More on Venezuela
It seems this was the culmination of months – or more? – of planning, with signals and warnings for Maduro to go into exile or else. Now we see the “or else.”
There are also rumors that it’s all staged and Maduro cooperated. I definitely don’t think that’s the case.He almost certainly could have absconded to one of his sponsor states instead. They may not be paradises, but they’re better than US prison.
Trump is now saying that we’ll be running Venezuela till the new government takes over:
We’re going to run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper, and judicious transition. So we don’t want to be involved with having somebody else get in. And we have the same situation that we had for the last long period of years. So we are going to run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper, and judicious transition, and it has to be judicious, because that’s what we’re all about.
We want peace, liberty and justice for the great people of Venezuela, and that includes many from Venezuela who are now living in the United States and want to go back to their country as their homeland.
We can’t take a chance that somebody else takes over Venezuela, that doesn’t have the good of the Venezuelan people in mind for decades. We’re not going to let that happen. …
We are ready to stage a second and much larger attack if we need to do so. So we were prepared to do a second wave if we needed to do so.
I figured they had a plan at the outset. But what is that plan, how long will it take, and will it be successful? Trump’s not a big one for lengthy neoconnish nation-building endeavors, but does this threaten to become that? There’s a president and/or VP waiting in the wings in exile, Machado and Gonzalez who actually were elected in the previous election in Venezuela, as was widely acknowledged at the time. So if anyone is the legitimate leader of Venezuela, it would be one or both of them. But how can their installation be facilitated? The regime itself, minus Maduro, will almost certainly want to hang onto power, or at least some of the cast of characters will (I listed them in my previous post on the subject).
We’re learning a bit more about the action itself, from Chairman John Daniel Caine:
“This operation, known as Operation Absolute Resolve, was discreet, precise, and conducted during the darkest hours of January 2, and was the culmination of months of planning and rehearsal, an operation that, frankly, only the United States military could undertake.”
Chairman Caine continued.
“This particular mission required every component of our joint force with soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines and guardians, working in unison with our intelligence agency partners and law enforcement teammates in an unprecedented operation, we leveraged our unmatched intelligence capabilities and our years of experience in hunting terrorists, and we could not have done this mission without the incredible work by various intelligence agencies, including the CIA, NSA and NGA.”
There’s a very interesting post at Althouse covering the different takes of the WaPo and NY Times on this:
I’m [Althouse, that is] reading “Trump’s bold capture of Maduro was a victory for America. What’s next?” by The Editorial Board of The Washington Post. That’s the front page headline. Inside it’s “Justice in Venezuela/The next challenge is setting the country up for long-term success.”
The editorial ends: “For years, Maduro was a symbol of the false warmth of Latin American collectivism. Now he should spend the rest of his life in a humane American prison. His downfall is good news.”
That’s astounding on two levels. The first is that it seems to contain elements of praise for Trump, and the second is the rather obvious reference to the inaugural speech of the odious Mamdani (I covered that in this post, where Mamdani is quoted as having said: “We will replace the frigidity of rugged individualism with the warmth of collectivism”).
The Times is not as pleased as the WaPo:
Anyway, the WaPo editors seem rather positive about Trump’s action in Venezuela. The mood at The New York Times is different: “Trump’s Attack on Venezuela Is Illegal and Unwise.” It ends:
“We will hold out hope that the current crisis will end less badly than we expect. We fear that the result of Mr. Trump’s adventurism is increased suffering for Venezuelans, rising regional instability and lasting damage for America’s interests around the world. We know that Mr. Trump’s warmongering violates the law.”
It doesn’t violate the precedent I discussed in my earlier post, the Noriega case. Jonathan Turley also doesn’t think it violates the law; I hadn’t seen his comment when I wrote my earlier piece, but here it is:
The administration is acting within the navigational beacons of the Noriega case. And by the way, for all these Democrats objecting, the authority that Trump could cite is Barack Obama. Barack Obama vaporized a US citizen without a criminal charge. One would think that if a president could do that, and I don’t remember Democrats objecting en masse that you could arrest someone for trial with an existing indictment.
You can see some photos of Venezuelans around the world celebrating.
