Trump’s Venezuelan Policy is a Huge Win for America
Understandably, most of the media and public attention is on the conflict in Iran, the war on Hamas and the Russian invasion of Ukraine. But it is worth checking out Venezuela to see how things have been progressing in the wake of the arrest and removal of dictator Nicolás Maduro. Actually, things are going very well.
The argument that President Trump’s Venezuela strategy is working well for the United States rests on the fact that the removal of Maduro has triggered a cascade of political, economic, and security changes that have reshaped Venezuela’s posture toward Washington. The removal of Maduro was not only symbolic, but it was also transformative. It ended an era of entrenched anti‑American governance and opened the door to a leadership structure more willing to cooperate with U.S. interests.
Although many figures from the previous administration remain in place, including the vice president, the continuity of personnel does not mean continuity of policy. The shift in direction—from hostility toward the United States to pragmatic engagement—amounts to a regime change in practice, even without a total personnel turnover. The new leadership has recalibrated Venezuela’s foreign policy, economic priorities, and internal security posture in ways that align more closely with American strategic goals.
It is anticipated that in the near future, Venezuela will hold free and fair elections – at which time the people of Venezuela will elect their leaders. That is likely to be the final page of regime change.
A Reoriented Oil Policy That Benefits U.S. Energy Interests
One of the most significant changes cited by supporters of Trump’s actions is the nation’s overhaul of its oil policy. Under Maduro, Venezuela’s state‑run oil sector was deeply entangled with Russia, China, and Iran, often used as a geopolitical tool to counter U.S. influence. The new leadership has reversed course:
- Expanded access for U.S. energy companies, including renewed operational rights and long‑term investment guarantees.
- Commitments to stabilize production, which helps global supply and reduces volatility in energy markets.
- Reduced reliance on Russian and Chinese financing, weakening those countries’ leverage in the Western Hemisphere.
For the United States, these changes mean greater energy security, more predictable supply chains, and a diminished role for rival powers in a region historically central to U.S. strategic interests. The benefits will be more clearly seen after the Iran conflict concludes and world oil is restored to normalcy.
Release of Political Prisoners and a Shift Toward Democratic Norms
Another major win from Trump’s Venezuelan policies is the release of political prisoners who had been detained under Maduro’s rule. This move is interpreted as a signal of internal liberalization; a gesture toward international legitimacy; and a step toward rebuilding civil society institutions that had been suppressed for years.
For the United States, these releases are framed as a diplomatic victory—evidence that pressure, combined with decisive action, can produce tangible human‑rights improvements.
Crackdowns on Drug Trafficking Networks
Venezuela’s previous government was not only ignoring narcotrafficking operations, it was supporting them. The new leadership has taken steps that have been described as dramatic reversals. This includes cooperation with regional partners in dismantling the drug trafficking corridors. Many military officers linked to illicit networks have been removed. There has been a renewed cooperation with American intelligence. These measures are directly beneficial to the United States by reducing the flow of illicit drugs into North America and weakening transnational criminal organizations.
Reforms in Military Leadership
The recent restructuring of Venezuela’s military hierarchy is another indication that Trump’s strategy is succeeding. Maduro’s inner circle relied heavily on loyalist generals tied to corruption, repression, and foreign influence. Their removal or reassignment has enabled the assignment of anew generation of officers more open to professionalization and international cooperation.
This has also minimized the influence of Cuban intelligence services, which had been deeply embedded in Venezuela’s security apparatus, and the removal of Russian military advisers, greatly diminishing Moscow’s foothold in the region.
For the United States, these changes weaken adversarial networks and reduce the risk of Venezuela serving as a platform for foreign military influence.
Diminished Influence of Russia, China, and Cuba
Perhaps the most geopolitically significant benefit of Trump’s strategy is that Venezuela is no longer a reliable partner for Russia or China. Both countries had invested heavily in Maduro’s survival—financially, militarily, and diplomatically. With Maduro gone Russian access to Venezuelan oil assets has been greatly curtailed – if not totally cut off. Chinese loans and infrastructure projects are being renegotiated or frozen. Cuba’s intelligence and security presence has been sharply reduced, cutting off a major source of Havana’s economic and political support.
This realignment is framed as a major strategic win for the United States, restoring American influence in a region where rival powers had made significant inroads.
A Clear Victory for U.S. Strategic Interests
Taken together, these developments give significant evidence that Trump’s Venezuela plan has delivered a clear victory for the United States. The removal of Maduro, the shift toward pro‑American policies, the restructuring of the military, the crackdown on narcotrafficking, and the rollback of Russian, Chinese, and Cuban influence all point to a transformed geopolitical landscape. From this perspective, the United States has regained a crucial foothold in the Western Hemisphere, strengthened its energy security, and advanced democratic norms—all outcomes that supporters argue validate the boldness of Trump’s approach. It has also made Cuba vulnerable to a pro-American realignment or regime change. Stay tuned on that one.
So, there ‘tis.
Good story, lots of depth.
The bottom line here is too early to predict the outcome and Larry does not convince us of more.
