Partial explanations I can think of why Trump is interested in Venezuela. In no order.
He wants to be seen as a tough guy, with a bad-ass military. Warning to other nations when he makes demands of them.
He thinks if he makes things better for Venezuelans, he might get a Nobel. Maduro’s main political rival recently got a Nobel, so Trump figures if he helps her…maybe, yet he's dismissive of her because she seems honest.
Maduro instigated an exodus of some 8 million Venezuelans. About 800,000 came to the US. Trump and his Administration may hope if they make things better in Venezuela, a lot of them might go back home voluntarily.
Maybe oil, but their oil needs a lot of refining. Though I’m sure Trump doesn’t understand that. He loves oil. Chevron and Valero will reward him handsomely.
Also, their minerals. He’s even bullying Nigeria into opening its natural resources to supply chains for US hi-tech companies, under the guise of “protecting Christians.”
Possibly giving justification to Russia and China to invade who they want around them. Who knows what deals he made. Putin gets Europe (or at least Ukraine); China gets Asia (or at least Taiwan); Trump gets the oil and minerals of whatever in South America, plus free reign to help Israel deal with Iran.
He wants to redeploy US forces from around the world to our region and needed some excuses. (Per Putin’s wishes?) Therefore, drugs and illegal immigrants become the reasons.
Slowly getting us used to this kind of thing so he can eventually go after Greenland or Canada, if they don’t play ball. He sure wants their minerals.
Distraction for the Epstein story and the fifth anniversary of his Jan 6th insurrection? Or Jack Smith's newly released damning testimony? Helpful to distract from those for sure.
He’s certainly not doing it because he hates bad dictators and cares about the Venezuelan people. Establishing a stable democracy and economy with checks and balances is not something this administration supports at home so why should they care about establishing one in Venezuela? Nor is it about drugs. Venezuela is not a meaningful producer of the main problem drugs, like fentanyl, in the US. And Trump just pardoned a Honduran drug kingpin.
Trump campaigned against this kind of thing, foreign interventions, along with Bush-like lies about why we're there. I don’t see how we’re going to “run the place.” Despite Maduro’s capture, the generals who have enabled his regime will not suddenly vanish. Nor will the band of thugs and narco-traffickers he was allied to. What will be the balance of power of the pro- and anti-Maduro camps and what level of disorder will it produce? Perhaps we get lucky, and smart, good people in Venezuela can take control with Maduro out of the way. Not counting on it.
He wants to be seen as a tough guy, with a bad-ass military. Warning to other nations when he makes demands of them.
He thinks if he makes things better for Venezuelans, he might get a Nobel. Maduro’s main political rival recently got a Nobel, so Trump figures if he helps her…maybe, yet he's dismissive of her because she seems honest.
Maduro instigated an exodus of some 8 million Venezuelans. About 800,000 came to the US. Trump and his Administration may hope if they make things better in Venezuela, a lot of them might go back home voluntarily.
Maybe oil, but their oil needs a lot of refining. Though I’m sure Trump doesn’t understand that. He loves oil. Chevron and Valero will reward him handsomely.
Also, their minerals. He’s even bullying Nigeria into opening its natural resources to supply chains for US hi-tech companies, under the guise of “protecting Christians.”
Possibly giving justification to Russia and China to invade who they want around them. Who knows what deals he made. Putin gets Europe (or at least Ukraine); China gets Asia (or at least Taiwan); Trump gets the oil and minerals of whatever in South America, plus free reign to help Israel deal with Iran.
He wants to redeploy US forces from around the world to our region and needed some excuses. (Per Putin’s wishes?) Therefore, drugs and illegal immigrants become the reasons.
Slowly getting us used to this kind of thing so he can eventually go after Greenland or Canada, if they don’t play ball. He sure wants their minerals.
Distraction for the Epstein story and the fifth anniversary of his Jan 6th insurrection? Or Jack Smith's newly released damning testimony? Helpful to distract from those for sure.
He’s certainly not doing it because he hates bad dictators and cares about the Venezuelan people. Establishing a stable democracy and economy with checks and balances is not something this administration supports at home so why should they care about establishing one in Venezuela? Nor is it about drugs. Venezuela is not a meaningful producer of the main problem drugs, like fentanyl, in the US. And Trump just pardoned a Honduran drug kingpin.
Trump campaigned against this kind of thing, foreign interventions, along with Bush-like lies about why we're there. I don’t see how we’re going to “run the place.” Despite Maduro’s capture, the generals who have enabled his regime will not suddenly vanish. Nor will the band of thugs and narco-traffickers he was allied to. What will be the balance of power of the pro- and anti-Maduro camps and what level of disorder will it produce? Perhaps we get lucky, and smart, good people in Venezuela can take control with Maduro out of the way. Not counting on it.
Last edited:
