Maduro Captured

Baiting The Left Great Moments In Socialism Historical Events 142 Comments

Interesting developments in Venezuela.

CBS’s O’Keefe was generally negative/skeptical of this action. To provide balance, here’s a different point of view.

Here’s a British take on what has happened – though many of the comments want the Americans to capture and remove Keir Starmer!

Update: NDP leadership candidate, Avi Lewis (husband of Naomi Klein), isn’t at all happy about Maduro being removed. Be sure to read the community notes on his post.

142 Replies to “Maduro Captured”

  1. Awesome, great start of the year! 🙂
    Looks like ACDC’s “We’ve Got Big Balls” applies not only to the ballroom @ WH!
    Next: Iran, North Korea and Putin.

    1. Dan McStupid
      Putin is a good guy, even a bible pounder like most posters in here.
      Try to recognize the fact that with support for Joolenskyy, you are hurting the Ukrainian average person.

      2. Not the only ones with a delegation there; Russia sent one as well.

        I’m afraid whatever talks they were planning will need to be re-scheduled.

        The response from the UK is fascinating:

      3. marc I C: The Chinese delegation may want to go to Russia to resume their integration meeting. “Venezuelan VP flees to Russia” https://nypost.com/2026/01/03/world-news/venezuelan-leader-nicolas-maduro-wife-captured-after-large-scale-strikes/

        The NYT, always the last to know, “While reports circulated that Ms. Rodríguez was in Russia at the time of the attacks, Ms. Rodríguez is in Caracas, according to three people close to her (NYT journalists maybe?)”.

    2. Well, now they have a point to make up and play kissy face with their European neighbors.

      Plus it’s got to hurt seeing the Yankees pull off a Special Military Operation…professionally.

    3. Those Russian air defence systems are not exactly cheap and didn’t materialize out of nowhere.

  5. While this should be the right outcome for the downtrodden, starving, broke people of Venezuela, Google AI says “kidnapping foreign leaders is illegal under U.S. law and international law, violating statutes against assaulting internationally protected persons (18 U.S.C. § 1116) and treaties like the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance, though courts have sometimes allowed trials for U.S. citizens seized abroad, creating complex legal situations”.
    It also means that Venezuelan oil could be flowing again soon and that will drive down the price of Canadian oil, if there is actual regime change.
    I can see the condemnations from all the dictatorships around the world, and Canada and the EU, coming soon.

    1. “Google AI says”

      Gulag AI is a bunch of bed wetting Soy Boys – who the F… cares what they say.

    2. Was Nicholas Maduro really the true elected leader?

      I’m sure the Venezuelans would love to see one of the main sectors of their economy back up and running efficiently again.

      Oh no, strongly worded letters and condemnations!

      1. Their infrastructure has been negected, they have a lot to do to get things up and running

    3. International law is anarchic (and archaic imho) because it’s unenforceable other than voluntarily, but despots love to use it, arguing the obvious for instance of kidnapping other nation’s leaders, to claim “illegality.”

      As for semantics, how does arrested work for you, folks?
      The socialist nationalists will have a field day, perhaps this the catalyst to a disastrous Gripen fighter purchase.

      1. According to the U.S. military chief of staff, during the press conference, the U.S. action was NOT an arrest, but an “apprehension operation”. And the U.S. did not invade Venezuela, they undertook an “egress” into the country. And Venezuela is a “theatre of operations”. ):

        1. When is a door not a door? When it is an egress…

          And it would be an egress out of the country. That’s a mistake on your part. But not a serious one. Only technically egregious.

    4. I heard the Venezuelan oil is similar to Canada’s, the stuff US refineries are built for . Not good news for us

  6. I was watching Tousi TV, an Iranian diaspora news site out of London. Everyone kept asking when Trump was coming for Starmer.

      1. Holy shit, you truly are disturbed. Does everyone else in St. Petersburg have the winter blues?

    2. Never mind Starmer. I hope Trump comes and shuts down the Laurentian money laundering drug manufacturing, human smuggling, terrorist supporting cartel right here in Ottawa.

      1. If they do, the US will be more diplomatic about it.
        Think border and port blockades.
        They will ratchet up the economic war. Guaranteed.
        Glad for Venezuela, but, this is bad news for Canada.
        The US no longer needs Canada’s heavy crude.
        Carnage lost all his leverage.
        Stupid is as Stupid does.
        Hope everyone’s economic house is in order. It’s going to get REALLY bad here.

