Venezuela - President Nicolas Maduro & his wife "captured and flown out of country" by U.S. Army Delta Force during "large scale attack" - Jan 3, 2026

  • #501
Trump is escalating threats against sovereign nations today, again threatening Greenland.

The problem with that is NATO Article 5. The US cannot simultaneously remain a NATO member and attack a NATO member. US withdrawal from NATO places NATO assets in question ... global upheaval and power shift with no guarantee that the US comes out on top.

"Two groups of countries have issued a statement on the kidnapping of Venezuelan President Maduro. Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Uruguay, and Spain denounced the US attack as unlawful. A group of 26 EU member states called on Venezuela and the US for calm and restraint.​
...​
President Trump has issued threatening remarks against Venezuelan Vice President Rodriguez. "If she doesn't do the right thing, she'll pay a very high price, probably even higher than Maduro," he said in an interview with The Atlantic magazine ."​


"The president told The Atlantic that [Vice President] Delcy Rodríguez needs to comply with U.S. wishes—or else.​
...​
During our call, Trump, who had just arrived at his golf club in West Palm Beach, was in evident good spirits, and reaffirmed to me that Venezuela may not be the last country subject to American intervention.
We do need Greenland, absolutely,” he said, describing the island—a part of Denmark, a NATO ally—as “surrounded by Russian and Chinese ships.” And in discussing Venezuela’s future, he signaled a clear shift away from his previous distaste for regime change and nation building, rejecting the concerns of many in his MAGA base. “You know, rebuilding there and regime change, anything you want to call it, is better than what you have right now. Can’t get any worse,” he said.​

Democrats in DC need to wake up and start loudly opposing his crazy behavior. It’s time to restore sanity in the federal government and have some serious discussions with US military leadership on how to proceed from here to restore our own democracy and deal with Trump’s illegal threats to invade other law abiding nations.

The U.S. needs to reassure its citizens and allies that we’ve not become a dangerous rogue nation run by a mentally incompetent leader. Democrats need to stand up and do what’s necessary to get our own country back on track. We don’t need an American Hitler.
 
  • #502
What is Trump's plan for dealing with 7.9 million Venezuelan refugees?

Will he kick out those remaining in the USA?

Will he work with Colombia, Ecuador. Peru, and Chile to repatriate the refugees?

Please refer to distances.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.


 
  • #503
It's absolutely illegal. There will be no consequences. The sooner we start thinking of Trump's US as a land-grabbing empire and not a modern republic, the more sense all of this will make. Rule of law doesn't come into it.

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  • #504
How well is the US blockade around Venezuela really working? Is it all just bluff and bluster? Posturing?


"About a ‍dozen ‍tankers loaded with Venezuelan crude and fuel departed ⁠in recent days from the country’s waters ‍in dark mode, breaking a strict blockade imposed ‍by ⁠the United States amid intense pressure that mounted until the abduction of Maduro, ‌monitoring service TankerTrackers.com said.

All the vessels identified as departed ‌are under US sanctions.

A ‌separate group ⁠of ships, also under sanctions, left the country ‌in recent days empty after discharging imports ‍or completing domestic transportation trips."

 
  • #505
"At 12:00 GMT, Delcy Rodriguez is set to be officially sworn in as Venezuela's president at the National Assembly. The Supreme Court designated her as interim president over the weekend as the country reeled from the US operation.

The National Assembly is led by her brother, Jorge. It is packed with loyalists to the government. So far, Rodríguez also has the support of the military, as well as other ministers like the powerful interior minister Diosdado Cabello and defence minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez."

 
  • #506
"Following recent developments in Venezuela, Mizuho analysts have identified key oil companies positioned to benefit from potential changes in the country’s oil industry.

With Venezuela holding over 300 billion barrels in proved reserves (approximately 17% of worldwide reserves), the political transition could significantly impact global oil markets and create opportunities for specific U.S. companies.
  1. Chevron is "best-positioned to increase operations in the country."
  2. Valero (VLO) could see improved refining margins from more predictable availability of this feedstock.
  3. PBF Energy (PBF) ... stands to benefit from more reliable access to this heavy crude oil, which is well-suited to its refining operations."
 
  • #507

ANALYSIS
It’s not war. It’s not regime change. It’s not international law. It’s about the United States creating a “sphere of influence”.

China’s President Xi Jinping wants Asia.

Russia’s President Vladimir Putin wants Europe.

United States President Donald Trump wants the Americas.

IMO Old Donny boy wants to emulate the dictators xi and vlad, his actions are all about him desperately trying to look powerful, while destroying world order as we knew it, his desperation for power and his personal greed will destroy him eventually, if death doesn’t take him first, but the cost for the world will be very very high. IMO the us is now a dictatorship.
 
  • #508
"Following recent developments in Venezuela, Mizuho analysts have identified key oil companies positioned to benefit from potential changes in the country’s oil industry.

