeps talking about oil and saying that the US will run Venezuela. There doesn’t seem to be any clear plan to restore democracy the way there was with the Panama example.

Historical background on Panama:

After Manuel Noriega's arrest in January 1990 (following the US invasion in December 1989), the United States did not directly govern or "run" Panama. Instead, Guillermo Endara, the opposition leader who had won the annulled May 1989 election, was sworn in as president on December 20, 1989 (at a US military base during the invasion). He led a civilian government until 1994.

US forces provided security, dissolved Noriega's Panama Defense Forces, and supported reconstruction (e.g., via Operation Promote Liberty), but sovereignty was transferred to the elected Panamanian government, not retained as a US administration or occupation.

During WW2 the US established civil rules of the Philippines within three days of landing. October 20, 1944 MacArthur wades ashore at Leyte, famously declaring, "I have returned!" while the battle for the Philippines was still ongoing.
October 23, 1944 MacArthur with President Osmeña by his side announces the restoration of Philippine civil government in Tacloban, the temporary capital. The Philippines fought along side the US.

Today republicans would have kept on Jose Laurel. The collaborator who was the Japanese puppet.

Yes. But you left some important parts. The Philippines was a territory, then commonwealth of the United States since 1935.

The story is made significant because the US was forced to flee the Philippines in 1942 because the Japanese were advancing. After arriving in Australia, MacArthur declared "I came through and I shall return". He was welcomed back as a hero after a two year campaign to liberate the Philippines. where he made the famous declaration that you wrote. He never turned his back on the Philippines.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My wife is Venezuelan. She desperately wants to be able to go back someday—to visit safely, to see family, to recognize her own country again. Right now, that’s not possible. Much of her family is current or former military, and they want exactly what civilians want: freedom from an oppressive regime that destroyed their country from the inside.

She does not like Trump. Let’s get that out of the way. But let’s also stop pretending Venezuela is a Democrat vs. Republican issue. It’s not.

Under Maduro, people were run over by armored vehicles. Protesters were shot. Elections were a farce. The country became a narco-state while ordinary people starved or fled. That reality didn’t change depending on who was in the White House.

And for those suddenly clutching pearls about U.S. involvement—Biden continued dealings with Venezuelan oil despite repeated warnings from human-rights organizations. So please spare us the selective outrage.

China and Iran didn’t embed themselves in Venezuela out of goodwill. They wanted oil, minerals, leverage. Everyone knows this. Acting shocked now is disingenuous.

Here’s what’s missing from most of these takes: the majority of Venezuelans want the regime gone, even if that comes with hard compromises. They understand the cost because they’ve already paid it.

This isn’t about loving Trump.
It’s about wanting Venezuela back.

Thanks for your post, OP. Yes - it seems that nearly all of those protesting the arrest of Maduro are NOT from Venezuela, have no ties to Venezuela, and know nothing of the horrible conditions in which the Venezuelan people have been forced to live.

This is good for Venezuela, good for the US, and good for the whole region.
Venezuela deserves to return to the beautiful, free country it once was. That is not possible under Maduro.

You are on a fool if you think this was about anything but Venezuela! Trump could care less about the US or Venezuela. This was good for Trump's ego, his political priorities and wallet. Venezuela will return to a hot mess of a leaderless country - cause if you think Maria Noble Prize winner gets to lead it I have some ice to sell you - Trump needs someone he can push around to "be in control" but of course it's Trump that heads up that country now. Venezuela may be rid of Maduro but all that means is they have US running it, no longer a sovereign independent country of their own. You bet that anything financially viable will be robbed from Venezuela.

I understand why everyone from that country is happy but they are too emotional to see the big pic. I have expectations that a non Venezuelan is a bit more clear headed?

Give them a month or so and they will hate the US even more than all the other countries in the world...

I am bookmarking this so I can come back and say I told you so.
You are clueless and so biased that you cannot see the reality here.
It will take time, but Venezuela will return to a vibrant, free nation in the not too distant future. They will have FAIR and FREE elections and choose someone who will lead them on a path to prosperity.
Maduro is responsible for the deaths of Americans and Venezuelan citizens. His reign has caused over 7 million Venezuelans to flee their country - many coming to the US. So, yes - he has had a direct impact on our country. He sold diplomatic passports to drug lords so they could import drugs with very little accountability.
It was just a couple years ago that DEMOCRAT politicians were calling for the ouster of Maduro. But, since it was Trump that got it done, they are complaining. So damned predictable.

