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

[NuttMegg]

"Rebuilding is not a bad thing, in Venezuela’s case; the country has gone to hell,” Trump told our colleague Michael Scherer in an interview yesterday. But when asked why similar actions in Iraq were an abomination, the president punted. “That was Bush,” Trump said. “You’ll have to ask Bush that question, because we should have never gone into Iraq. That started the Middle East disaster.” (In a separate Atlantic interview last year, Trump said that “America First” is whatever he says it is: “Considering that the term wasn’t used until I came along, I think I’m the one that decides that.”)

The Fuck-Around-and-Find-Out Presidency

Truman, Reagan, and Monroe wouldn’t approve of the language, but a doctrine is a doctrine, even if it’s only five words long.

www.theatlantic.com

 

[Betty P]

Military action also happens domestically now. Hope that doesn't become regular

The US needs some strong leaders to step up and stop that before it happens. We have them, we need to see them act.

Matthew Waxman: "an occupying military power can't enrich itself by taking another state's resources."

Waxman could be referring to UN Resolution 1803, which states people and nations have "permanent sovereignty" over their natural resources, and foreign investments can only be undertaken if said peoples and nations "freely" enter into agreements with international companies."

https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/trump-venezuela-oil-9.7033201

So true. Venezuela can rebuild its own petroleum industry if the US ends its economic blockades and other sanctions against the country. Venezuela should be able to continue to sell its oil, using the profits to rebuild. Those profits belong in Venezuela, not in the pockets of US oil companies. JMO

 

[otto]

If the US government succeeds in military assault to acquire natural resources in the sovereign nation of Venezuela, then Columbia, Mexico, Cuba, and Greenland are next.

"Trump said while travelling on Air Force One [yesterday] that U.S. military action could soon be coming to Colombia and Mexico, adding Cuba may simply fall on its own.

"Colombia's very sick too. Run by a sick man," Trump said, referring to left-wing President Gustavo Petro, who he also accused of "making cocaine and selling it to the United States. "And he's not going to be doing it very long."

Asked if that might mean a U.S. operation that could target Petro, Trump responded, "Sounds good to me."

He later said, "You have to do something with Mexico. Mexico has to get their act together," and better combat drug trafficking."

https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/maduro-arrives-us-after-capture-9.7033019

 

[sunshineray]

Modsnip- original post removed
Yep and now, it seems, deputy chief of staff Miller is vying or being considered to take a big role in the reshaping of Venezuela? Let that sink in a bit. I think I'll lie down for a bit.

Stephen Miller Being Considered for ‘More Elevated Role’ in Managing Post-Maduro Venezuela: WaPo

Stephen Miller could be jockeying for a major role in determining the future of Venezuela, as the Trump admin works out how to "run" the Latin American country.

www.mediaite.com

 

[NuttMegg]

Trump threatens action against Colombia's Petro following Maduro ousting​

"President Trump said that military action in Colombia against President Gustavo Petro "sounds good" to him"

Trump threatens action against Colombia's Petro following Maduro ousting

President Trump said that military action in Colombia against President Gustavo Petro "sounds good" to him following the U.S. operation in Venezuela that led to Nicolás Maduro's capture. CBS News' Lilia Luciano has more details.

www.cbsnews.com

 

[Betty P]

Yep and now, it seems, deputy chief of staff Miller is vying or being considered to take a big role in the reshaping of Venezuela? Let that sink in a bit. I think I'll lie down for a bit.

Stephen Miller Being Considered for ‘More Elevated Role’ in Managing Post-Maduro Venezuela: WaPo

Stephen Miller could be jockeying for a major role in determining the future of Venezuela, as the Trump admin works out how to "run" the Latin American country.

www.mediaite.com

I think Congress will have something to say about that. Last time I checked, we still had 3 co-equal branches of government. The UN will also have a word on that.

 

[MelmothTheLost]

So true. Venezuela can rebuild its own petroleum industry if the US ends its economic blockades and other sanctions against the country. Venezuela should be able to continue to sell its oil, using the profits to rebuild.

That's the problem, though. The profit on Venezuelan oil is poor because the nature of the oil itself means that extraction and processing costs are incredibly high.

Crude oil comes in light and heavy types. Venezuela's is as heavy as it gets - effectively tar, which is difficult and expensive to get out of the ground in the first place.

It then comes in sweet and sour types. Venezuela's is extremely sour, which means that it contains very high levels of sulphur and toxic heavy metals which all need to be removed as additional steps in the refining process.

I certainly won't be buying shares in US oil companies anytime soon.

Those profits belong in Venezuela, not in the pockets of US oil companies. JMO

Agreed.

 

[Sundog]

Those profits belong in Venezuela, not in the pockets of US oil companies. JMO

<RSBM>

The profits have been going into the pockets of Venezualan politicians and oligarchs, and Cubans as well. Not to the Venezuelan economy and/or people.

 

[otto]

Almost every country at the UN Security Council is asserting International Law and declaring that US military actions against Venezuela threaten to destabilize the region and global community.

I think we know that the US objective is to destabilize global trade with the objective to control Western Hemisphere trade, borders, and natural resources (per National Security Strategy, Nov 2025).

~ in my humble opinion ~​

 

[otto]

That's the problem, though. The profit on Venezuelan oil is poor because the nature of the oil itself means that extraction and processing costs are incredibly high.

Crude oil comes in light and heavy types. Venezuela's is as heavy as it gets - effectively tar, which is difficult and expensive to get out of the ground in the first place.

It then comes in sweet and sour types. Venezuela's is extremely sour, which means that it contains very high levels of sulphur and toxic heavy metals which all need to be removed as additional steps in the refining process.