VZ is controlled by the same regime and ideology as before; only Maduro and Delcy Rodriquez’s detractors are gone from the old regime; that’s the only change of personal in government by the Trump administration. At the point of a gun.
At the point of the gun, Delcy Rodriguez has made some concessions, but it’s too early to see positive results and many of the changes were self-serving. She states VZ will never be colonial again. She believes pro-American forces tortured and murdered her father in a VZ jail; do you think she forgets that? Trump said a second wave was coming for VZ and her, so she capitulated because it was that or lose power and maybe her life. Her Russian supported missile system was left useless; the Russians supporting it disappeared during the first attack; Russia had stated for over a year that they were minimizing their efforts in VZ as of 11/25. In 2019, Russia signaled they would “trade” VZ and the whole hemisphere for Ukraine and Europe. At Trump’s request, she acquiesced on some, not all, prisoners, let some go, but kept quite a few, and the secret police are still there, under her direct control, they are still arresting and violating human rights. Since 1/26, 87 people have been detained in VZ by the secret police. Horist missed that one, what else did he leave out. She allowed private interests to be active in oil, to make capitalistic profits, and, in resturn, Trump removed the sanctions and billions are rolling into VZ — yeah, we made out on that one…. The big one, Trump holds their money is escrow and will release it for humanitarian purposes which seems ripe for grift. “pssst, I need a billion for the people, approve and “the people” will buy your crypto…..” Time will tell, but VZ losses little by having a gatekeeper on all those new dollars pouring in thanks to lifting the sanctions because some of the prisoners are out, capitalism replaced the totally failed communism at the fields, and she talks nice. Don’t think there’s a Nobel in this one, yet. There’s also something about VZ paying oil companies back for nationalizing their assets in VZ, but frankly, the money trail is murky and the Trump administration says different things at different times.
Yes, conciliatory moves made by VZ’s new President and VP for the old regime, but somewhat made between window-dressing or at the point of the gun. I guess we bought ourselves a country. Kind of. And kind off not. And 80% of VZ is in poverty still so I expect the people care more about securing something for dinner than they do democracy, or any government. The bottom line is some things done, but never a complete fix, some things said, nice words, no democracy spread and results unknown.
There’s no democracy here, the thing that Larry says is the US mission in life, so Trump has failed. Under Trump, VZ is as democratic as under Maduro. It’s just that we own it now, or a good piece of it. If we can hold it. And, as of yet, no elections slated to change that.
Time will tell, looks better than expected, money seems weird, and not much has changed for the people, still poor. The people are still overwhelmingly poor, the country is not a democracy or democratic republic, the election is seen as rigged, no new elections are announced, and they won’t be for some time, and Delcy still runs the secret masked police force who still are disappearing or unlawfully detaining folks (Trump may like that one), so, changes made, funny money deals, and news at 11. For change to be made, changes must be made, and good signs, some were made here. It would be better if not at the point of a gun, and only time will tell if the changes are real. Trump hopes his escrowing the money and controlling it’s spending will help, but perhaps he should worry about his own wallet more. Time will tell, too soon to tell in VZ.
I was going to hold this for a bit but Larry gets pissy if you post later, feels his stuff does not stand the test of time, his stuff gets stuffier, his junk, junkier. I think it’s the SOS, but Larry says he goes way down hill when over the hill. Funny, given how time tested he is and how regurgitated his platform seems to be. Seems that he, and his ideology is good enough for Nixon, good enough for today. Why not OK five days post printing? Time for some VZ fun facts, first one is that VZ does not mean Verizon. Or does it? Fact or farce, you be the judge.
Fun fact: Russia sold VZ it’s air defense systems and had 120 specialists to maintain them at the time of the attack. For some time, the units have been disconnected with years of not being maintained to the point of parts missing, some units in boxes, nothing online, guess that’s a pretty cushy job. Better than Ukraine. Claims are of money issues and Russia’s preoccupation with Ukraine for parts funding, but we seemingly, for some reason, we flew right into the hornets’ nest of missiles as if we knew they were down. Wink-wink, nudge-nudge. In May, Russia indicates it would not provide further military funding or equipment to VZ. In November of 25, two months before our sneak attack, Russia said it would not re-arm VZ. No Russians were wounded during the attack, they seemingly took the day off, and I am sure the 120 specialists are near Ukraine now as they have vanished from VZ.
Fun fact: The working Chinese radar was the first thing we took out; we didn’t even prioritize the missile defense system before we did that. Like we knew what was up, what was down.
Fun fact: Remember how Fiona Hill claimed Trump and Vlad talked of trading VZ for Ukraine? She said it in 2019. To be fair, Trump sent Hill to Moscow to just say no, and she did. Wink-wink, nudge-nudge. Russia pushed the idea in Russian media in 2019 that also referenced the Monroe Doctrine. Today, Trump rebranded the “Donroe Doctrine,” as he parroted Putin and the Putin press. It’s our 1800’s principle for US intervention to European meddling in our Hemisphere and, where, in return, we agreed to stay out of European affairs. Same doctrine that, if followed, we would have skipped WWII. Russia brought it up in 2019, Trump repeated the Russian playbook in 2026, invoked to take over Venezuela. Russia did nothing, and what Fiona Hill said in 2019 is now our reality in 2026. The 120 Russian specialists mysteriously vanish as the missiles mysteriously no longer worked. No Russian was on duty or harmed during the day of the attack. Wink-wink, nudge-nudge.
