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

[Sundog]

Can’t blame him for wanting to free his parents native country from a dictator.

Jmo

Absolutely.

 

[otto]

China plays the long game with stability, the US government presents a volatile relationship. China builds infrastructure in exchange for oil and other goods, the US government has declared that the US will run Venezuelan oil industry with no stated intent to trade or benefit Venezuela.

"The relationship between Beijing and Caracas was fairly simple. China needed oil. Venezuela needed cash. From around 2000 to 2023 Beijing provided more than $100bn to Venezuela to finance railways, power plants and other infrastructure projects. In exchange, Caracas gave Beijing the oil it needed to fuel its booming economy.

Around 80% of Venezuelan oil was sent to China last year. That's still only 4% of the country's oil imports.
...

The concern for China is that other countries across South America start to worry about significant Chinese investments ... "This region is a critical source of food, energy and natural resources to China with two-way trade now topping half a trillion dollars."
...

In contrast, Trump has shown that a relationship with Washington can be volatile. ... "This is important because the situation in Venezuela could easily descend into chaos," Olander says. "Also, don't forget the lesson from Iraq, where the US also said the country's oil reserves would pay for the reconstruction of the economy. That did not happen and China is now the largest buyer of Iraqi crude. Something similar could easily happen in Venezuela."

Donald Trump's Venezuela risk brings risk to China's plans

The US's seizure of Nicolás Maduro carries uncertainty for China, which is no fan of chaos.

www.bbc.com

 

[CrimeDawg123]

China plays the long game with stability, the US government presents a volatile relationship. China builds infrastructure in exchange for oil and other goods, the US government has declared that the US will run Venezuelan oil industry with no stated intent to trade or benefit Venezuela.

"The relationship between Beijing and Caracas was fairly simple. China needed oil. Venezuela needed cash. From around 2000 to 2023 Beijing provided more than $100bn to Venezuela to finance railways, power plants and other infrastructure projects. In exchange, Caracas gave Beijing the oil it needed to fuel its booming economy.

Around 80% of Venezuelan oil was sent to China last year. That's still only 4% of the country's oil imports.
...

The concern for China is that other countries across South America start to worry about significant Chinese investments ... "This region is a critical source of food, energy and natural resources to China with two-way trade now topping half a trillion dollars."
...

In contrast, Trump has shown that a relationship with Washington can be volatile. ... "This is important because the situation in Venezuela could easily descend into chaos," Olander says. "Also, don't forget the lesson from Iraq, where the US also said the country's oil reserves would pay for the reconstruction of the economy. That did not happen and China is now the largest buyer of Iraqi crude. Something similar could easily happen in Venezuela."

Donald Trump's Venezuela risk brings risk to China's plans

The US's seizure of Nicolás Maduro carries uncertainty for China, which is no fan of chaos.

www.bbc.com

Yes China is much more forward thinking than the US. While the US has slowed investment in renewables (partly because of Trump's insane wind turbine obsession), China is investing big time in renewables. And when the US gets to invade and take over Venezuela's oil industry, China might very well feel entitled to invade and take over Taiwan's semiconductor industry. Who do you think comes out better in that deal?

 

[Yellowbelly]

Venezuela to export $2 billion worth of oil to US in deal with Washington — Reuters

Caracas and Washington have reached a deal to export up to $2 billion worth of Venezuelan crude to the United States, U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday, a flagship negotiation that would divert supplies from China while helping Venezuela avoid deeper oil production cuts.

apple.news

Doesn’t seem like Venezuela will be keeping much of their oil.

So it was just a shakedown after all. No doubt Maduro pushed back, that's why he had to be removed. Delcy Rodriguez seems much more compliant. That's why the Venezuelan opposition haven't got a look in. Being Venezuelan patriots, they might actually have put the needs of the Venezuelan people first, rather than agreeing to Mr Trump's protection racket.

Nice country you've got there. Pity if anything should happen to it....

US foreign policy at the moment makes far more sense if you start thinking in terms of New York mobsters.

 

[BeginnerSleuther]

The situation involved arrests, not kidnappings. The indictment is in link. moo

SBMFF. When the DOJ has no jurisdiction in the country, it really isn't an arrest.

Think about it -- if someone commits a crime here and then runs to Italy, do we invade Italy to grab them? Of course not. We try to extradite them (in some cases, we're unable to do so and we still don't kidnap them). But we don't invade and pluck someone out of a foreign country because we have a US indictment.

Now don't get me wrong, this Maduro creep deserves to be arrested and tried and, in fact, should be convicted of crimes against humanity. I'm just not crazy about the precedent it sets and I go back to my previous post: there's a reason these things aren't usually done unilaterally.

MOO.

 

[southgoldengirl]

There’s no point in entertaining a hypothetical scenario that won’t happen.

No resources have been stolen.

imo

You've entertained the hypothetical by saying "it won't happen"
But you don't want to answer the question of what your views would be if it did happen.Fair enough that's your choice.I think I probably know your answer though.

imo

 

[Cryptic]

The Democrats voicing their concerns over Maduro is a far cry from bombing a country,killing civilians and kidnapping their President to face US charges, and stealing their oil for good measure. That is a false equivalence argument.

The Democrats evidently called for his "removal" or ouster while acknowledging that he was not going to leave willingly. This is a little bit more "voicing concerns". Needless to say, "removals" involve certain amounts of violence. In this case, it was minimal.

