Hurray for Venezuela!!

[ForRedPoet]

So disappointed but not at all surprised at the reaction from MNetters safe and cosy who have no real idea of what 26 years run by a drug/sex trafficking dictator has been like.

You have no idea.
Reasonable methods of protest have been shut down and punished, elections are a sham. There were not food let alone arms to do a coup.

We needed an outside force. We are not stupid and contrary to comments on the other thread like "Anyone cheering that is as stupid as it is possible to be", we are sceptical but at least now we have a chance.
How dare left wing keyboard warriors be so priveledged to think they know better than people living there.

Hurray!

Perspective is a strange thing. I don't think that people, (myself included) warning that the US might not be the saviour the OP thinks, are 'sneering' and 'gloating'. Some Venezuelans themselves are cautious.

"We are happy but careful with the transition. Hoping for the best." quote from text of a family member who has had the luxury of being able to escape some of the worse deprivations through fishing boat trips to Trinidad to get food and medicines.

Perspective is a strange thing. @shuddacuddadidnt

What's your perspective on the second post on this thread "Enjoy your saviour :)"

Shitty or not?

Agree well said

I really hope things are better for you but it's impossible for me to see how they will be. I want to be proved wrong.

I think its more based on Trumps stated aim.. ie Oil and that the original regime is still in place.

Seems to me that Trump will work with the new President, so long as she allows in US oil companies, his concern for ordinary Venezuelans is nil.

The wider issues here are that Trump WILL turn his attention to Greenland & all that will mean for NATO, the EU and our relationship with the US.

If its all ok to take out a countries leader that you don't like, then Xi can legitimately take out Taiwan... after all very few countries recognise their independence either.

Venezuelans were/are desperate, and I understand why. However if that desperation is making them grateful and lacking an understanding of the implications of the sort of actions taken by Trump, unilaterally, then it is up to the rest of the world to point it out.

I am happy that at least some good has come of it, but the ends certainly do NOT justify the means. This is carte blanche for any significantly-armed despot to do whatever he likes. That makes the world worse, not better.

I would say that it is ill worded and crass. Does it sound gloating to you?

Yeah probably a bit.

But it seems we agree at least that not all posts are merely warning.

I am re quoting your post as I don’t think either you or me has had any real comment on this important question.

And … transition to what. Specifically.

Venezuela has just gone from one dictatorship to another. Trump has no intention of allowing free elections for some time…..

What an asinine and ignorant comment.

If the latter was the attitude people were taking, I'd have no issue. I'm not talking about calm, compassionately-expressed concerns here. It's the other lot I find off-putting. You know - the ones who can barely contain their glee at the thought they might get another Trump thread out of it. The "Enjoy your saviour :)" types.

I don't think these people actually care about the massive upheaval Venezuela is experiencing. I get the impression they actually want things to get even more shit for the country, so they can have more ammunition for online discourse about Trump. For them, it's all about internet point-scoring and the dinner party bon mots they're rehearsing in their heads. And any Venezuelan who has more complicated feelings about the whole thing is just an inconvenience spoiling the fun.

Even if you truly believe terrible things are coming for Venezuela . . . have a bit of tact, you know? Phrase it like a human being experiencing some genuine concern! At least have the decency to wait for the shit to hit the fan, instead of punching down at people who are trying to come up for air for the first time in twenty five years.

You know, if a Venezuelan says "this could be good for us - for the first time in a long time I have hope" and your instant response is "you are a stupid little person who doesn't know you're all DOOMED" (essentially) then, yeah. What the hell is wrong with you?

(Hypothetical "you", here. Probably not you in particular. I'm not sure what your posts have been on the subject.)

@SnoopyPajamas

I'm not going to quote your whole post just because it's long.

Speaking for myself, I'm not gloating at all. I have every good wish for the Venezuelan people and if Trump et al had said they were going to work to install the democratically elected leader, I would give them every praise imaginable, even though I am very far from being a fan of his administration.

But considering how they are behaving in our own country (I'm American), trying to stifle free speech by threatening and suing law firms, universities and media companies, consolidating ownership of traditional and social media, running secret deals with the Saudis etc., arresting people with no criminal backgrounds, cutting off food assistance (to name a few things), I don't have much hope there is any plan for an orderly and considered restoration of democracy in a country that is unstable to begin with.

I find it frustrating when a poster comes on to celebrate, but won't answer the most basic question on what the feeling is about the regime change not, so far at least, being a regime change, and the person in charge having been an active member of that regime.

Why?

Also, considering that best case scenario, we're looking at a twenty year plan requiring something over 100 billion in infrastructure investment, by companies that are still waiting to collect their multi-billion arbitration awards from when the Venezuelan companies were nationalised, all for some pretty low value oil.

How likely are they going to be to send big teams and investments into an unstable country? My guess is, they're going to make some initial motions to appease Trump, there is going to be a lot of unrest in Venezuela, and things will either escalate badly, or continue to tick along much as they were, but without Maduro.

Sorry for being gloomy. I don't think that outcome is good for anyone, including us.

Happy to answer after you do

Sounds fair.

Bit baffled as to why you're defending yourself at all though. If you haven't been one of the gloaty posters I was describing, there's no need.

*Americans now advised to leave.
*The regime is still in power with Trump's backing.
*Trump says he's taken charge of the country and any oil revenues will be under his control and banked offshore.
*Oil companies aren't willing to commit to VZ operations.

So what exactly has changed post Maduro other than Trump planning to rob the country too?

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jan/10/us-citizens-venezuela-paramilitaries