Are Cuba and China going to do???
Cuba has had people in Venezuela for years, deeply embedded in the government and security apparatus, and the tradeoff was oil and food…
32 Cubans (apparently Maduro’s guard force), were killed during the snatch. Funny how the MSM seems to be glossing over that fact, HERE. Some estimates say there were/are as many as 10,000 Cubans embedded today… It’s interesting that there were ONLY Cubans on his guard force. Doesn’t say a lot for his trust of his own people, does it?
China has pumped a lot of money into oil production in Venezuela, much like its takeover plan it has been executing in Africa to take over countries. Now what will they do? I don’t see the USA giving them the money back, but I can see US oil companies, Chevron, et al, going in and getting production back up. This will definitely improve Venezuela’s standards, and should provide money into their economy.
You can bet the US is going to cut those ties quickly, and it appears Maduro is in deep kimchi as the case against him and his wife is ‘stronger’ than the case against Noriega, who is currently residing ADMAX.
Word is the Swiss and others have ‘frozen’ all of the Venezuelan accounts in their banks, awaiting the stabilization of the situation on the ground. Sooooo, even if Maduro got away, he can’t access his stolen funds.
The other interesting part is the impact on the drug trade, as those shipping points and drug ‘bases’ in Venezuela are suddenly ‘unavailable’.
Of course the other thing this has done is to make other South American leaders that were on the fence ‘leery’ to put it mildly, wondering if they are next…
I had not considered the other nations receiving ramifications from Maduro’s removal. It will be worth watching the new drama ‘Game of Thrones – FOR REAL’.
A very good topic.
Maduro was not the whole Venezuelan government. We left that in place.
Whether that choice shall prove to be clever or incredibly stupid remains to be seen.
“Noriega, who is currently residing ADMAX.”
Nope. Served 17 years and was extradited to France where he served 7 years and was then extradited to Panama where he was sentenced to 60 years and died aged 83 under house arrest waiting for surgery after being transferred from prison.
Anybody else remember when Swiss banks were untouchable?
Brings this to mind.
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/KLU4ouQeXU4
Thanks.
Mean ol Trump, cutting off Hunters coke supply.
I think it was smooth that Trump went in quick and limited and out with Maduro and his wife. This gives protection against charges of “regime change”, even though he’s sent mixed signals on that.
Leaving the Veep and regime in place is kind of dicy, but if a deal was cut with her to leave her there (just like Trump was negotiating with Maduro to exit) then there must be a plan to get the results we want. Chineses lose their investment, Russians their base, Cuba their welfare payments, and Iran loses their base.
Petrodollars remain secure, perhaps Smarmatic records exposed for 2020 and before and surrounding narco-states get the message.
Is their too much winning?
I’m skittish to get my hopes so high and yet they keep getting raised.
Now begins the nation building.
We don’t do nation building very well.
I expect lots of insurgencies cropping up within the next few weeks.
Hopefully the folks at DOD, State and the CIA have learned something but I won’t cover that bet.
Some estimates place the number of Venezuelans living here at a 1,000,000+. Seems organizing many and sending them back to rebuild their country, with our help, is likely on the table. Interesting times.
My question about the Cubans is were they there to protect him or to control him?
Either way, Cuba lost bigly, and so did the ChiComs.
The”case” against Maduro was filed in the commie cesspool of NYC. It’s being overseen by a 92 year old Clinton appointee and the jury will be selected from a pool of pro Maduro protestors. Maduro will be back in Caracas before next Christmas…and back into power. Yet ANOTHER clusterfu*k by that quisling Bondi. This case should have been filed in Florida.
All- Thanks! Earl- Thank you, I was not aware of that… We shall see what happens next.