Anyone watching Trump talk about invading Venezuela?

[mumofoneAloneandwell]

wow

no words

Just waiting for the petrol to go up.
Won't be long.

I’m sure Venezuelans are as delighted by Trump’s invasion and kidnapping exploits as people and businesses are when the mafia “protect” them from the other criminals in the neighbourhood. Whoopee-doo, how fantastic to go from one corrupt regime to another, or possibly just a free for all for every bad actor wanting to take advantage of the situation.

https://www.nytimes.com/video/world/americas/100000010623077/venezuela-reactions-grocery-stores.html?smid=url-share

This is a video of the crowds protesting. You need to watch it report on other aspects.
Most reports state that Venezuans are fearful of what is to come for those that actually live there. The jubilant crowds are those outside of Venezuela. Caracas is quiet the people there are afraid of what is to come as the current president is now speaking against Trump . Trump is threatening “ boots on the ground “ in Venezuela. That could bring violence and in worse case scenario war. At the end of this video the President speaks. So not much to be happy about if you actually LIVE in Venezuela. So I agree with this poster that I have not seen valid videos of large crowds IN Venezuela cheering. They are probably too afraid !

In Australia we have had both pro-USA and anti-USA protests in different capital cities. You can be both for the removal of Maduro and against the way it was done simultaneously.

Venezuela will now be a vassal state of the US. Trump and his buddies won't give it back.

I’m stunned that Trump has broken all the rules to remove a dictator in this manner, no consulting Congress and other law-breaking. But seeing as he’s capable of doing such crazy things, it’s a pity he didn’t do the same to Putin years ago. And Kim Jong’un while he’s at it.

Reminds me of when Al Qaeda said that Isis was too violent.

Both would be hilarious if it wasn’t all so awful.

He likes Putin. He’d be more likely to do the same to Zelensky.

As cold as it sounds, I think the short and mid term fate of Venezuela hinges on the kind of business plans the US has for it: if it's a kind of Marshall Plan with massive investments in order to boost the country as the economic powerhouse it can be thanks to its huge resources, then it could turn it into the Germany of LatAm and be great for the population; if it's disaster capitalism, Iraq style plundering and a state of permanent chaos, not so good...

Reminds me of Gadaffi and all the whistleblowing which happened after that.

I think Trump should put him back and negotiate.

This. There are a lot of videos of normal people in Venezuala saying that they are not impressed and that this will make everything worse.

I think Trump must have had too much lemonade over Christmas and I hope that he sees sense and restores things back to where they were before it is too late.

The effect this will have on people and geopolitics around the world is unpredictable but unlikely to be positive.

Which is the point perhaps which illustrates how crazy this is. Did Putin capture Zelensky and his wife in 2022? No. And yes, he probably could have.

I see the deranged Orangutan is already making threats towards Mexico and has made clear if Venezuela chooses a leader not to their liking they will simply remove them.

Sovereignity means nothing to the rogue state that is the USA that’s clear.

The USA typically goes for the latter not the former.

Sadly.

Apparently the French are concerned about French Guyana being a target down the line (through destabilising influences pushing for independence followed by a puppet government, or even direct intervention who knows). Should we be concerned about the Falklands? Not from the US directly in that case, but from MAGA's mate Milei? There's a concerning potential chain of events to think about...
As for 'rogue state', I still really struggle to think about the US in those terms because that would mean a 'rogue state' has military bases on our soil with thousands of personnel... and what would we do with that?

I also have friends in Estonia and Finland who are starting the year with some anxiety- this time due to the Eastern front.

"I think Trump must have had too much lemonade over Christmas"

I think he was binge watching Jack Ryan (same way Hegseth has been using Dark Wolf as a guide) And his psychological profile is incapable of seeing sense or admitting error.

The Dark Secret Behind Venezuela

(edit to fix link)

Trump does not care about Venezuelans. It's Oil and Power.
Yes Maduro was bad. But Trump's action is simply illegal and profoundly dangerous.

The Washington Post reports that Donald Trump withheld support for María Corina Machado because she accepted the Nobel Peace Prize.

Trump’s explanation, per the report:
“If she had turned it down and said, ‘I can’t accept it because it’s Donald Trump’s,’ she’d be the president of Venezuela today.”

Too few people in the US have any notion of geography, politics and what national and international institutions are for. They just don't know what it took to keep their country and the world at peace.

I think Greenlanders have the most to be concerned about at the moment.

Definitely.
My concern is a two-front situation with Greenland in the West and Russia making a move on Estonia. Not sure how Europe would face that (not to mention the continuation of war in Ukraine). We would be surrounded.

We went to Kirkenes in northern Norway a few years ago. I was surprised at the amount of Russian influence with buildings and street names being in Russian. Comes from Norway being liberated by the Russians during WW2 and ongoing close ties between the two countries - not sure if that is true now but I wonder if Norway now have the same concerns as they share a border with Russia.

This is an interview of a Venezuelan journalist who is in Venezuela and she talks about the military attacks and the morning after. She says that
(a) the elected government is still there, headed by the VP Rodriguez, who is demanding the return of Maduro and has said that there is no political "void" and that she is not negotiating with Trump, and that Maduro and his wife must be returned safe and sound
(b) almost all political parties including opposition parties are vocally against US actions, except Machado who is described as a very tiny radical element (and not favoured by Trump in any event!) and she hasn't seen any celebrating in the streets and that she has spent a lot of time on the streets since this happened
(c) most parties in Venezuela and the majority of people agree that Venezuelan oil and other resources belong to the Venezuelans and the US is not welcome and that it is only Machado who has apparently described Venezuela as an attractive woman with assets who should give herself to the US...
(d) that the US claims in relation drugs were not substantiated and were not true and that this was about oil
A lot of people are in the dark about what exactly the drugs related accusations were.
My money is on Trump planning to return Maduro! I guess that there then needs to be commitment to resolve any legitimate concerns by diplomacy. And confirmations that oil is not going to be a factor in any negotiations.

Seriously. That is speculation and opinion even thought that newspaper reported that is based on opinion about Trump y Maria Corina.

For the majority of Venezuelans who endure more than two decades of the regime if you care about them is extremely triggering the misinformation. The fact that non Venezuelans outside the country are protesting and calling Maduro the president of Venezuela. News outlets should say illegitimate president.