And it’s been announced that Maduro has landed in NY:
The aircraft believed to be carrying Nicolas Maduro has touched down at Stewart Airport in Orange County, New York, Saturday afternoon, sources familiar with the matter told ABC News.
Maduro is now expected to take a helicopter to New York City, accompanied by the DEA. He will then head by motorcade to a location in New York City for processing before he’s held in jail, sources said.
So the NY Times is in the “warm embrace of socialism” more like totalitarianism (Duranity).
Not good enough for a cat box liner.
The WaPo? Truly astounding.
Here’s a roundup of X.com videos celebrating Maduro’s fall: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=goEQoXOs77Y
It starts with public joy in Chile, where US flags are seen and thanks to Trump being expressed.
According to what was said at the President’s 11 A.M. press conference, Maduro’s security apparatus is apparently run by Cubans, and Trump has said that the U.S. intends to run Venezuela until it gets back on the right track.
So how will this work? Do our troops run them out of the country, or fight and eliminate these Cubans,?
What about the day to day running of the country, are we going to take this over?
What are we going to do about all of the loyalists who Maduro has likely stuffed the government/bureaucracy with, many of whom are likely to resist our running the country?
Yesterday, President Trump posted this on Truth Social about the widespread protests in Iran:
Is the timing of the action in Venezuela today a warning to Iran? Couple that with the recent meeting with Netanyahu, are these events couple or just coincidental?
BREAKING: Multiple Cities COLLAPSE In Iran As IRGC Retreat – Iranian Uprising
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jy2c3ZA1fiA
Bopping around Google News this evening I find the Swiss bar fire is the hottest story. There’s not as much coverage on Venezuela as I expected nor is it as negative.
Trump is now criticizing Mexico, Columbia and Cuba, which sounds more ominous after the capture of Maduro.
So perhaps we’ll have to let the world absorb the news more fully before we see how things play out. I take this as a good sign.
“Operation Absolute Resolve” — where do these names come from?
“There’s NO ORDER in Iran” – Trump WARNS Iran As Protestors THREATEN To Topple Khamenei’s Regime
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_hwx3HtEKE
Brian E:
Yes. The protests in Iran are continuing and are the most successful since the mullahs took over. We’ve reached Day 7 and only about ten protesters have been killed. I understand protesters have burned down police stations and have occupied a corner of Tehran.
Trump and Netanyahu are on their side and Iranians are grateful. At this point I question how representative were the previous Death to Israel, Death to America protests in Iran.
Fingers crossed, I think the mullahs are on the run.
I still remember a 2000s blogger who called herself IranGirl. After the US successfully invaded Iraq and deposed Hussein, she pleaded, please do Iran next.
Her voice went silent not long after. I hope she’s still alive.
For IranGirl!
There’s a very interesting post at Althouse covering the different takes of the WaPo and NY Times on this
One difference between the WaPo and the NYT is that Bezos has made a concerted effort to push the WaPo to the center.
Another difference is that for years, though apparently not recently, the WaPo has published articles by Francisco “Quico” Toro, co-founder of the Venezuelan oppo blog Caracas Chronicles. Francisco Toro@ Washington post. (Francisco Toro stepped down from his position at CC in 2019.)
At the same time, the NYT has also published in the last year some editorials by Bret Stephens that have either endorsed US intervention in Venezuela or has considered US intervention. Bret Stephens editorial: The Case for Overthrowing Maduro
IIRC, the NYT has published at least one op-ed by Maduro, though I was not able to locate it.
One difference between the WaPo and the NYT is that Bezos has made a concerted effort to push the WaPo to the center.
WaPo is the Voice of the Swamp. When has the Swamp ever been against wars and nation-building?
There’s not just a left-right axis in politics, there’s an inside-outside axis. The WaPo has no enemies to the left but they’re mainly an insider publication. It’s a big club and we ain’t in it.
Does anyone know why Nicolas Maduro was taken to New York?
The (oft derided here) Sundance has said for years that WaPo is a mouthpiece for State Department Deep Staters, and NYT is a mouthpiece for CIA Deep Staters. (I might have that backwards.)
John,
That is strange!
