"How Venezuela has – and hasn’t – changed since Maduro’s" Topic

…capture

"Four months have passed since US forces captured Venezuela's sitting president, Nicolás Maduro, and ousted him from power. Maduro's vice-president, Delcy Rodríguez, quickly moved into the top job and has, under US tutelage, begun a process of reversing her country's experiment with socialism.

Venezuela's pivot towards socialism began under the leadership of Hugo Chávez. After entering office in 1999, he initiated a programme of sweeping nationalisations, state-led oil wealth redistribution and increased social spending. Chávez called this process the Bolivarian revolution.

Maduro replaced Chávez as president after his death in 2013. And from there, his administration oversaw one of the most severe economic declines in modern history while simultaneously dismantling democratic checks and balances.

Ideological revision is a perilous moment for revolutionary regimes. Major policy pivots require cautious steering and, without credible and calibrated leadership, they risk overwhelming insular, authoritarian states.

The Soviet Union is perhaps the most illustrative example of this. It collapsed in 1991 under the weight of popular economic grievances mobilised under newfound freedoms of speech and assembly.

Keen to avoid a similar fate, the Chinese Communist party studied the Soviet Union's downfall over the next decade. It concluded that the Soviet miscalculation was simultaneous economic and political opening, and has thus limited regime liberalisation to the economy.

In Venezuela, Rodríguez appears to be following China's approach. She has maintained tight control of political conditions inside the country, while prioritising economic liberalisation.

Under the acknowledged guidance of US officials, Rodríguez has unravelled some elements of Maduro's regime. Thirteen of 32 ministerial positions have been reshuffled in an administration that has long been dominated by military figures and interests.

However, a number of the key power brokers from the Venezuelan armed forces who maintained the Maduro regime remain in government. This includes the interior minister, Diosdado Cabello, and Vladimir Padrino López, who was dismissed from his role as defence minister in March and appointed as agriculture minister instead.

These people have moved into line behind Rodríguez. Successive US presidents have issued sanctions, bounties and arrest warrants against them, as they have against Rodríguez. Hers have now been rescinded, and other prominent Maduro loyalists will be hoping their compliance brings them the same.

The entire machinery of state and government remains in the hands of the ruling United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV). This includes the national assembly, supreme court, national electoral administration, police and military. PSUV governors are in place in 23 of the country's 24 states.

And despite demands from Venezuelan opposition figures for presidential elections, the Trump administration and Rodríguez have thus far avoided committing to a vote. Progress on granting amnesty to Maduro-era political prisoners has also slowed.

While more than 2,200 people were released from prison or had other legal restrictions withdrawn after the passing of an amnesty law in February, the release of political prisoners has reduced to a trickle. Over 400 of these people remain incarcerated, and the amnesty law has been quietly parked for revision…"

More here

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Armand

We learned lessons from Iraq and A'stan. And yes, it is not perfect, but time will tell. However, at this point. That nation is better off than it was. Plus they no longer are the threat they once were to the Western Hemisphere. And the Chicoms and Russians don't have the control there like they once did …

Agree… but you don't consider that it's neccesary more…?

Armand

Well as that article you posted from the US Army COL in Iraq and A'stan. Sometimes total regime change is not always be necessary.

Helping it along would help … but every situation is not always the same. Again, bottom line Venezuela is not dominated by anything close to the radical islamists we have to deal with in the Mid-East, A'stan, etc.

I could be wrong … but I think that is a big discriminator.

The political power in Venezuela is evil… more than 7 millons people run away from them… that causes big problems in many countries… specially in USA… Trump has to continue the pression against them…

Corina Machado is the solution…

Armand

Well here is a big part of the solution … The US will an assist from Venezuela just blew up the Narco-terrorist TDA's Honcho and some of his minions.

Payback is a muth'a scum bag !

Good shoot'n boys !!!

But there is always more to do … in many cases involving air, drones, TLAM strikes, etc.

Continue to terminate this scum with extreme prejudice …

Who thought it was a good idea to open the US borders to everyone ?

How many US citizens died because of this ridiculous open border policy ?

How many of these terrorists are still roaming free in the USA ? Mostly in sanctuary cities as refuge and cover.

Who is in charge of the sanctuary cities ?

Why do they fight against ICE, CBP, and other Federal LEOs doing the missions they were created for ?

How much US blood is on the hands of some elected and appointed gov't officials at all levels and the party they support ?

Legion 👍

"The leader of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua was killed in a U.S. military strike in Venezuela. His name was Héctor Rusthenford Guerrero Flores. He was widely known by the primary alias "Niño Guerrero" (meaning "Warrior Child"), and was also referenced in U.S. federal indictments by the nicknames "The Unspeakable" and "The Big Eyebrow""

…

""The Unspeakable" was not a traditional street name used by Héctor Rusthenford Guerrero Flores's associates, but rather a moniker used to denote the extreme nature of the atrocities associated with his leadership"

…
"The Nature of His Crimes: It directly reflects the gruesome and severe level of violence, transnational sex trafficking, extortion, and terror orchestrated under his command. Federal prosecutors used the term to encapsulate criminal acts so heinous they were deemed "unspeakable".

Anonymity and Fear: In Venezuela and throughout South America, Guerrero Flores ruled the gang with total anonymity for over a decade. Because of his brutal reputation for retaliating against informants, his name was rarely spoken aloud by local populations or lower-level gang members out of sheer terror."

Good action… But I regret to inform you that his successor must already be taking command; these mafia-like institutions have plenty of replacements…The real way to combat drug trafficking in any country is through its government, and even with the participation of its armed forces if necessary. The true leaders of the "Tren de Aragua" are currently in the government, especially the murderous beast Diosdado Cabello, who, coincidentally, is the Minister of the Interior, the one in charge of crime in Venezuela…Until a democratic change is achieved in Venezuela… there will be no important achievement to show, only news of another dead drug trafficker.

