I read a quote today from an alleged Venezuelan person on the ground, said only 20 Americans exited from the helicopters, but they shot up to 100 rounds per minute, w precision.

He also claimed some kind of not-seen-before sensory weapon was used that knocked down hundreds of Venezuelan military, some bleeding from their noses?, which disabled or slowed their response on the ground.

Or that's a propoganda plant to get in the minds of other adversaries.

movielover said:

---

I read a quote today from an alleged Venezuelan person on the ground, said only 20 Americans exited from the helicopters, but they shot up to 100 rounds per minute, w precision.

He also claimed some kind of not-seen-before sensory weapon was used that knocked down hundreds of Venezuelan military, some bleeding from their noses?, which disabled or slowed their response on the ground.

Or that's a propoganda plant to get in the minds of other adversaries.

---

movielover said:

---

I read a quote today from an alleged Venezuelan person on the ground, said only 20 Americans exited from the helicopters, but they shot up to 100 rounds per minute, w precision.

He also claimed some kind of not-seen-before sensory weapon was used that knocked down hundreds of Venezuelan military, some bleeding from their noses?, which disabled or slowed their response on the ground.

Or that's a propoganda plant to get in the minds of other adversaries.

---

Since Russia's military is better than ours, they must be really impressive

And I think we have an answer to what all the drones flying over NJ were 1-2 years ago

Good catch.

What were the drones - military training?

movielover said:

---

I read a quote today from an alleged Venezuelan person on the ground, said only 20 Americans exited from the helicopters, but they shot up to 100 rounds per minute, w precision.

He also claimed some kind of not-seen-before sensory weapon was used that knocked down hundreds of Venezuelan military, some bleeding from their noses?, which disabled or slowed their response on the ground.

Or that's a propoganda plant to get in the minds of other adversaries.

---

I wonder if this sonic or sensory weapon has anything to do with all those U.S. Embassy workers that were getting sick a few years back? I vaguely recall they were Dept of State employees stationed overseas, and the media suspected it may have been the Russians who invented a new weapon.

Political Prisoners in Venezuela being released. Doesn't seem a lot of mainstream are reporting this.

Venezuela: The security situation in Venezuela remains fluid. As international flights have resumed, U.S. citizens in Venezuela should leave the country immediately. Before departure, U.S. citizens should take precautions and be aware of their surroundings. There are reports of… pic.twitter.com/Dqvs7wrB00

— TravelGov (@TravelGov) January 10, 2026

BREAKING: TdA gang member arrested in Colorado for kidnapping and torturing a man then kiIIing him and stuffing him in a suitcase

Democrat hero pic.twitter.com/uYPGOr9KYl

— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) January 11, 2026

Tren de Aragua

Anarchistbear said:

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Venezuela: The security situation in Venezuela remains fluid. As international flights have resumed, U.S. citizens in Venezuela should leave the country immediately. Before departure, U.S. citizens should take precautions and be aware of their surroundings. There are reports of… pic.twitter.com/Dqvs7wrB00

— TravelGov (@TravelGov) January 10, 2026

---

Capture of Maduro is working out great for Venezuela so far.

They did what they did so there isn't a power vacuum. That doesn't mean the internal issues within the country get instantly fixed. They need to have an election that the people will choose who their leader is. But Trump learned what NOT to do, like we did in Iraq and Afghanistan.

MinotStateBeav said:

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They did what they did so there isn't a power vacuum. That doesn't mean the internal issues within the country get instantly fixed. They need to have an election that the people will choose who their leader is. But Trump learned what NOT to do, like we did in Iraq and Afghanistan.

---

I'm sure the other members of Maduro's government who were left in charge will get right on it with having a free and fair election.

sycasey said:

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MinotStateBeav said:

---

They did what they did so there isn't a power vacuum. That doesn't mean the internal issues within the country get instantly fixed. They need to have an election that the people will choose who their leader is. But Trump learned what NOT to do, like we did in Iraq and Afghanistan.

---

I'm sure the other members of Maduro's government who were left in charge will get right on it with having a free and fair election.

---

After seeing what Trump did to capture Maduro, they would be stupid to think they can get away with not having fair elections.