Why was Maduro taken to New York? He is indicted in thew Southern District of New York – That’s where he will be tried.
I have wondered why the Southern District of New York has such an outsized place in the Federal court system but never seen an explanation.
Largest population (city) in the US may have something to do with it. Financial center of the US. Number of crimes ….?
Well this certainly could have been predicted:
The next step (in Venezuela, East)…
“Brexit Architect Blows Lid Off Deep State Plot To Destroy Nigel Farage And Reform UK”—
https://www.zerohedge.com/political/brexit-architect-blows-lid-deep-state-plot-destroy-nigel-farage-and-reform-uk
Perhaps DPUSA can return Starmer’s 2024 election favor and send over some strategists and consultants to their fellow psychopaths in the UK to sabotage, subvert and destroy their “green and pleasant land”…
I guess that Venezuela will no longer be supplying oil to Cuba, which may have dire consequences for the thugs that rule that island (much to the chagrin of Raul Castrol’s good pal, Obama, the demonkrats in general, the congressional black caucus, mayors mamdani and Karen Bass, AOC, et.al.).
The thousands of supporters of Maduro are still around in Venezuela and like the deep state here in the USA, it will be almost impossible to get rid of them. There are too many of them and too well embedded in the corridors of power. They may lie low for a bit, sort of like a cancer in remission, awaiting the best time to resurrect themselves.
The new leaders of Venezuela, if they are to maintain a real representative democracy, need to follow the strategies of Nayib Bukele of El Salvadore; round up the top drug dealers and their enablers in Maduro’s govt. and military, and toss them all in jail.
What about the assumption of innocence ??
When there exists home grown terrorist groups that contain many many thousands of members , that are heavily armed and literally drowning in $$$$, and are terrorizing the nation, – including murdering prominent political leaders – “normal” judicial ” procedures will not work.
One reason it will not work is because the honest politicians and military generals and judges all know they will be murdered if they do not engage in the correct behavior .
This is same story in Mexico. If President Sheinbaum moves against the cartels – which are deeply embedded in all aspects of society – she will be murdered along with her family. And so will any politician or judge or general that does likewise.
So, those legitimately in power like Sheinbaum, are forced to allow the cartels to get on with their business.
What I have not been able to figure out is how Nayib Bukele was able to do what he did in El Salvador without getting murdered by the drug gangs there.
Always fascinating when Democrats position themselves as arbiters of lawfulness and wisdom….
“Kamala Harris blasts Trump admin’s capture of Nicolas Maduro as ‘unlawful and unwise’“—
https://nypost.com/2026/01/04/us-news/kamala-harris-blasts-trump-admins-capture-of-nicolas-maduro-as-unlawful-and-unwise/
And the punchline:
And it looks like w have a new and improved definition of “Utter Cluelessness”…
“Britain’s Starmer Says Leadership Change Would ‘Not be in National Interest’”—
https://www.newsmax.com/newsfront/britain-starmer/2026/01/04/id/1240703/
All this really means, of course, is “If you know what’s good for you you had better vote Labour…”
Headline in today’s Chicago Tribune:
Bus Driver Rose to Become President
@huxley 1/3/26:Colombia is the nation. Columbia is a NYC university. There. Fixed it.
Trump fan, but good reporter Don Surber, was first among Mr digi sources to claim Gonzales, now in Spain, plans to return and be inaugurated on Saturday.
https://donsurber.substack.com/p/the-three-hour-war-in-venezuela
There was an indictment in NYC back in 2020 -03-26. The US doesn’t recognize the last election as legitimate, so also Maduro is not legit ruler.
The time for the Dems to complain was long ago, complaining about the indictment. Arresting those who have been indicted is a key job of govt.
Trump doing well.
Mike Plaiss:
Headline in today’s Chicago Tribune: Bus Driver Rose to Become President
When one sees such a headline, the assumption is that Maduro is a doofus. How many people think that a bus driver would make a competent President? It turns out that current articles with the bus driver becomes President headline actually do a good job of explaining how Maduro became a bus driver—which is far from the common reason for becoming one.