Intelligence and security estimates indicate that the Tren de Aragua has a network of approximately 4,000 members throughout the Americas …This transnational criminal organization operates in a decentralized manner through local cells, franchises, and outsourced groups in various countries.

Armand

+1 Tango. I had numerous conversations with Venezuelans in the past few years, nearly every one stated they planned to go back if the current regime is ousted. Maduro is gone, and that's a good thing, however the regime still remains.

But I regret to inform you that his successor must already be taking command; these mafia-like institutions have plenty of replacements…

That is the nature of the beast … regardless. As we see in Iran and with other terrorist groups. So again, there may probably more to be done. This is not done in bringing that narco-nation back to some form of democracy.

The priority was getting Maduro out, along with the Chicoms and the Russians footholds. Then influencing their oil resources. Then slowly get that nation back into some sort of democracy. At what point that is currently … I don't know ?

Intelligence and security estimates indicate that the Tren de Aragua has a network of approximately 4,000 members throughout the Americas

Yes, again like with any terrorists. There is more to do …

However, at this point … the situation may not be perfect but is better than it was.

Does not mean there is not some initiatives ongoing etc.

Venezuela: A nation crippled by corruption and now earthquakes

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Venezuela's Earthquake Tests Fragile Governance

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At least 32 countries have deployed or pledged personnel …

Americas: Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, and the United States.

Europe: Czechia, France, Germany, Italy, Lithuania, Netherlands, Portugal, Serbia, Spain, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.

MENA & Asia: China, India, Jordan, Qatar, Syria, and Türkiye.

Where are the loved Russians…?

Armand

The Russians are short on assets of all types based on losses from invading Ukraine. The don't have much of anything to spare …

Subject: Trump Was Right. Six Months Post-Maduro, Venezuelan Recovery Defies Critics – Newsweek


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I couldn't read the entire article because I'm not a Newsweek subscriber… not a single sentence about Venezuela's miraculous recovery… what I can say firsthand is that in Venezuela, even with Maduro gone, people are getting much worse off… this was evident in the recent cataclysm that killed more than 5,500 people… also, tens of thousands remain unaccounted for or uncontactable, with recovery and debris clearance lagging badly…. Chronic shortages of food, clean water, and medical care persist alongside crumbling public services… people died because there are no supplies in the hospitals and from lack of sustenance… the regime remains just as repressive, and the release of political prisoners was suspended a long time ago… in fact, their numbers have increased. Vice President Delcy Rodríguez assumed acting leadership, steering a cautious and shifting political line while core elements of the state's security and legal apparatus remain largely intact… for the people who live in Venezuela, nothing has improved.

'Fear in the streets': Venezuelans uncertain about what might happen next

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Venezuela's repressive State apparatus ‘intact' despite leadership change

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Young Venezuelans voice hope and frustration as post-Maduro future unfolds

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"This isn´t getting better: it gets worse every day"

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Armand

Did anyone really think it was going to be different. It was made clear that wasn't about helping the people of Venezuela but about getting it's oil. Job done!

That's not how they "sold" it… after Maduro's removal, the illegitimate government of Venezuela trembled to its foundations… it was the moment to demand a clear path to democracy… otherwise, they already knew what could happen to them… when it all boiled down to "Hey… I just want to make money off your oil," they rubbed their hands together and continued to degrade the defenseless Venezuelans.

IMHO, the whole thing was embarrassment…

Armand

Did the U.S. force socialism on Venezuela? Did they not happily march to the promise of free this and free that? To the access to other peoples money? To the promise of El Dorado?

As with all these promises, those who promise it consolidate power and assert authoritarian rule.

No different than Iran and so so so many others.

Yes, Hugo Chávez was initially voted into power through democratic elections in 1998 by a populace frustrated with widespread corruption and poverty. However, the evolution into an authoritarian socialist state involved a gradual consolidation of power, systemic manipulation of democratic institutions, and economic shifts that went far beyond what most voters originally anticipated or consented to

They can wait this out and see if things improve, as the article I posted insinuates it may be slowly coming, or they can take matters into their own hands and attempt change. But ultimately they are responsible for what government they will have.

Life is hard and daddy can't always keep bailing you out of stupid self inflicted mistakes. Time to Pull up those big boy pants.

Of course the U.S. will do first what is best for the U.S. They should.

Really doesn't every country ultimately?

And yes oil access was involved, even if their crude is dirty, but this was much more the reason, if not more so.

The China and Adversary Connection: Geopolitically, the U.S. Department of State and defense analysts long warned that Maduro was actively dismantling Venezuela's democratic institutions through deep economic and military alliances with China, Russia, Iran, and Cuba. China, in particular, heavily financed his regime in exchange for oil, complicating U.S. influence in the Western Hemisphere.

Which has been a consistent policy so far.

I don't really buy the argument that if a country doesn't agree with another countries governmental system they have a right to invade that country and change it. Indeed the UN Charter Article 2, item 4 specifically forbids this type of action.

Fundamentally what is the difference between:
The US invading Venuzuala
Russia invading Ukraine
China invading Taiwan

Other than a snatch and grab, the U.S. has not invaded Venezuela.

So I assume you are happy?

No, the United States military is not occupying Venezuela. While the U.S. successfully carried out a brief, targeted raid on January 3, 2026, to apprehend Nicolás Maduro, it did not deploy ground forces to occupy or police the country

"the UN Charter is more what you'd call "guidelines" than actual rules"

Based on how countries have adhered to it since its inception. 😏

I agree with you. US, the great spread of freedom and democracy…unless oil is involved.