Venezuela

Trump, Maduro, and What’s Next

Five dimensional chess? Or is it six?

The usual suspect have, in fact, gone from “No Kings” to complaining that Trump has somehow violated international law. This is true only to the extent that “international law” means “a wish-fulfillment tool for the Left.” Which is its chief use now.

But what Trump did is basically indistinguishable — except for being much swifter and cheaper — than what George H.W. Bush did with Manuel Noriega, the “President” of Panama (not recognized as such by the United States due to election fraud) just as Maduro was the “President” of Venezuela, but not recognized as such by the United States (and other countries) due to election fraud.

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by Blazingcatfur••0•Posted inUSA, Venezuela

“Experts” say Canada should co-ordinate Western Hemisphere response to Maduro’s ouster

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OTTAWA – Foreign policy experts say Ottawa should reach out to nations threatened by the United States to co-ordinate a response to the Trump administration’s actions against Venezuela.

The U.S. shocked the world this weekend when it captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in a military raid that followed months of airstrikes on Venezuelan boats Washington said were trafficking drugs.

Max Cameron, a professor at the University of British Columbia who studies the politics of Latin America, says this could be the first step in Washington’s deployment of its new national security strategy, which calls for the U.S. to exert more control over North and South America.

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by Blazingcatfur••0•Posted inCanada, USA, Venezuela, WTF?

‘I’m a prisoner of war’ – In the room for Maduro’s dramatic court hearing

The sound of clanking leg shackles could be heard moments before Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro walked into the door of a New York City courtroom for the first time.

He then told packed rows of reporters and the public that he had just been “kidnapped”.

Minutes after his entrance, the Judge Alvin Hellerstein asked Maduro to confirm his identity so the proceedings could start.

More … I saw how Maduro was humbled in court

Venezuela’s ‘kidnapped’ ex-president tried to put on a defiant front as he was heckled at Manhattan hearing

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by Blazingcatfur••0•Posted inUSA, Venezuela

Canadian energy stocks tumble after U.S. incursion in Venezuela

North American oil prices climbed by more than one per cent on Monday following the upheaval in Venezuela over the weekend, while stock prices of some large Canadian oil and gas companies have fallen.

A barrel of West Texas Intermediate, the North American benchmark, was trading about 1.5 per cent higher by midday, up nearly $1 to just over $58 US. Prices remain relatively cheap and are about $15 lower than compared to one year ago.

Meanwhile, several Canadian oil and gas companies are taking a hit to their stock price. The Toronto Stock Exchange’s energy index was down about 4.5 per cent by midday Monday.

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by Blazingcatfur••0•Posted inCanada, USA, Venezuela

‘This changes everything’: Here’s how Canada could be impacted by the U.S.’ abduction of Maduro

After the U.S. abducted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in a military-raid, there was simultaneous celebration and global outcry.

While many Venezuelans praised the capture of a man widely considered to be an authoritarian ruler — who is being investigated by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for crimes against humanity — protesters around the world also denounced the U.S.’s assault.

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by Blazingcatfur••0•Posted inCanada, USA, Venezuela

Cuba in a Panic

Few people are more upset about Nicolás Maduro’s arrest than the descendants of the Fidel Castro regime in Cuba. (Well, except for maybe the Democrats in Congress and other white leftists in the United States.)

Current Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel has come out swinging against the Donald Trump administration’s recent actions both in person and on social media. But while he talks a good game about “imperialism,” his demeanor is anything but tough. The man is obviously terrified, and rightfully so.

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by Blazingcatfur••0•Posted inCuba, USA, Venezuela

Thirty-two Cubans killed during US attack on Venezuela

The Cuban government has said 32 of its nationals were killed during the US operation to seize Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro.

It said the dead were members of its armed forces and intelligence agencies, with two days of national mourning declared.

A short statement did not elaborate on the role of the Cubans in Venezuela, but the two governments are long-standing allies, with Cuba providing security support in exchange for oil.

Justin Trudeau was unavailable for comment.

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by Blazingcatfur••0•Posted inCuba, USA, Venezuela

Can Maduro’s trusted lieutenant now work for Trump?

Many of those who tuned in to US President Donald Trump’s news conference on Saturday were probably hoping to hear dramatic details of how US forces seized Venezuela’s leader, Nicolás Maduro, in a pre-dawn raid.