Not going to happen. I’ll be back to say I told you so. Name one thing Trump has accomplished successfully. Name one country where US meddling has resulted in betterment for the citizens.

DP. Panama seems like an obvious example.

Might want to talk to the people of Panama. They hate the US. Also Panama was taken from Columbia so we could build the canal and we just took that land with no compensation.

Non responsive.

Panama’s citizens are objectively better off than they were before US deposed Noriega.

Not saying that will happen in Venezuela, but it is clearly a case where US intervention produced an objectively positive outcome.

Could go either way, but it’s silly to say “intervention never works”. Sometimes it does.

Germans all agree they are better off since the U.S. deposed Hitler.

The only people defending Nicolás Maduro are liberal democrats.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This isn’t about drug trafficking or drug smuggling or corruption. It’s about oil. Power vacuums rarely lead to peaceful transitions of power. I hope your wife gets to visit her family sometime soon, but Trump doesn’t actually care about the people of Venezuela. See the hypocrisy of pardoning the Honduran president.

+1 .
1. Saying this is about drug trafficking, while pardoning the drug kingpin Honduran President is a huge lie.
2. Before Trump stepped in, Maduro and his fellow Chavistas — the movement founded by Hugo Chavez — faced strong opposition from domestic pro-democracy forces led by María Corina Machado. Edmundo González, a Machado ally, clearly won Venezuela’s 2024 election, only to have Maduro steal it. So, if Trump wanted regime change he would be supporting Machado and her movement, but he's not, and has disparaged her (despite her Nobel Peace Prize this win), because his advisers probably told him that she won't let him take Venezuela's oil for US companies.

There’s another theory as to why he disparaged Machado. Sounds on brand.

Wow, he looks very stroke-y in that photo

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My wife is Venezuelan. She desperately wants to be able to go back someday—to visit safely, to see family, to recognize her own country again. Right now, that’s not possible. Much of her family is current or former military, and they want exactly what civilians want: freedom from an oppressive regime that destroyed their country from the inside.

She does not like Trump. Let’s get that out of the way. But let’s also stop pretending Venezuela is a Democrat vs. Republican issue. It’s not.

Under Maduro, people were run over by armored vehicles. Protesters were shot. Elections were a farce. The country became a narco-state while ordinary people starved or fled. That reality didn’t change depending on who was in the White House.

And for those suddenly clutching pearls about U.S. involvement—Biden continued dealings with Venezuelan oil despite repeated warnings from human-rights organizations. So please spare us the selective outrage.

China and Iran didn’t embed themselves in Venezuela out of goodwill. They wanted oil, minerals, leverage. Everyone knows this. Acting shocked now is disingenuous.

Here’s what’s missing from most of these takes: the majority of Venezuelans want the regime gone, even if that comes with hard compromises. They understand the cost because they’ve already paid it.

This isn’t about loving Trump.
It’s about wanting Venezuela back.

Thanks for your post, OP. Yes - it seems that nearly all of those protesting the arrest of Maduro are NOT from Venezuela, have no ties to Venezuela, and know nothing of the horrible conditions in which the Venezuelan people have been forced to live.

This is good for Venezuela, good for the US, and good for the whole region.
Venezuela deserves to return to the beautiful, free country it once was. That is not possible under Maduro.

You are on a fool if you think this was about anything but Venezuela! Trump could care less about the US or Venezuela. This was good for Trump's ego, his political priorities and wallet. Venezuela will return to a hot mess of a leaderless country - cause if you think Maria Noble Prize winner gets to lead it I have some ice to sell you - Trump needs someone he can push around to "be in control" but of course it's Trump that heads up that country now. Venezuela may be rid of Maduro but all that means is they have US running it, no longer a sovereign independent country of their own. You bet that anything financially viable will be robbed from Venezuela.