Fun farce: “The shift in direction—from hostility toward the United States to pragmatic engagement—amounts to a regime change in practice, even without a total personnel turnover. The new leadership has recalibrated Venezuela’s foreign policy, economic priorities, and internal security posture in ways that align more closely with American strategic goals.” Weasel words indicate window dressing, lipstick on a pig, too soon to tell. Pragmatic is not often used to describe actions taken at the point of the gun.
Not So Fun Fact: Rodríguez thinks pro-American forces tortured/killed her father in a VZ jail. She calls the Maduro incident kidnapping and vows to never return to the colonial control she returned to with Trump.
Fun fact potpourri: As Trump threatened more attacks for the complete overthrow of VZ leadership, Rodriquez stayed in power by 1) releasing 621 political prisoners leaving 179 imprisoned. As head of the secret police known as the Venezuelan Intra Country Enforcement or VICE, she detained 87 so far in 2026: mission accomplished? She continues to arrest dissenters to her power and policies (Larry missed that, what else did he leave out?) 2) the US opened an embassy (we were there already, we knew what time Madura went to bed), 3) “denationalized” the oil industry allowing capitalist companies to profit in return for the US lifting sanctions bringing billions to VZ 4) words about expanded access for U.S. energy companies, commitments to stabilize production, news at 11, and 5) reduced reliance on Russian and Chinese financing. Russia was already out, not really sure what China is doing, nice words.
Fun fact: on the drug wars, Larry misses the fact Maduro started this in 2025. Announcing a “record” crackdown on drugs by destroying 9 planes in one day in late 2025 just before kidnapped. Maduro stated that VZ destroyed 39 aircraft, totaling over 430 destroyed since the implementation of the VZ drug war. Yes, he probably and Rodriguez still profit. from drugs. Another fun fact that Larry left out.
Fun summary: One thing remains the same for Rodriguez and Maduro, whenever they toe the line, crack down on the bad guys, it serves as a pretext to clamp down on domestic dissent to consolidate their own power. With the drugs, the only change in US drug trafficking is in the methods, they just traffic by other routes. Like squeezing Jello in a balloon, Larry claims it’s all cookies and honey when the bad stuff still may exist, might even get worse as Rodriguez uses this opportunity consolidating her power getting rid of dissidents and competition. Rodriguez is, and has been for years, as dirty on the drugs as Maduro ever was. They even share the same bagman to hide the money. Trump is bombing mules, the lowest soldier in the drug army, Maduro and Rodriguez are higher up and even they are not kingpins and Rodriguez is still profiting. Like Nixon, makes a good political poster, but are drugs less available, more expensive in America? Does not seem like it.
Delcy Rodríguez is gaining ground, adding powers, within VZ. She hasn’t dismantled the system that sustains her. Thanks to Trump, she is sidelining those most loyal to Maduro to distance herself from his regime and weaken any power he may still have, while growing hers. She replaced some ministers with those better aligned with her leadership. She dismantled the military hierarchy by taking out the powerful Minister of Defense, Vladimir Padrino, a Maduro loyalist. The new generals are not the break Larry sees, they are the sons of the Bolivarian Revolution, and they are her handpicked appointees.
Yes, there are changes, but it is not clear whether those changes mean anything, benefit US interests, or will be sustained. She’s got the power, she’s consolidated her power, she still arrests her detractors, there are no free elections on the horizon, and VZ is making billions and billions on the lifted sanctions. The nationalized oil is a failure, replacement by successful capitalists helps, but doubtful we see major investments that might be stranded in VZ with their political no-change-changes for a while. Would you invest based on Trump’s word? Ask the Kurds, the people of Ukraine, Gaza, even Afghanistan. He threw them under the bus faster than you can say Noem or Kent.
Love to know more about the money process if you know it —– seems so weird a process, like a grifters paradise.
There goes Dunger. Rooting against America again. You’re about as patriotic as a turd.
Willieatsdung: how did I root against America?
Crickets I bet as you spew the do that you do. All dung, all the time. Dung this, dung that, you full of dung.
You’re about as patriotic as your willy, very short joke.
Dunger is speculating about the size of a Willie? Mike f as in fag might find that not fantastic. But you still want everything about Trump to fail. So you root against America. It’s pathetic but it’s a trait of the Marxist.
That’s Harold’s take-away from a willy; he immediately thinks of Mike. And he equates voicing disapproval as rooting against America.
Too timid to debate the issues? Attack the man and then attack another guy not even posting. He loves to attack men.
The founders wrote the first amendment just for complete assholes like Harold. And he misses that the top Marxist in the world is Trump’s bestest buddy as well as this story about the greatness of Trump’s new buddy, another Marxist from VZ. This lady comes from a Narxist family for three generations. .
He’s a complete idiot and perfect little sheeple with the gayest name on PBP. Not that there’s anything wrong with being a Harold. Sheeple? BLANKENSHIP. means White Sheep, go figure.