  7. Now Canada is going to get the real f*cking it so richly deserves. Venezuela was down to producing 1M bbl/day of HEAVY crude. Chevron will have that back to 3M bbl/day faster than you can imagine as they move back in to reclaim their stolen assets. Where will those tankers go? North across the Caribbean to the gulf coast refineries that are already in the heavy crude refining business, using Canadian oil currently shipped there by pipeline.

    Canada’s ONLY leverage in this trade negotiation with the US was energy, that is now off the table. Good. End this diseased coward shithole.

    1. “Google AI says”

      Gulag AI is a bunch of bed wetting Soy Boys – who the F… cares what they say.

    2. Thank you for this, Peter. I suspect that 99.99% of Canadians have NO IDEA how this is likely to affect the Canadian economy. In their minds, money grows on trees or at least in the Canadian mint.

      1. Yes, but raise the price of a double double. No wait, they did that. This ignorance truly saddens me.
        The 57% of 65+ Canadians who would vote Liberal, even now, is not quite 99.99%, but I get your drift.

    3. Oil!? If I were Canada … I’d be worried that the US military will target the container ports in Vancouver … where you have no customs checks for fentanyl. A targeted attack might just get your attention.

      1. Nah, let the oil work its magic — USMCA negotiations just got a whole lot tougher for Canada. They will of course likely crack down on their citizens.
        Never pick fruit before it’s ripe.

  8. Maybe now Venezuela’s citizens can stop breaking into the zoos to eat the animals.

    2. Maduro probably shouldn’t have partnered with the Deep State/Democrats/Soros/China to steal the 2020 election (Smartmatic). Trump now has his revenge. Thread:

      That too, was among my initial thoughts. Now … we need to uproot every Venezuelan originated voting machine in every State of America

    3. If you’re a Democrat serving as an “elected” official, today would be a good day to announce you’ll be leaving public life to spend more time in Dubai with Ukrainian hookers and your offshore bank accounts. You’ll be hearing from your wife’s divorce lawyer sometime next week.

  10. Go get Herr Keir Starmer, then on your way back arrest Marx Carnage. Thank you for your attention to this matter.

  11. I was reading an article about an interview w/ Maduro on NYE about how he was willing to talk w/ the US any time.

    Guess now he has his opportunity. 😉

    1. This almost seems too quick after that announcement of “talks possible” … Maduo did make a move to access his armored safe room but tubby didn’t quite run fast enough. I’m not trying to raise the conspiracy of Maduro wanting out but…
      also, Iran provided missile tech, radar to combat airborne attacks, none of this seems to have functioned during this attack, the US removed the communication towers in Caracas first.
      Iran’s defensive capability proved as high tech as it did when the US bombed their nuclear apparatus within Iran. Probs best to stick with Israeli or Sweden’s radar tech.

    2. Strangely enough, Maduro has probably lost his interest in talking to anyone, unless it’s to say, “Quiero un abogado!”

    1. My mistake. The x video I tried to link to showed massive crowds of Venezuelan citizens dancing and celebrating in the streets.
      Compare that to the Canadian Press, who managed to find some isolated individuals who spouted the predictable Trump is Bad line.

      1. My youtube feed is being absolutely flooded with these videos talking about Carney pulled pensions funds from the USA, stopped lumber at the border and humiliated Trump on the world stage. Dozens of them. All total BS. And multiple comments at the intelligence level of “Trump is a bully.” and “Carney is the greatest Prime Minister Canada has ever seen.” That’s about what all the paid off mainstream media is saying too so no surprise there. “Elbows up!”

    2. And now here’s something you’ll really like:

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Mwnmijd9Qk

      I can’t help myself. Arm yourselves Canadians! The evil Trumpenstein and his armies of MAGA darkness will be coming for you next! Beware! Beware! You’ll share the same fate as…Maduro and his drug smugglers…did you know these two have been featured on the BBC?

      1. It’s only going to get worse people worried more about Trump then what’s going on in their own country. They even see things slipping and it’s Trump….. Trump …..Trump.
        I just smile and curse under my breath.

      2. Yeah these two nutcases are entertaining in a weird way. The comments are gold. “Let’s kick the U.S. out of NORAD!” “We need those Gripens NOW!” “Muh terrorist state!!” “REEEE”

        1. Those two are a psyop, a pretty blatant one, but it works on some nonetheless. As such, they tell you exactly what your masters, er leaders, want you to be feeling/thinking/freaking out over.

      3. “I can’t help myself. Arm yourselves Canadians!”