Maduro went to Cuba in the 1980s for a year of training/indoctrination. He became a bus driver with the goal of heading the bus driver’s union. Some articles say he founded the union. Maduro was Chavista before Chavez was a Chavista. Chavez didn’t attempt his coup until 1992. Cilia Flores, Maduro’s wife, helped get Chavez released from prison after his coup attempt.
Consider this “bus driver to President” article from Fortune: Nicolas Maduro rose from bus driver to president before presiding over Venezuela’s economic collapse.
One cannot blame Maduro for Venezuela’s economic collapse. Eventual economic collapse was baked into Chavismo. From 1998 to 2013, when the price of oil went from $10 to $100 /BBL, Venezuela’s per capita income increased by 15%. Latin America’s per capita income from 1998 to 2013 increased by 29%—an increase that had little to do with the $10-$100 increase in the price of oil.
Chavismo fans loudly proclaimed the 20% reduction in poverty in Chavista Venezuela. As Thomas Sowell says—compared to what? For 1998-2013, Venezuela’s reduction in poverty was not at all exceptional.
According to the World Bank, the Poverty gap at $6.85 a day (2017 PPP) (%) went from 42.6% in 1998 to 26% in. 2013. Chavismo: 20%. World: 16.6%.
Chavismo’s record on poverty reduction was apparently slightly above average, but when you throw a trillion dollars in oil revenue against the wall, some of it is going to stick.
Chavismo was a scam that fooled its believers—Chavez included.
It is not going to be easy to root out the drug running. The army collects considerable income from drug running. Rest assured that the army will not react passively to the potential loss in income.
Better that the US forces in Venezuela had also grabbed Diosdado Cabello (translation: god-given hair), as he is also involved in Cartel de Soles and probably had more to do with the day-to-day running of Venezuela than Maduro.
NPR article, which is of course liberal, from last year. Apparently it was under the First Trump administration that Maduro was first indicted but the Biden Administration increased the reward for his capture . Take that in . The DEMOCRAT President issued an increased award for Maduros capture before Trump arrived for his second term . ( Then Trump admin further increased the award) The Admin and conservative media needs to highlight this. If the Biden Press Secretaries talked about this it needs to be replaced.
https://www.npr.org/2025/01/10/nx-s1-5256219/venezuelas-maduro-begins-new-term-as-us-increases-bounty-for-his-arrest
Lots of fun watching the chattering classes tut-tutting about the deposition of a dictator… I keep reminding myself that these people are still promoting the Palis…
Barry, maybe Starmer is not trying to get people to vote Labor but rather is worried about being “Maduro’d” lol
Re: Maduro capture
The usual suspects are not pleased, but two days later the response remains curiously muted. Even after Trump declares the US will run the country and its oil for some undetermined period of time.
Times were when this would have pushed leftists into serious street action and international leaders bonkers. Consider the response to Israel’s counterattack against Hamas and 10/7.
Trump has moved the Overton Window in the opposite direction.
Interesting.
@huxley:The usual suspects are not pleased, but two days later the response remains curiously muted…. Trump has moved the Overton Window in the opposite direction.
I really doubt that muted response is anything to do with Trump.
If the Biden Administration was offering millions for his capture, then there were some very powerful people close to Biden who were basically okay with it, and “the usual suspects” are probably backed by or answer to those same people.
Now they may not have expected Trump to go fetch him the way he did, but it seems like whoever pulled the wires to get Biden to offer that reward is basically okay with that outcome.
“…two days…”
True, but there’s always the Three-Day rule to consider…
Though the Usual Suspects(TM) do give the ZIOs honorable mention…
https://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2026/01/reactions-to-venezuela.php
https://www.timesofisrael.com/maduro-in-ny-jail-after-capture-venezuelas-vp-rodriguez-claims-op-had-zionist-tint/amp/
Besides, there’s this not entirely unintelligible bit of insanity:
“Chinese Social Media Explodes: US Invasion Of Venezuela A ‘Template’ For Move On Taiwan”—
https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/chinese-social-media-explodes-us-invasion-venezuela-template-move-taiwan
FOAF, entirely possible; though I think that what really worries him is that when push does come to shove—and it will—he was expecting that Maduro would welcome him with open arms (and asylum), but it now looks like Caracas, alas, is not going to be in the cards.