With Venezuela holding over 300 billion barrels in proved reserves (approximately 17% of worldwide reserves), the political transition could significantly impact global oil markets and create opportunities for specific U.S. companies.
  1. Chevron is "best-positioned to increase operations in the country."
  2. Valero (VLO) could see improved refining margins from more predictable availability of this feedstock.
  3. PBF Energy (PBF) ... stands to benefit from more reliable access to this heavy crude oil, which is well-suited to its refining operations."
We can go back and forth with articles that side with one side over the other all day and night. Day after day. But he’s arrested and in US custody. It’s done & over with. Let’s All try being positive and move forward in a positive way. The past is the past. We all need to move forward to make America great again!!!! Moo imo
 
  • #509
Former head of Economic Advisory Venezuela National Assembly, Francisco Rodriguez, says that since about 2017 Venezuela's ties to the global economy have been severed.

Venezuela hasn't had access to the international money fund. No access to its gold that it has stored. No access to loans.

He says that lifting those sanctions will help Venezuela's economy to recover.


Paraphrased from the video in this link at 11:45 GMT:
 
  • #510
Maduro was deemed a threat to US National security when former POTUS Obama issued a presidential order stating that on March 9, 2015. I believe Mr. Obama was correct in that assessment. I am no fan of our current POTUS. He does much that I disagree with on a daily basis. This action is not one of them. May be an unpopular opinion but I support this action of his. JMO IMO MOO.
 
  • #511

"Maduro likely to argue he has immunity from charges - former NY prosecutor


Maduro's first appearance in court in New York is unlikely to differ from any other, a former federal prosecutor in the state tells the BBC.

But at a later point in the case "the defendants are highly likely to say they have sovereign immunity" on some or even all of the charges as heads of state, Andrew Weissman told BBC Radio 4's Today programme earlier.

The US government is likely to argue that they do not recognise Maduro as a legitimate head of state, Weissman says."

 
  • #512
<modsnip: Quoted post was removed>
USofA and Venezuela do not exist in vacuum. They are tied to the rest pf the world with whole net of connections, so bad decisions or bad situation of one of them can affect whole world.

IMO, obviously.
 
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  • #513

"Maduro likely to argue he has immunity from charges - former NY prosecutor


Maduro's first appearance in court in New York is unlikely to differ from any other, a former federal prosecutor in the state tells the BBC.

But at a later point in the case "the defendants are highly likely to say they have sovereign immunity" on some or even all of the charges as heads of state, Andrew Weissman told BBC Radio 4's Today programme earlier.

The US government is likely to argue that they do not recognise Maduro as a legitimate head of state, Weissman says."

Iirc that's the same argument Noriega presented, but it was dismissed because he wasn't technically head of state. Imo it doesn't matter if the US recognizes Maduro as such. Some countries do, some don't. Allende was duly elected.
 
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  • #514
"The Cuban government, in a post on Facebook on Sunday, said 32 of its citizens were killed during the operation “in combat actions, performing missions on behalf of the Revolutionary Armed Forces and the Ministry of the Interior, at the request of counterparts of the South American country.” The government declared two days of mourning.

And it seems to confirm what has long been suspected: Maduro’s inner circle of bodyguards were Cuban."

 
  • #515

Switzerland to freeze any Maduro assets ‘with immediate effect’

The Swiss government says it has decided to freeze any assets held in Switzerland by Maduro and his associates “with immediate effect”.

“In doing so, the Federal Council aims to prevent an outflow of assets,” it said in a statement, stressing that “should future legal proceedings reveal that the funds were illicitly acquired, Switzerland will endeavour to ensure that they benefit the Venezuelan people”.

 
  • #516

Maduro transferred ahead of court appearance

US authorities have transferred Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro from the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, New York, to the federal courthouse in Manhattan, where he is set to appear before US District Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein around 12:00pm local time

 
  • #517

Trump admin pressed on pardon for ex-Honduras president after Venezuela’s Maduro snatched​


"The Trump administration is facing renewed questions over its recent pardon of former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez after the U.S. captured Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro on Saturday and charged him with crimes related to drug trafficking.

Hernandez in 2024 was convicted of conspiring with drug traffickers and using his government position to help hundreds of tons of cocaine enter the United States. He was sentenced to 45 years in prison."


‐--‐--------
"As President of Honduras, Juan Orlando Hernández abused his power to support one of the largest and most violent drug trafficking conspiracies in the world, and the people of Honduras and the United States bore the consequences,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. "
---------
The Justice Department will hold accountable all those who engage in violent drug trafficking, regardless of how powerful they are or what position they hold.”

“The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is relentlessly focused on dismantling drug trafficking organizations that threaten the safety and health of the American people,” said DEA Administrator Anne Milgram. “Former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández financed his political career with drug trafficking profits and abused his authority as President of Honduras to traffic hundreds of tons of cocaine to the United States. Let me be clear, political actors who use their power to traffic in drugs and corruption will be brought to justice in the United States.”

 
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  • #518
USofA and Venezuela do not exist in vacuum. They are tied to the rest pf the world with whole net of connections, so bad decisions or bad situation of one of them can affect whole world.

IMO, obviously.

Exactly
Whether we like or not, acknowledge it or not, we are all impacted by events of this scale and type, in the international community. The world is very interconnected. JMO
 
  • #519
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  • #520
It would also mean the end of the United States status as a respected leader of the free world. Our allies would no longer trust us.
RSBM/BBM
Sadly IMO that ship has already sailed.
 

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