BearlySane88 said:

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sycasey said:

---

MinotStateBeav said:

---

They did what they did so there isn't a power vacuum. That doesn't mean the internal issues within the country get instantly fixed. They need to have an election that the people will choose who their leader is. But Trump learned what NOT to do, like we did in Iraq and Afghanistan.

---

I'm sure the other members of Maduro's government who were left in charge will get right on it with having a free and fair election.

---

After seeing what Trump did to capture Maduro, they would be stupid to think they can get away with not having fair elections.

---

I'm not convinced the Trump Administration cares about this.

Well said
pic.twitter.com/bUkQoeENCe

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 4, 2026

sycasey said:

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BearlySane88 said:

---

sycasey said:

---

MinotStateBeav said:

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They did what they did so there isn't a power vacuum. That doesn't mean the internal issues within the country get instantly fixed. They need to have an election that the people will choose who their leader is. But Trump learned what NOT to do, like we did in Iraq and Afghanistan.

---

I'm sure the other members of Maduro's government who were left in charge will get right on it with having a free and fair election.

---

After seeing what Trump did to capture Maduro, they would be stupid to think they can get away with not having fair elections.

---

I'm not convinced the Trump Administration cares about this.

---

You may end up being right, I think they do. Regardless though, I wouldn't be willing to take that risk if it was my head on the line.

If Trump we're interested in elections he'd call for the opposition leader who fraudulently lost to Maduro to be installed or the Nobel peace laureate, Maria Machado. Better to deal with Maduro's people and use coercion not regime change

Anarchistbear said:

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If Trump we're interested in elections he'd call for the opposition leader who fraudulently lost to Maduro to be installed or the Nobel peace laureate, Maria Machado. Better to deal with Maduro's people and use coercion not regime change

---

You'd like that because it would cause anarchy but that's not a very sound solution at all.

BearlySane88 said:

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Anarchistbear said:

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If Trump we're interested in elections he'd call for the opposition leader who fraudulently lost to Maduro to be installed or the Nobel peace laureate, Maria Machado. Better to deal with Maduro's people and use coercion not regime change

---

You'd like that because it would cause anarchy but that's not a very sound solution at all.

---

Ideally, the US leaves and Venezuelans decide. But the US isn't interested in democracy, it's interesting in advancing its interests. Elections are irrelevant to that. If they were the Nobel winning opposition candidate would be taken seriously

sycasey said:

---

BearlySane88 said:

---

sycasey said:

---

MinotStateBeav said:

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They did what they did so there isn't a power vacuum. That doesn't mean the internal issues within the country get instantly fixed. They need to have an election that the people will choose who their leader is. But Trump learned what NOT to do, like we did in Iraq and Afghanistan.

---

I'm sure the other members of Maduro's government who were left in charge will get right on it with having a free and fair election.

---

After seeing what Trump did to capture Maduro, they would be stupid to think they can get away with not having fair elections.

---

I'm not convinced the Trump Administration cares about this.

---

Whether the Trump admin "cares" or not, political distrust and instability would only cause the same problems to continue and make Venezuela vulnerable to Russian and Chinese influences.

PAC-10-BEAR said:

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sycasey said:

---

BearlySane88 said:

---

sycasey said:

---

MinotStateBeav said:

---

They did what they did so there isn't a power vacuum. That doesn't mean the internal issues within the country get instantly fixed. They need to have an election that the people will choose who their leader is. But Trump learned what NOT to do, like we did in Iraq and Afghanistan.

---

I'm sure the other members of Maduro's government who were left in charge will get right on it with having a free and fair election.

---

After seeing what Trump did to capture Maduro, they would be stupid to think they can get away with not having fair elections.

---

I'm not convinced the Trump Administration cares about this.

---

Whether the Trump admin "cares" or not, political distrust and instability would only cause the same problems to continue and make Venezuela vulnerable to Russian and Chinese influences.

---

I do think it's cool that Trump has chosen to deal with Delcy Rodriguez the leftist daughter of a Marxist whose father died in jail after kidnapping an American businessman. It shows he's not really interested in neocon regime change

Anarchistbear said:

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BearlySane88 said:

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Anarchistbear said:

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If Trump we're interested in elections he'd call for the opposition leader who fraudulently lost to Maduro to be installed or the Nobel peace laureate, Maria Machado. Better to deal with Maduro's people and use coercion not regime change

---

You'd like that because it would cause anarchy but that's not a very sound solution at all.

