Turmoil in Venezuela

[Ravenlocke]

Legitimate Targets

🚨🇺🇸🇻🇪 BREAKING: CBS confirmed that Trump approved VENEZUELA AIRSTRIKES back on December 25th, 2025.

The delay in operations was a result of U.S. airstrikes on Nigeria, which took precedent for the Pentagon.

https://x.com/LegitTargets/status/2007370952083194169

[Ravenlocke]

https://x.com/GeromanAT/status/2007383531635519564

[Ravenlocke]

DD Geopolitics

🇺🇸⚔️🇻🇪 BREAKING! Maduro was reportedly captured early Saturday morning by Delta Force, the U.S. military’s primary special operations unit, according to CBS News.

https://x.com/DD_Geopolitics/status/2007389494522356192

[Ravenlocke]

DD Geopolitics

🇺🇸⚔️🇻🇪 BREAKING! Venezuelan outlets report that Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López has survived.

He published a video on Facebook stating he is sheltering in a bunker somewhere in Venezuela. In the post, Padrino López said that in the early hours of January 3, 2026, the Venezuelan people were subjected to a criminal military aggression by the U.S. government.

This marks the first official statement from Venezuela’s leadership since the attack.

Caption on his Facebook post:

“Heroic people of Venezuela! Soldiers of the Fatherland! Sons and daughters of Bolívar!

The Bolivarian National Armed Forces inform the entire world that in the early hours of January 3, 2026, the Venezuelan people became the target of the most criminal military aggression by the government of the United States.

Honor, duty, and history call upon us. Let the cry of a free Fatherland echo in every corner. Victory is ours, because reason and dignity stand with us. We will prevail.”

https://x.com/DD_Geopolitics/status/2007387605537607933

[Ravenlocke]

Sky News

BREAKING: Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro's capture was a 'negotiated exit', sources have told Sky News.

It comes after Donald Trump announced on Truth Social that Maduro and his wife have been "captured and flown out of the country".

Latest 🔗 https://trib.al/IXdwEE7

https://x.com/SkyNews/status/2007391354884894820

[Ravenlocke]

DD Geopolitics

🇺🇸⚔️🇻🇪 Trump told The New York Times he was pleased with what he called a “brilliant operation” by the U.S. regime to capture Maduro, praising the planning and the troops involved, and said questions about congressional approval and next steps would be addressed later at Mar-a-Lago.

https://x.com/DD_Geopolitics/status/2007393150340313518

[SilentFeathers]

Nobel Peace Prize winner and opposition leader Maria Corina Machado: "We are ready to take over government" in Venezuela — Bloomberg

I’m not sure how she expects to be installed and survive for more than 24hrs with almost all of the Maduro regime still in place….

This whole Venezuela fiasco is far from being over.

ADDED:
Maduro and his wife were just indicted in the southern district court of NY. Now we'll likely see a far left judge order him to be returned to Venezuela.

[mountain_jim]

https://x.com/JonathanTurley/status/...853931246?s=20

Jonathan Turley
@JonathanTurley
The United States has now seized President Nicolás Maduro and his wife in an extraordinary operation. There is a pending 2020 indictment of Maduro in the Southern District of New York, where he is expected to be taken to face prosecution...


Jonathan Turley
@JonathanTurley
·
1h
Legally, Trump has the upper hand in this case. Maduro will replay the arguments of Noriega. However, he presents an even weaker case on the merits under the controlling precedent than did Noriega.


https://x.com/JonathanTurley/status/...634972676?s=20

Jonathan Turley
@JonathanTurley
·
3h
Democratic members quickly denounced the operation as unlawful. They may want to review past cases, particularly the decision related to the Noriega prosecution. Rep. Jim McGovern (D., Mass) declared:

"Without authorization from Congress, and with the vast majority of Americans opposed to military action, Trump just launched an unjustified, illegal strike on Venezuela. He says we don’t have enough money for healthcare for Americans—but somehow we have unlimited funds for war??"

Trump does not need congressional approval for this type of operation. Presidents, including Democratic presidents, have launched lethal attacks regularly against individuals. President Barack Obama killed an American citizen under this "kill list" policy. If Obama can vaporize an American citizen without even a criminal charge, Trump can capture a foreign citizen with a pending criminal indictment without prior congressional approval.

[rgray222]

When assessing what Trump is doing in Venezuela, it is essential to consider the broader geopolitical context. I am not a proponent of invading any country for regime change, but it has happened, and it's good to have a fairly broad picture of why the invasion occurred. The American invasion of Venezuela is far more complex than just the drug trade.

Venezuela has a strategic partnership with Iran, they provide military technology and equipment which has been filtered out to the Hezbollah network. The two countries have a vested interest and opposition to circumvent Western sanctions, particularly on oil and weapons. In the past year Venezuala has expanded its partnership with Iran to manufacture drones and other key munitions for war.

China supports Venezuela through economic channels, providing loans for oil, creating a debt resource dependency which greatly benefits China while crippling Venezuela. In return for this one-way arrangement, China has promised to support the Maduro regime. When Maduro visited China in 2023, they hailed their relationship as a comprehensive strategic partnership. You can't blame China for such a beneficial arrangement; they only agreed to provide just enough support to protect their investments without fully rescuing the economically failing Venezuelan state or saving Maduro from being ousted. Maduro has essentially sold Venezuela's soul to the Chinese for assistance and help that will never materialize.