I understand why everyone from that country is happy but they are too emotional to see the big pic. I have expectations that a non Venezuelan is a bit more clear headed?

Give them a month or so and they will hate the US even more than all the other countries in the world...

I am bookmarking this so I can come back and say I told you so.
You are clueless and so biased that you cannot see the reality here.
It will take time, but Venezuela will return to a vibrant, free nation in the not too distant future. They will have FAIR and FREE elections and choose someone who will lead them on a path to prosperity.
Maduro is responsible for the deaths of Americans and Venezuelan citizens. His reign has caused over 7 million Venezuelans to flee their country - many coming to the US. So, yes - he has had a direct impact on our country. He sold diplomatic passports to drug lords so they could import drugs with very little accountability.
It was just a couple years ago that DEMOCRAT politicians were calling for the ouster of Maduro. But, since it was Trump that got it done, they are complaining. So damned predictable.

Not going to happen. I’ll be back to say I told you so. Name one thing Trump has accomplished successfully. Name one country where US meddling has resulted in betterment for the citizens.

DP. Panama seems like an obvious example.

Might want to talk to the people of Panama. They hate the US. Also Panama was taken from Columbia so we could build the canal and we just took that land with no compensation.

Non responsive.

Panama’s citizens are objectively better off than they were before US deposed Noriega.

Not saying that will happen in Venezuela, but it is clearly a case where US intervention produced an objectively positive outcome.

Could go either way, but it’s silly to say “intervention never works”. Sometimes it does.

Germans all agree they are better off since the U.S. deposed Hitler.

The only people defending Nicolás Maduro are liberal democrats.

Please link to where "liberal democrats" are defending Nicolás Maduro. Questioning the legality, the wisdom, and the long-term planning (or lack thereof) of the US invasion of Venezuela, does not equal supporting Maduro. Everyone understands he was terrible for his country, as was Saadam Hussein for Iraq. It's just that it's easier to break things than to put them back together.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This isn’t about drug trafficking or drug smuggling or corruption. It’s about oil. Power vacuums rarely lead to peaceful transitions of power. I hope your wife gets to visit her family sometime soon, but Trump doesn’t actually care about the people of Venezuela. See the hypocrisy of pardoning the Honduran president.

+1 .
1. Saying this is about drug trafficking, while pardoning the drug kingpin Honduran President is a huge lie.
2. Before Trump stepped in, Maduro and his fellow Chavistas — the movement founded by Hugo Chavez — faced strong opposition from domestic pro-democracy forces led by María Corina Machado. Edmundo González, a Machado ally, clearly won Venezuela’s 2024 election, only to have Maduro steal it. So, if Trump wanted regime change he would be supporting Machado and her movement, but he's not, and has disparaged her (despite her Nobel Peace Prize this win), because his advisers probably told him that she won't let him take Venezuela's oil for US companies.

There’s another theory as to why he disparaged Machado. Sounds on brand.

Wow, he looks very stroke-y in that photo

That's because he likely had a mini stroke. A person's face doesn't droop like that for no reason. Watch him try to salute or toss a coin; watch how he drags one of his legs when he walks, or how he struggles to walk in a straight line.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This isn’t about drug trafficking or drug smuggling or corruption. It’s about oil. Power vacuums rarely lead to peaceful transitions of power. I hope your wife gets to visit her family sometime soon, but Trump doesn’t actually care about the people of Venezuela. See the hypocrisy of pardoning the Honduran president.

+1 .
1. Saying this is about drug trafficking, while pardoning the drug kingpin Honduran President is a huge lie.
2. Before Trump stepped in, Maduro and his fellow Chavistas — the movement founded by Hugo Chavez — faced strong opposition from domestic pro-democracy forces led by María Corina Machado. Edmundo González, a Machado ally, clearly won Venezuela’s 2024 election, only to have Maduro steal it. So, if Trump wanted regime change he would be supporting Machado and her movement, but he's not, and has disparaged her (despite her Nobel Peace Prize this win), because his advisers probably told him that she won't let him take Venezuela's oil for US companies.

I feel for the Venezuelan people and OP's wife, but having the US swoop in and do a regime "change" that allows them to take Venezuelan oil resources for decades to come will not benefit the average Venezuelan. I will never forget this story about a 16 yo boy who died on his birthday after he dug roots to eat to prevent starvation, and accidentally ingested ones that were poisonous.