---

Ideally, the US leaves and Venezuelans decide. But the US isn't interested in democracy, it's interesting in advancing its interests. Elections are irrelevant to that. If they were the Nobel winning opposition candidate would be taken seriously

---

It's telling that almost all the administration has talked about since getting Maduro has been controlling the oil. Almost nothing about making Venezuela more democratic.

Points for honesty, I guess, but I don't know why anyone would think they'll be pushing for elections anytime soon.

Anarchistbear said:

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BearlySane88 said:

---

Anarchistbear said:

---

If Trump we're interested in elections he'd call for the opposition leader who fraudulently lost to Maduro to be installed or the Nobel peace laureate, Maria Machado. Better to deal with Maduro's people and use coercion not regime change

---

You'd like that because it would cause anarchy but that's not a very sound solution at all.

---

Ideally, the US leaves and Venezuelans decide. But the US isn't interested in democracy, it's interesting in advancing its interests. Elections are irrelevant to that. If they were the Nobel winning opposition candidate would be taken seriously

---

She wasn't in the country, doesn't have the trust of the Venezuelan elite and no respect from the military. There would have been a coup in days.

sycasey said:

---

Anarchistbear said:

---

BearlySane88 said:

---

Anarchistbear said:

---

If Trump we're interested in elections he'd call for the opposition leader who fraudulently lost to Maduro to be installed or the Nobel peace laureate, Maria Machado. Better to deal with Maduro's people and use coercion not regime change

---

You'd like that because it would cause anarchy but that's not a very sound solution at all.

---

Ideally, the US leaves and Venezuelans decide. But the US isn't interested in democracy, it's interesting in advancing its interests. Elections are irrelevant to that. If they were the Nobel winning opposition candidate would be taken seriously

---

It's telling that almost all the administration has talked about since getting Maduro has been controlling the oil. Almost nothing about making Venezuela more democratic.

Points for honesty, I guess, but I don't know why anyone would think they'll be pushing for elections anytime soon.

---

He's definitely interested in economic factors but he's also interested and has been talking a lot about stability of the region. My hope is elections will follow but you're right, we will see.

BearlySane88 said:

---

sycasey said:

---

Anarchistbear said:

---

BearlySane88 said:

---

Anarchistbear said:

---

If Trump we're interested in elections he'd call for the opposition leader who fraudulently lost to Maduro to be installed or the Nobel peace laureate, Maria Machado. Better to deal with Maduro's people and use coercion not regime change

---

You'd like that because it would cause anarchy but that's not a very sound solution at all.

---

Ideally, the US leaves and Venezuelans decide. But the US isn't interested in democracy, it's interesting in advancing its interests. Elections are irrelevant to that. If they were the Nobel winning opposition candidate would be taken seriously

---

It's telling that almost all the administration has talked about since getting Maduro has been controlling the oil. Almost nothing about making Venezuela more democratic.

Points for honesty, I guess, but I don't know why anyone would think they'll be pushing for elections anytime soon.

---

He's definitely interested in economic factors but he's also interested and has been talking a lot about stability of the region. My hope is elections will follow but you're right, we will see.

---

If there's one thing that is a bipartisan interest of the United States, it's a lack of interest in free and fair elections in other countries. They'll happily talk about them, but what they want is compliant and cooperative dictatorships.

Aunburdened said:

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BearlySane88 said:

---

sycasey said:

---

Anarchistbear said:

---

BearlySane88 said:

---

Anarchistbear said:

---

If Trump we're interested in elections he'd call for the opposition leader who fraudulently lost to Maduro to be installed or the Nobel peace laureate, Maria Machado. Better to deal with Maduro's people and use coercion not regime change

---

You'd like that because it would cause anarchy but that's not a very sound solution at all.

---

Ideally, the US leaves and Venezuelans decide. But the US isn't interested in democracy, it's interesting in advancing its interests. Elections are irrelevant to that. If they were the Nobel winning opposition candidate would be taken seriously

---

It's telling that almost all the administration has talked about since getting Maduro has been controlling the oil. Almost nothing about making Venezuela more democratic.