        With stick and rocks, maybe. They have been doing their very best to take away not just our guns but anything we could possibly hurt someone (or ourselves) with. The government wants to be our mommy and treat us like children.

  13. Trump news conference at 11:00.
    NME666 gets hit by two buses at 11:05.
    Cheering everywhere ensues at 11:06.

  14. Pierre Poilievre’s wife originally from Caracas…
    “Congratulations to President Trump on successfully arresting narco-terrorist and socialist dictator Nicolas Maduro, who should live out his days in prison.
    The legitimate winner of the most recent Venezuelan elections, Edmundo González, should take office along with the courageous hero and voice of the Venezuelan people, María Corina Machado.
    Down with socialism. Long live freedom.”

    https://x.com/PierrePoilievre/status/2007461129308565875

  15. Leaving aside all questions about US constitutionality and motive, this is very good news for Venezuelans. Venezuela was once one of the most advanced and affluent countries in South America. Then socialists were voted in, destroyed the oil industry, and turned Venezuela into a faux-democratic kleptocracy, The results were hyper inflation, high crime, food and medicine shortages, and of course political repression. An estimated eight million fled the country to escape the wretchedness.

    1. Leaving aside all questions about US constitutionality and motive, this is very good news for Venezuelans.

      So the ends DO justify the means, even in the Dead Rat’s world. Good to know…

          1. Thank you. That’s not just the nicest, but about the most intelligent comment you’ve made in some time. I feel honoured to have drawn it from you.

            And here I am finding virtue in a marmot. I’m a regular St. Francis. (Francis of Assissi, not Francis X. Bushman.)

    1. Oh, I think desecration is such a strong term…a little trolling is good for the soul.

    2. The cherry on the cake, aka Delta Force showing they have a sense of humour.

  17. Proven again and again and again:
    “You can vote your way into socialism, but you have to shoot your way out”.

    RNrn

    1. Unless you don’t have any guns, then the shooting can get a little difficult; you have to hope somebody with the guns takes an interest and perhaps some pity. Just a thought.

    2. Would you rather have Hunter Biden run it? I hear he gained a lot of oil experience in Ukraine.

  19. When you see lefties squawking about this keep in mind that the more affluent among them (pockets full of taxpayers’ dollars) are very likely to be good customers of the cocaine industry.

  20. China has invested heavily in the Venezuelan oil industry in return for much of its production. Now all bets are off. I have no doubt that thwarting Chinese economic imperialism was part of the motive for Trump’s action. My question, though, is what else does Trump hope to get in return? Does he hope that the Venezeulan oil industry will be re-opened to American companies, or that Venezuelan heavy crude will be refined in America?

    1. Yes and yes. Chevron developed that industry back in the day, they will be back in short order. He doesn’t hope the heavy crude will be refined in the US, I’m quite certain it was part of the plan. Canada is well and truly effed, and deserves it. If we had a heavy oil pipeline to the west coast, we could sell to the Chinese what they lost in Venezuela, and what we won’t be selling to the US for much longer.

      2. And the Injuns, environmentalists and those that fund them will make sure that pipeline never gets built. That includes our PM.

    2. Low down on the list for reasons to do this but no doubt on the list, Trump wants to isolate Canada. If he can get the oil the USA currently gets from us purchased from someone friendlier than our money laundering, human trafficking, terrorist supporting, drug manufacturing, corrupt narco state, so much the better for the USA.

      Elbows up everyone.

      1. Indeed.
        Venezuela just became a friendlier regime than Canada.
        That ought to wake up every Liberal bootlicker in this country. But it won’t.
        More economic pain on the way shortly.

    3. Yes and yes (but not probably in the way Canadians think about it).
      There are other, far more nuanced and interesting goals as well. We will have to wait and see if they pan out.

    4. Trump says China will continue receiving its oil. But many of China’s contracts with Venezuela expire in 2026, and this action might prevent renewing those contracts. One major contract, though, runs to 2044.

    5. The president’s objective has been crystal clear—shut down the global voter fraud operation based in Venezuela that’s helped thrust Red Chinese assets and agents into office across the western world, and make it much harder for Democrats and their allies in other western globalist parties to steal future elections.

      It’s never a good day for Democrats when Republicans take action to free the Democrats’ slaves.

      1. It’s unfortunate the MSM will never discuss this. To them election fraud never happened, it’s been debunked, etc.

    6. Do you have documentation on that from experts?
      Are those officially approved by authorities?
      You sound like a conspiracy theorist.