I certainly won't be buying shares in US oil companies anytime soon.

Agreed.

Venezuelan oil is identical to Canadian oil.

“The bitumen in the Orinoco Belt is identical to the bitumen in Alberta. Identical,” said chemical engineer Lino Carrillo. He should know, having worked for 22 years at Venezuela’s state oil company, PDVSA, followed by years in Fort McMurray."
...

But Venezuela enjoys some advantages, thanks to climate and geography. Higher ground temperatures make its heavy crude more free-flowing, allowing it to be extracted rather than mined. Both its heavy crude deposits (concentrated near the Orinoco Delta) and its conventional oil (found mostly around the Maracaibo Basin) are much closer to tidewater than Canada's oil sands."

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/how-venezuelan-crude-could-shake-things-up-for-canadian-producers-9.7019971

 

[Betty P]

<RSBM>

The profits have been going into the pockets of Venezualan politicians and oligarchs, and Cubans as well. Not to the Venezuelan economy and/or people.

With oversight of the UN and other nations, the money will go where it belongs.

As for processing its own petroleum, Venezuela has been doing that on its own since the late 70's when it nationalized its own petrol industry. Many of the engineers from the US and Europe remained in Venezuela and worked with the state owned company. I actually met some of them when I visited there in 1982. You'll have to take my word for it, JMO. I visited college friends who were native Venezuelans and whose families had worked in the petroleum industry for many years in middle and upper management careers.

 

[CrimeDawg123]

How did US oil get under Venezuela? Seriously, why does the US feel entitled to natural resources or business opportunities in any other sovereign nation. Anything less than the Venezuelan people controlling their own government, autonomy, and resources is unacceptable.

 

[keek]

With oversight of the UN and other nations, the money will go where it belongs.

As for processing its own petroleum, Venezuela has been doing that on its own since the late 70's when it nationalized its own petrol industry. Many of the engineers from the US and Europe remained in Venezuela and worked with the state owned company. I actually met some of them when I visited there in 1982. You'll have to take my word for it, JMO. I visited college friends who were native Venezuelans and whose families had worked in the petroleum industry for many years in middle and upper management careers.

True, I remember plenty of Americans were working there in the oil business.

 

[PrairieWind]

I don't think there is any question that the US government appears to be unaware of international law.

"U.S. President Donald Trump's plan to take control of Venezuela's oil industry and ask American companies to revitalize it after capturing leader Nicolas Maduro in a raid is likely to face many hurdles — logistically, legally and politically.

The dramatic seizure of the Maduros capped an intensive Trump administration pressure campaign on Venezuela resulting in the most assertive American action to achieve regime change since the 2003 invasion of Iraq.
...

Trump said Saturday he will allow "very large United states oil companies" into Venezuela, who he said will spend the necessary billions to "fix the badly broken infrastructure, and start making money for the country."
...

Matthew Waxman: "an occupying military power can't enrich itself by taking another state's resources."

Waxman could be referring to UN Resolution 1803, which states people and nations have "permanent sovereignty" over their natural resources, and foreign investments can only be undertaken if said peoples and nations "freely" enter into agreements with international companies."

https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/trump-venezuela-oil-9.7033201

What international law? Maduro was not the winner of the last election, the UN admitted it. Did anyone do anything? No. 20% of Venezuelans have left the country because it went from one of the wealthiest nations to one of the poorist in a generation of corruption. Did international law save Ukraine? No. Does international law stop the slaughter in the mid-east? No. China is using the UN's own resolutions (international law) as justification for its upcoming invasion of Taiwan. Lets me honest, International Law is a joke.

 

[Dotta]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2008230967756878086

 

[NuttMegg]

A vote on Trump’s war powers​

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said Sunday that he and Sens. Tim Kaine and Rand Paul intend to put their war powers resolution on the Senate floor this week in an attempt to rein in the president from further attacks in Venezuela without congressional approval.

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/01/05/politics/congress-aca-subsidies-vote-shutdown-ukraine

 

[Sundog]

With oversight of the UN and other nations, the money will go where it belongs.

As for processing its own petroleum, Venezuela has been doing that on its own since the late 70's when it nationalized its own petrol industry. Many of the engineers from the US and Europe remained in Venezuela and worked with the state owned company. I actually met some of them when I visited there in 1982. You'll have to take my word for it, JMO. I visited college friends who were native Venezuelans and whose families had worked in the petroleum industry for many years in middle and upper management careers.

The workers in the petroleum industry have all left Venezuela over the years and are scattered around the world, many in Canada, working in the oil industry. See @otto's post just upthread.

 

[MelmothTheLost]

How did US oil get under Venezuela? Seriously, why does the US feel entitled to natural resources or business opportunities in any other sovereign nation. Anything less than the Venezuelan people controlling their own government, autonomy, and resources is unacceptable.

US oil companies were working in Venezuela for decades before the Chavez government came to power in the late 1990s and nationalised the oil industry. As such, much of the oil industry infrastructure in the country had originally been funded and developed by those companies, but there has been minimal investment in it for the past 25 years and it's now out of date or falling apart. The amount of investment required to get the industry back on its feet will be colossal.

 

[tlcya]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2008230967756878086

interesting allegation considering Maduro is accused of the abductions, beatings and murders of others.

 

[CrimeDawg123]

US oil companies were working in Venezuela for decades before the Chavez government came to power in the late 1990s and nationalised the oil industry. As such, much of the oil industry infrastructure in the country had originally been funded and developed by those companies, but there has been minimal investment in it for the past 25 years and it's now out of date or falling apart. The amount of investment required to get the industry back on its feet will be colossal.

True. It should be up to Venezuela to invite foreign companies in rather than being forced on them.