Points for honesty, I guess, but I don't know why anyone would think they'll be pushing for elections anytime soon.

---

He's definitely interested in economic factors but he's also interested and has been talking a lot about stability of the region. My hope is elections will follow but you're right, we will see.

---

If there's one thing that is a bipartisan interest of the United States, it's a lack of interest in free and fair elections in other countries. They'll happily talk about them, but what they want is compliant and cooperative dictatorships.

---

Sounds like most topics. They all talk a good game until they have a chance to actually play.

BearlySane88 said:

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Anarchistbear said:

---

BearlySane88 said:

---

Anarchistbear said:

---

If Trump we're interested in elections he'd call for the opposition leader who fraudulently lost to Maduro to be installed or the Nobel peace laureate, Maria Machado. Better to deal with Maduro's people and use coercion not regime change

---

You'd like that because it would cause anarchy but that's not a very sound solution at all.

---

Ideally, the US leaves and Venezuelans decide. But the US isn't interested in democracy, it's interesting in advancing its interests. Elections are irrelevant to that. If they were the Nobel winning opposition candidate would be taken seriously

---

She wasn't in the country, doesn't have the trust of the Venezuelan elite and no respect from the military. There would have been a coup in days.

---

Let's remember that Trump and others said that the loser to Maduro was the winner of the election and delandrf they be installed as the legitimate leader in the hope that the Venezuelan military would coup, so we agree it' is backtracking in the interest of stability . Also Delcy- in the interests of practicality also made a very large donation to Trump's election , so this may all be part of a plan
.

Aunburdened said:

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BearlySane88 said:

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sycasey said:

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Anarchistbear said:

---

BearlySane88 said:

---

Anarchistbear said:

---

If Trump we're interested in elections he'd call for the opposition leader who fraudulently lost to Maduro to be installed or the Nobel peace laureate, Maria Machado. Better to deal with Maduro's people and use coercion not regime change

---

You'd like that because it would cause anarchy but that's not a very sound solution at all.

---

Ideally, the US leaves and Venezuelans decide. But the US isn't interested in democracy, it's interesting in advancing its interests. Elections are irrelevant to that. If they were the Nobel winning opposition candidate would be taken seriously

---

It's telling that almost all the administration has talked about since getting Maduro has been controlling the oil. Almost nothing about making Venezuela more democratic.

Points for honesty, I guess, but I don't know why anyone would think they'll be pushing for elections anytime soon.

---

He's definitely interested in economic factors but he's also interested and has been talking a lot about stability of the region. My hope is elections will follow but you're right, we will see.

---

If there's one thing that is a bipartisan interest of the United States, it's a lack of interest in free and fair elections in other countries. They'll happily talk about them, but what they want is compliant and cooperative dictatorships.

---

Democracy in Venezuela is incompatible with any government that cedes its national resources to the US.

Maduro has a very large domestic constituency, any opposition government that does not protect their country's national interests and natural resources is never going to be popular enough to win a fair democratic election, with a nationalist popular element pushing the Chavista base over the top. This might explain the Trump administration's ongoing plan to deal with Delcy and other Chavistas, which they feel they can bully into compliance.

concordtom said:

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Aunburdened said:

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dajo9 said:

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Cal88 said:

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The MIC is bigger than POTUS.

---

lol. Trump is never to blame for his failures that those who opposed him predicted. There was never a chance that a man of Trump's poor character was going to have access to the U.S. military for 8 years and not use it.

The war on Venezuela and the internal war on Americans who oppose Trump - all of which people like Minot voted for - will proceed.

---

This is hilarious coming from someone who full-throatily supported Biden's failed proxy war on Russia.

---

Giving weapons to a country which seeks only to defend itself from an invading force is NOT a proxy war.

---

OK, so what was the purpose of building, arming, and training a fighting force of over 600,000 Ukrainian troops, BEFORE Russia's attack?

Their purpose was to "re-take" the independent oblasts of Donetsk & Luhanks, and to cleanse the Donbass of ethnic Russians.

And once their mission was accomplished, they were going to invade Russia.