(Ah well, there’s always Pyongyang…)
Trump’s military minded cabinet seems to be systematically destroying the donkey party industrial base as surely as if by bombing. I suspect much ink will be spilled in the coming decades about how War Plan Dead Donkey was formulated and executed. Fraud money and cartel money traced to donkeys is probably next.
I’m still worried about how this will go in Venezuela. The government at the moment of Maduro’s capture was stuffed with his Marxist comrades.
Maduro and the Missus may be behind bars but at least one crime family can breathe a sigh of relief…
“Biden’s ‘extravagant’ pension is largest of any president in history – and even more than what he earned as prez”—
https://nypost.com/2026/01/04/us-news/bidens-pension-is-largest-of-any-us-president-in-history/
It greatly amused me to hear that he was brought in through Stewart. I wonder how long it’s been since that airport had received such a distinguished guest.
Read at Legalinsurrection.com ( paraphrasing)
The head spin from Somalian fraud protection to Narco state protection is mind blowing.
“More on [the REAL intersectionality!]
Lest one forget…(assuming we even knew about it in the first place)…
From February 2022…
“Soleimani U;
“A new academic center in Caracas named after the Iranian mass murderer is the latest node in Tehran’s soft power network in Latin America”—
https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/news/articles/soleimani-u
H/T Powerline blog.
+ Bonus! (Caution: Weimar dead ahead…)
“LEFT IN THE DARK”—
https://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2026/01/left-in-the-dark.php
+ Teaser (caveat emptor)…
“KHAMENEI PREPARING TO FLEE”—
“The London Times reports that Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is making plans to flee to Russia if protests against his misrule continue:…”
https://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2026/01/khamenei-preparing-to-flee.php
Certain Russian big shots have exploded. Not the FSB’s way of doing things. Maybe Zelensky could spare a couple of drones.
At least, the ayatollah would have to be thinking about it.
But when the fearless leader deserts his troops, what do his troops do?
“Dr. Zeev Maghen is an Israeli scholar and professor of Arabic and Islamic history at Bar-Ilan University, and a senior fellow at the Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies. He’s a leading expert on Revolutionary Iran, Shi’a Islam, and Middle Eastern geopolitics, and the author of books and research on Iran’s political and religious dynamics.”
He is being interviewed by Rabbi Yishai Fleisher and believes the fall of the Islamists controlling the country is near. Israel has it’s hand in the Iranian revolt. He doesn’t think much of Pahlavi– whether he can sustain enough support to lead the country forward.
The Iranian Regimes Downfall Is Now IMMINENT!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-u5rGUZgfbw
Suggestions that Maduro’s trial and further investigations will find cartel money going to the US’ dem party.
Wouldn’t be surprised, but it means Maduro and his wife are at risk from cartel operatives getting inside.
Venezuelan opposition is largely outside of the country. Time will tell if they become part of the domestic chessboard or not, soon.
Meanwhile, Maduro’s “VP and now apparently Interim President Delcy Rodriguez is offering a huge olive branch” to Trump. Will realism prevail? https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/maduros-vp-bends-knee-maduro-arraignment-ny-court-imminent
will find cartel money going to the US’ dem party.
Not unlikely. The Spanish Socialists had a lot of connections, monetary and otherwise, with Maduro’s Venezuela.
Video from Venezuela
Inspired by the video that Chuck posted.
Twitchy: WATCH Pro-Maduro Protester MALFUNCTION As Nate Friedman Shows Him Footage of Venezuelans Celebrating -Vid
Here is the video.
A typical lefty protestor about Venezuela. The protestor doesn’t know a thing about Venezuela, apart from his memorized narrative. He doesn’t know the difference between an arepa and an aardvark.
Here is a video, also from the Twitchy link, of a Hugo Chávez statue being topple. Could be the same statue that Chuck showed being dragged through the streets.
The NYTimes is truly revolting. It says Maduro has been charged with nacrotrafficking “and other crimes”. Those “other crimes” are many but NYT readers need not trouble themselves.
Nothing at all new here: the NYT et al. decides what it is that you really ought to know…and what it is that you really ought NOT know.