But arguably a more surprising moment came when Trump announced that now that Maduro was in custody, the US would “run” Venezuela “until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition”.

In another unexpected development, he added that Secretary of State Marco Rubio had been speaking to Maduro’s Vice-President, Delcy Rodríguez, who he said was “essentially willing to do what we think is necessary to make Venezuela great again”.

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by Blazingcatfur••0•Posted inUSA, Venezuela

After US Venezuela Operation, Poilievre Says Canada in ‘Weakened’ Position Without More Oil Pipelines to Tidewater

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre says the Liberal government’s oil tanker ban, which led to the cancellation of a pipeline that would have transported Alberta oil to British Columbia for international markets, has put Canada in a “weakened and dependent” position.

Poilievre’s remarks came shortly after the United States announced on Jan. 3 that it had captured Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. U.S. President Donald Trump said the United States will run Venezuela until a peaceful transition of power is completed, adding that it will be heavily involved in the nation’s oil industry.

Bonus Gilmore h/t all who sent this in

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by Blazingcatfur••0•Posted inCanada, USA, Venezuela

Where is María Corina Machado, Venezuela’s opposition leader?

María Corina Machado, the international figurehead of the Venezuelan opposition who collected the Nobel peace prize last month, has so far been reduced to a peripheral role after the US intervention in her country on Saturday.

President Trump appeared to dismiss the prospect of involving her in the political transition, describing her as a “very nice woman” but saying it would be “tough” for her to lead the nation because she did not have the “respect within or the support within the country”.

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by Blazingcatfur••0•Posted inVenezuela

Canada’s oil sector shouldn’t panic, stay competitive after Maduro’s seizure: expert

EDMONTON – A political scientist says U.S. President Donald Trump’s interest in transforming Venezuela’s oil-rich sector is a reminder for Canada’s oil and gas industry to not panic and stay competitive.

Heather Exner-Pirot, director of energy, natural resources and environment with the think-tank Macdonald-Laurier Institute, says Canada has always competed with other oil-rich countries, and Trump’s recent claims his country will “run” oil-rich Venezuela is a medium-term risk to Canada.

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by Blazingcatfur••0•Posted inCanada, USA, Venezuela

JD Vance Takes on Lefty Claims About Venezuelan Drug Trafficking

American leftists, who never met an anti-American dictator they didn’t like, are protesting the U.S. capture of Venezuelan dictator and narcoterrorist Nicolás Maduro. Part of their noisy hysteria includes highly deceptive claims about the drug war Venezuelan cartels wage on America.

Vice President JD Vance wrote on X Sunday, “You see a lot [of] claims that Venezuela has nothing to do with drugs because most of the fentanyl comes from elsewhere. I want to address this.” He not only explained the reality of Venezuelan drug trafficking that was backed by Maduro, he also took on false claims about the Venezuelan oil industry and its new American takeover.

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by Blazingcatfur••0•Posted inUSA, Venezuela

‘A million WhatsApp messages’: Venezuelans in N.S. react to Maduro’s capture after U.S. strike

Verónica Gutiérrez woke up what seemed like “a million WhatsApp messages” from her family in Venezuela after the U.S. launched a strike on the capital of the country that led to the capture of President Nicolás Maduro on Saturday.

In the early hours of Saturday, the U.S. launched a “large-scale strike” in Caracas and took Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, out of their home within the Fort Tiuna military installation.

Gutiérrez, who left Venezuela in 2015, describes feeling a mix of optimism and confusion at the news.

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by Blazingcatfur••0•Posted inCanada, USA, Venezuela

Hollywood Celebrities Rush to Call for Trump‘s Impeachment After U.S. Apprehends Nicolás Maduro: ‘America Is a Terror State‘

Left-wing Hollywood celebrities wasted no time demanding the impeachment of President Donald Trump after he ordered the military operation the lead to the capture of Venezuela’s socialist dictator Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores, on what U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi called charges of Narco-Terrorism Conspiracy, Cocaine Importation Conspiracy, Possession of Machineguns and Destructive Devices, and Conspiracy to Possess Machineguns and Destructive Devices against the United States.”

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by Blazingcatfur••0•Posted inCelebrity Idiots, Hollywood, Trump Derangement Syndrome, Venezuela