Venezuela's connection to Russia is indirect but very significant. The two countries recently signed agreements on intelligence-sharing, counter-espionage, and energy cooperation. Russia views Venezuela as a key strategic ally in Latin America, both for geopolitical influence and as a means of countering U.S. dominance. Many different media sources have reported that the Russians sent Wagner troops to Venezuela several weeks ago. Despite these reports, the Russian government has denied the presence of Wagner mercenaries in Venezuela, with the Russian ambassador to Venezuela stating that the reports were false, even though there have been reports of troops on the ground.

The geopolitical interest in Venezuela has moved far beyond drug trafficking. The US interest needs to be viewed and understood in the broader context. There is not a lot of doubt that Maduro's largest failing was that he never understood that he had become an unwitting pawn in these international power struggles.

[bojancan]

Hey US... is next Greenland... and to Danish buy off... just gangsterism I see here.. this was set a precedent for kidnapping leaders of sovereign countries... so in another words... it's ok for other countries to kidnap Trump and Netanyahu.... yes?????????

Jan, 03
US Raids Venezuela Seizes Maduro; No Resistance; Government Retains Control; China Brazil Humiliated

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=PTMHONppOHA

Venezuela regime change

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=iSs8cbPbBlk

[bojancan]

I was listening The Duran both videos... it is really unconstitutional orders with this administration... just enriching themself ... not doing for the people...

This talk with Sachs below I didn't listen yet... they both are accusing this act.... lately this president of US is very unhinged they are saying... not having a deep understanding of ripple effect.. he can cause... listening now...

Jan, 03
Glenn Diesen
294K subscribers
Jeffrey Sachs: U.S. Attacks Venezuela & Kidnaps President Maduro

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=LhZuTOuwKGA

[shaberon]

It's an abuse of power.

Using Obama as an excuse shows an addiction to abuses of power.

Condemned.

[Open Minded Dude]

It is also said that now the US oil companies will be moving in making profit.

[Jaak]

[Bill Ryan]

Posted by SilentFeathers (here)
Now we'll likely see a far left judge order him to be returned to Venezuela.

Well, good! (if that ever were to happen...)

(...so does that view make me 'Far Left"...??)

[SilentFeathers]

Posted by Bill Ryan (here)

Posted by SilentFeathers (here)
Now we'll likely see a far left judge order him to be returned to Venezuela.

Well, good! (if that ever were to happen...)

(...so does that view make me 'Far Left"...??)

I am starting to wonder

[bojancan]

Jewnited States of Isntreal.... became a country of piracy and anarchy and mafia... Humanity is in real trouble... with that kind of behaviour of Trump's government!!!!


Jan, 03
Judge Napolitano - Judging Freedom
659K subscribers
Larry Johnson: Did Trump Cross the Line in Venezuela?

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=oYviQwlR4kk

[Bill Ryan]

Posted by SilentFeathers (here)

Posted by Bill Ryan (here)

Posted by SilentFeathers (here)
Now we'll likely see a far left judge order him to be returned to Venezuela.

Well, good! (if that ever were to happen...)

(...so does that view make me 'Far Left"...??)

I am starting to wonder

Made me laugh!

I'm a genuine Libertarian. Among much else, that means no interference in the affairs of other sovereign countries unless a war is morally justified and formally declared.

Although now far weaker than it was, the US remains the most dangerous nation on the planet.

[Eric J (Viking)]

Wasn’t sure where to post this … just saying…🤷‍♂️

‘We Have Proof’: Maduro Accuses US of Silencing UN

“A war of extermination is being waged against
the Palestinian people, and whoever remains
silent about this destruction targeting entire
families is an eternal accomplice in one of the
most serious crimes recorded in history.”

— President Nicolas Maduro

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=mkW9DRKD3hE

[Jaak]

Reporter: Do you envision the U.S. Military having a presence in Venezuela as the U.S. Runs that country?

Trump: We are going to have a presence in Venezuela as it pertains to oil. We are going to be taking out a tremendous amount of wealth out of the ground… It goes also to the US in the form of reimbursement for the damages caused us by that country

Thomas Massie is going NUCLEAR on Trump’s regime change war in Venezuela.

“How did it work out in Cuba, Libya, Iraq, or Syria?”

“Do we want another Afghanistan in the Western Hemisphere?”

“This is about oil and regime change.”

“Previous presidents told us to go to war over WMDs, weapons of mass destruction, that did not exist.”

“Now it’s the same playbook, except we’re told that drugs are the WMDs.”

“James Madison warned us that in no part of the Constitution is more wisdom to be found than in the clause which confides the question of war and peace to the legislature—not the executive.”

“The framers understood a simple truth: to the extent that war-making power devolves to one person, liberty dissolves.”

“By escalating toward war, we would predictably create countless refugees.”

“Are we prepared to receive swarms of the 25 million Venezuelans who will likely become refugees?”