It (they) publishes and embellishes the former (using a lot of innuendo and flat out lies); and totally blocks/covers up—or weasels around—the latter (using a lot of innuendo and flat out lies).
Constantly. Continuously. Consistently.
And if it (they) doesn’t respond to a huge Democratic Party scandal (or significant Trump achievement) immediately, it means that it (they) hasn’t yet decided on what line to take on that particular scandal (or achievement).
And if it (they) still doesn’t come up with something, it means that it’s (they’re) coordinating the “story” with the rest of the Lying Legacy Media…and/or waiting for another “story” to bump the scandal (or achievement) off the radar—e.g., the upcoming government shutdown.
IOW, “All the news that’s fit to print”…
Am I right in noticing that most of the protests of ANY Trump policy are mostly older white women, even as they claim to be representing BIPOC and Hispanic concerns? What makes those women think they have standing to speak for groups they are not members of?
Drug trafficing and corruption: It’s a family affair.
Caracas Chronicles Dec 14, 2017:Law & Order: Stupid Venezuelans Unit
Why are these two referred to as narcosobrinos (narco-nephews)? Because Efraín Antonio Campo Flores and Franqui Francisco Flores de Freitas are nephews of Venezuela’s first couple, Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores.
Caracas Chronicles July 26,2019: A Vast Corruption Network
@F:older white women… What makes those women think they have standing to speak for groups they are not members of?
It may not be that they think this. It may be that they’re the only ones willing to show up to protest without getting paid.
It’s important to remember how fake most of what we see in the news is. There’s multiple layers of fakeness. There’s legacy media making up their stories and selectively reciting facts to give them an illusion of truth, but the things they are reporting on are also often fake to begin with, as in staged for the purpose of being written about.
On another thread I referenced the “Coffee Party”. Remember that? It was the leftist version of the Tea Party and it got tongue baths from the NYT and WaPo and all the other legacy media about how quickly it was growing and how enthusiastic every one in it was.
Or how NPR had to make a rule this year that their news reports can’t quote University of Richmond law professor Carl Tobias anymore. He’s a real person, and real law professor at a real university, but he’ll say anything an NPR reporter wants him to say on pretty much any topic, and in that sense his expertise is fake. (And he’s also frequently quoted in NYT and WaPo.)
The older white ladies are real, and they are really showing up with their signs, but that they represent anything of significance is fake. The big protests have the backing of big money, and those people are paid to pretend to be indignant, and it’s fake in a different way in that the protest represents the views of a few organizations with lots of funding and not the people paid to hold the signs and yell.
F:
You forgot the gender-confused/insane contingent, sometimes in black with masks, sometimes in multicolors without masks.
The same question applies to them as to the AWFLs, who died and made them kings (or queens)?
Turns out that Biden pardoned the narconephews. Once pardoned, they continued their drug-dealing ways. Big surprise. U.S. sanctions Maduro family, says it’s keeping oil from tanker
huxley on January 3, 2026 at 10:02 pm said:
. . . At this point I question how representative were the previous Death to Israel, Death to America protests in Iran.
There is a video that’s a few years old now that help understand that.
It shows a university in Iran with the US and Israeli flags painted on the ground. The Iranian students take extra effort to walk around them. An older man walks right over the flags and the students are very audible in rebuking him.
It’s been revealed! Venezuela’s soon to be deposed vice-president says Maduro’s ouster was a Zionist plot.
It’s all connected.
Iran Threatens FINAL All Out Assault As Protesters TEAR Down The Regime!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgaPB9DzUK4
There there’s this.
BREAKING: Netanyahu Approves Attack On IRGC In Iran – Revolution In Tehran
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ESSpzxVbso
Snow on Pine on January 3, 2026 at 8:16 pm said:
According to what was said at the President’s 11 A.M. press conference, Maduro’s security apparatus is apparently run by Cubans, and Trump has said that the U.S. intends to run Venezuela until it gets back on the right track.
So how will this work? Do our troops run them out of the country, or fight and eliminate these Cubans,?
Allende also had Cuban guards.
The Cubans are a key element in Venezuelan security and intelligence.