No Food, No Medicine, No Respite: A Starving Boy’s Death in Venezuela
https://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/25/world/americas/venezuela-hunger.html

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My wife is Venezuelan. She desperately wants to be able to go back someday—to visit safely, to see family, to recognize her own country again. Right now, that’s not possible. Much of her family is current or former military, and they want exactly what civilians want: freedom from an oppressive regime that destroyed their country from the inside.

She does not like Trump. Let’s get that out of the way. But let’s also stop pretending Venezuela is a Democrat vs. Republican issue. It’s not.

Under Maduro, people were run over by armored vehicles. Protesters were shot. Elections were a farce. The country became a narco-state while ordinary people starved or fled. That reality didn’t change depending on who was in the White House.

And for those suddenly clutching pearls about U.S. involvement—Biden continued dealings with Venezuelan oil despite repeated warnings from human-rights organizations. So please spare us the selective outrage.

China and Iran didn’t embed themselves in Venezuela out of goodwill. They wanted oil, minerals, leverage. Everyone knows this. Acting shocked now is disingenuous.

Here’s what’s missing from most of these takes: the majority of Venezuelans want the regime gone, even if that comes with hard compromises. They understand the cost because they’ve already paid it.

This isn’t about loving Trump.
It’s about wanting Venezuela back.

Thanks for your post, OP. Yes - it seems that nearly all of those protesting the arrest of Maduro are NOT from Venezuela, have no ties to Venezuela, and know nothing of the horrible conditions in which the Venezuelan people have been forced to live.

This is good for Venezuela, good for the US, and good for the whole region.
Venezuela deserves to return to the beautiful, free country it once was. That is not possible under Maduro.

You are on a fool if you think this was about anything but Venezuela! Trump could care less about the US or Venezuela. This was good for Trump's ego, his political priorities and wallet. Venezuela will return to a hot mess of a leaderless country - cause if you think Maria Noble Prize winner gets to lead it I have some ice to sell you - Trump needs someone he can push around to "be in control" but of course it's Trump that heads up that country now. Venezuela may be rid of Maduro but all that means is they have US running it, no longer a sovereign independent country of their own. You bet that anything financially viable will be robbed from Venezuela.

I understand why everyone from that country is happy but they are too emotional to see the big pic. I have expectations that a non Venezuelan is a bit more clear headed?

Give them a month or so and they will hate the US even more than all the other countries in the world...

I am bookmarking this so I can come back and say I told you so.
You are clueless and so biased that you cannot see the reality here.
It will take time, but Venezuela will return to a vibrant, free nation in the not too distant future. They will have FAIR and FREE elections and choose someone who will lead them on a path to prosperity.
Maduro is responsible for the deaths of Americans and Venezuelan citizens. His reign has caused over 7 million Venezuelans to flee their country - many coming to the US. So, yes - he has had a direct impact on our country. He sold diplomatic passports to drug lords so they could import drugs with very little accountability.
It was just a couple years ago that DEMOCRAT politicians were calling for the ouster of Maduro. But, since it was Trump that got it done, they are complaining. So damned predictable.

Not going to happen. I’ll be back to say I told you so. Name one thing Trump has accomplished successfully. Name one country where US meddling has resulted in betterment for the citizens.

DP. Panama seems like an obvious example.

Might want to talk to the people of Panama. They hate the US. Also Panama was taken from Columbia so we could build the canal and we just took that land with no compensation.

Non responsive.

Panama’s citizens are objectively better off than they were before US deposed Noriega.

Not saying that will happen in Venezuela, but it is clearly a case where US intervention produced an objectively positive outcome.

Could go either way, but it’s silly to say “intervention never works”. Sometimes it does.

Germans all agree they are better off since the U.S. deposed Hitler.

The only people defending Nicolás Maduro are liberal democrats.

We invade Venezuela according to UN ambassador Mike Waltz because Hamas controls Venezuela.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As someone who has no family ties to Venezuela, America First was the only good thing about the Republican party.

Starting wars with other countries isn't America first.