I don't see where this Russian aggression is coming from. It's a projection from the real aggressor -- the U.S.

In December, Putin approached the U.S. & NATO to work out a security arrangement between NATO & Russia that would avoid having Ukraine join NATO (which would immediately result in U.S./NATO bases & missile installations on Russia's border). The U.S. & NATO refused to talk, and continued building the Ukrainian army.

In 2022, it was the U.S. & NATO who refused to engage in diplomacy, and insisted on armed conflict.

movielover said:

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hxxps://x.com/elonmusk/status/2007833808834621543?s=20

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All in the interest of supporting small-d democracy, no doubt.

Cal88 said:

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Aunburdened said:

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BearlySane88 said:

---

sycasey said:

---

Anarchistbear said:

---

BearlySane88 said:

---

Anarchistbear said:

---

If Trump we're interested in elections he'd call for the opposition leader who fraudulently lost to Maduro to be installed or the Nobel peace laureate, Maria Machado. Better to deal with Maduro's people and use coercion not regime change

---

You'd like that because it would cause anarchy but that's not a very sound solution at all.

---

Ideally, the US leaves and Venezuelans decide. But the US isn't interested in democracy, it's interesting in advancing its interests. Elections are irrelevant to that. If they were the Nobel winning opposition candidate would be taken seriously

---

It's telling that almost all the administration has talked about since getting Maduro has been controlling the oil. Almost nothing about making Venezuela more democratic.

Points for honesty, I guess, but I don't know why anyone would think they'll be pushing for elections anytime soon.

---

He's definitely interested in economic factors but he's also interested and has been talking a lot about stability of the region. My hope is elections will follow but you're right, we will see.

---

If there's one thing that is a bipartisan interest of the United States, it's a lack of interest in free and fair elections in other countries. They'll happily talk about them, but what they want is compliant and cooperative dictatorships.

---

Democracy in Venezuela is incompatible with any government that cedes its national resources to the US.

Maduro has a very large domestic constituency, any opposition government that does not protect their country's national interests and natural resources is never going to be popular enough to win a fair democratic election, with a nationalist popular element pushing the Chavista base over the top. This might explain the Trump administration's ongoing plan to deal with Delcy and other Chavistas, which they feel they can bully into compliance.

---

They've already killed the Bolivar. So they'll suppress the resistance by "foaming the runway" with pallettes of USD, direct from U.S. Taxpayers. Businesses who accept USD might survive; the Maduro supporters who only hold Bolivars will probably not.

Maduro ensured his survival by naming names in the theft of the U.S. National Strategic Defense Reserve. The silver was smuggled out of the U.S. and shipped to China.

This quote belongs in multiple OT threads

Aldous Huxley, just leaving this here pic.twitter.com/S2DhD9wIxh

— Dylan O'Sullivan (@DylanoA4) January 11, 2026

https://www.foxbusiness.com/politics/trump-may-keep-exxonmobil-out-venezuela-after-ceo-comments-i-didnt-like-response

CEO had audacity to call out risks of doing business in Venezuala and it maddened Trump. CEO's need to fall in line or else.

Trump's a moron.
He doesn't understand that total sales for Exxon, Chevron, Conoco and Shell are over $ 1 TRILLION DOLLARS.

Exxon has been burned twice by Venezuela.

Why would they need to risk going back in a THIRD TIME over a million or two barrels per day when they already have production coming out of the ground in less risky properties such as next door in Guyana?

It's shocking how uninformed he is.
He seems to still be living in the 70's with his knowledge base on oil.
If anything, he should be laser focused on the semi-conductor industry and Taiwan.
That's the new "oil".

Industry analysts have already stated that it would take $20 Billion just to increase current Venezuelan production to 1.5 million bpd.

Yawn.




Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One that the oil giant was "playing too cute."

"I didn't like Exxon's response. You know, we have so many that want it.
I'd probably be inclined to keep Exxon out. I didn't like their response," he said.

ExxonMobil CEO Darren Woods told the administration on Friday at a roundtable event with other industry executives that Venezuela is currently "uninvestable," citing weak legal protections, past asset seizures and the need for major changes to the country's hydrocarbon laws before ExxonMobil would consider reentering.