No matter what Trump does, its going to be wrong, somehow, someway....

 

[I am not Sherlock H.]

BBC online January 7, 2026 article by Vanessa Buschschlüter - Latin America online editor, entitled ‘Venezuela's interim leader sacks general in charge of Maduro's guard’

Venezuela's interim leader sacks man in charge of Maduro's guard

General Javier Marcano Tábata was the commander of the inner circle of guards tasked with protecting Maduro.

www.bbc.com

Note one apparent interesting connection between Venezuela and Cuba individuals.

Excerpt from that article:

Cuba, a close ally of Venezuela which has long provided security and intelligence services to Maduro, said that 32 of its nationals had been killed in the US raid.

MOO

 

[BayouBelle_LA]

You've entertained the hypothetical by saying "it won't happen"
But you don't want to answer the question of what your views would be if it did happen.Fair enough that's your choice.I think I probably know your answer though.

imo

I don’t like wild scenarios that are not likely to happen. If it does I’ll discuss it. Remind me .

 

[southgoldengirl]

People in years to come are going to look back on this presidency and think what were the American people thinking. I am from the UK so don’t follow American politics as closely as some of you but literally everyday on the news I can’t believe what I am seeing.

The USA is acting like a rogue nation it is going to take decades to repair their reputation across the world.

It says something when I believe currently the most trusted of the super powers is China.

I agree. The actions of the current US administration are are looking less trustful than China's
This is a real concern for the US because they are alienating their allies across the world. Frankly it's a concern for all of us.

 

[Hexe]

Biden raised the bounty on maduro from (Trump’s)15 million to 25 million. What was the purpose if not to arrest him.

Exactly. To arrest him, not to kidnap him, breaking multiple laws in the process.

 

[southgoldengirl]

Trump embodying "America First" - spending billions on Venezuela and potentially Greenland while cutting health-care for millions of Americans.

You forgot the tax breaks for the people who most need it...the oligarchs

 

[BayouBelle_LA]

Exactly. To arrest him, not to kidnap him, breaking multiple laws in the process.

He was arrested.

Maduro knew what was about to go down. imo He wanted to negotiate a deal targeting drug trafficking tied to his government. He even said he was ready for U.S. investment in oil. imo - and linked earlier by me.

In addition, and after the fact, there are several in his military ready to give evidence against the regime in exchange for safe passage. imo

 

[NuttMegg]

Exactly. To arrest him, not to kidnap him, breaking multiple laws in the process.

IIRC information leading to the arrest. Much less than is implied (to me) in the word bounty being used in all the news sources. I'm used to bounty on wolves, etc, which is far more than providing information leading to the apprehension of a wolf, but that's just my take for what it's worth.

 

[Hexe]

He was arrested.

An arrest without valid legal foundation is a kidnapping.

 

[CrimeDawg123]

Typically when LE arrests someone it doesn't involve the military or dozens of collateral dead people. Trying to frame this as a law enforcement matter is absurd.

 

[BayouBelle_LA]

Meet 'El Pollo,' the Venezuelan general who might testify against Maduro

US officials tracked Hugo Carvajal for two decades. Now in prison, he could testify about Maduro's alleged role in US-bound cocaine shipments.

www.usatoday.com

 

[otto]

Yes China is much more forward thinking than the US. While the US has slowed investment in renewables (partly because of Trump's insane wind turbine obsession), China is investing big time in renewables. And when the US gets to invade and take over Venezuela's oil industry, China might very well feel entitled to invade and take over Taiwan's semiconductor industry. Who do you think comes out better in that deal?

The US government is relying on a document written in 1823 to establish policy today: the Monroe Doctrine. Social policy similarly reflects society of many decades past. Nothing the US does today appears to be progressive. Invading and pillaging - not the future that anyone wants.

China responded to over-population fears with one child policy, and responded to environment concerns with creating a bird sanctuary. China is forward thinking.

The US appears terrified that China will surpass the US as a world leader. There are two ways to get ahead. One is to criticize or undermine the opponent, the other is to do better. The US is the former, China is the latter.

"Less than an hour's drive from the densely populated, skyscraper-filled Chinese capital, a surprising landscape unfolds. In the wetlands and deserted fields surrounding Beijing, hundreds of bird species settle on their long migration through Asia.

With 527 bird species, Beijing is the second-richest capital of all G20 countries. The city's location makes it an ideal resting place for migratory birds. But that hasn't been the case for a long time.

After years of destroying natural areas, Beijing is now trying to offer the birds a safe haven in the metropolis again, and with success."

Dec 2025

Peking ontpopt zich tot vogelparadijs dankzij natuurherstel en bescherming

Met 527 vogelsoorten is Peking de op een na vogelrijkste hoofdstad van alle G20-landen. De ligging maakt het een ideale rustplaats voor trekvogels.

nos.nl

 

[shotgun09]

Meet 'El Pollo,' the Venezuelan general who might testify against Maduro

US officials tracked Hugo Carvajal for two decades. Now in prison, he could testify about Maduro's alleged role in US-bound cocaine shipments.

www.usatoday.com

I believe the "information" given by Carvajal was instrumental in moving forward with the capture and arrest of Maduro. And, Maduro knows what Carvajal knows......

Did POTUS call him out with the Cavajal info? Entice him to give up, or flee? And Maduro said hell no? and called his bluff?

Surely Carvajal is in protective custody, right?

And Maduros trial is a long way out.

 

[otto]

delete