      1. Either you don’t keep up to Venezuelan news or you’re desperate to slag anything I post.

    1. Very much so in the long term.
      Venezuela is producing near to 1 mbpd heavy crude and back in early 2000’s the plan was to increase production from 3.2 mbpd to the 5 or 6 range. Clearly the socialism kneecapped that idea, and though they “may” increase production soon, they’ve lost so many capable people in the past decade as well as so many petroleum experts (18k fired for going on strike and were replaced with socialist cronies with little oil/gas expertise) from PDVSA after the strike in 2002-3

      There are no reports of oil and gas facilities being struck by this American action, but it’ll take at least medium term to recover from what socialism did to PDVSA in these past 20 years. I was there in 2006 and the damage was easily visible then, I’ve lost contact with people I was there with but I’m certain their existence is “day to day” at best.
      It’ll be a few years before Venezuela is back to 3 mbpd production, at least they don’t have to search for it, it’s “right there”…

      “The mausoleum of Hugo Chavez, the former leader of Venezuela, was reportedly also struck.” … which I’d say was intentional, but I have no problem with.

      https://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2026/01/united-states-strikes-venezuela-captures-president-maduro.php

      80% of Venezuela’s crude goes to China, that’s going to change. Also, Cuba may want to stop eating horses as they’ll need them to get around now that they’ll be paying retail for oil instead of having it gifted for their fake doctors working in Venezuela.

      1. My question is … will Maduro’s communist conies blow up the oil infrastructure like Saddam Hussein did? Will we have to resurrect Red Adair to put out the well head fires?

        2. Kenji, if my memory recollects, way back Iin 1990, when the Panamanian dictator was arrested and brought to the U.S. — when the U.S. egressed into that country — some 500 liberal defense lawyers volunteered to defend the tyrant.

          1. … egressed into that country …

            Hahahaha … we’ve all got a new global political term. LOVE how quick a study you are.

          2. Very true. Maduro’s trial will be…interesting.

            PS. Noriega really should have availed himself of a dental hygienist, like, really, really; must have been a Mao thing — fun fact for you.

        3. Meh, I remember the Saddam thing. It was going to take a hundred years to fix the damage, etc. It got fixed pronto and the world moved on.

        4. Kenji, congrats on the hip belatedly. It’s heavy crude, not like light sweet coming out of a well. Different deal entirely.

          1. Thanks. Everything went perfectly. I’m fully functional… with a walker for now. Just waiting a couple weeks for the muscle swelling to go down, icing it, but zero pain. Just sore muscle (that they severely retractor apart with the least invasive anterior approach). Physical therapy starts in earnest in two weeks.

            So the worst they could do would be to trash all the Chevron-built infrastructure? Could you tell I’m not an oil expert?

    2. Yes it does.

      Carney now knows that making trouble for President Trump will earn him a one-way trip to an American prison. If that won’t force him to finally start showing the president some respect and negotiating issues of mutual interest like trade accordingly, it’s hard to see what can.

      1. Carney built his whole political skit on TDS. I doubt the Liberals will come to their senses and negotiate like adults for the benefit of Canada. Carney is globalist tool.

  24. I’m cautiously optimistic. But history has shown us that U.S. regime changes have ultimately not resulted in a better outcome for people in these countries. But I just messaged with a Venezuelan friend in South Florida and she is overjoyed. She’s at a celebration now. I’ve asked her to share some photos.

    What does bring me great joy is that I know that Communists/Socialists like:
    – Zohran Mamdani
    – Bernie Sanders
    – AOC
    – Elizabeth Warren
    – Elizabeth May
    – David Eby
    – Brandon Johnson
    – Katie Wilson
    – Karen Bass
    Will be absolutely outraged when they see Celebrations of Joy like this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nOtEHcuyO6

    1. I’m hopeful that all the NGO attorneys will be repurposed from flooding our Western nations with incompatible “refugees” … to suing for Maduro’s release.

        1. Can I now replace my Ukrainian flag with the Venezuela flag on my Facebook page? Just kidding, I’ve never had a Facebook page, ever.

      1. The Americans don’t have the islamic garbage mind virus to contend with, as well, “rules of engagement” may have changed since the imbecile Obama was in charge.

        As a not so minor point in Venezuela… their game of choice is baseball.

        1. “The Americans don’t have the islamic garbage mind virus to contend with,”

          So true. No one in the western world can fathom the “democracy is un-Islamic” mindset…it just makes no sense to us to *not* choose our own leaders.

          (well, aside from the ‘proportional representation’ fans, but we don’t lend much weight to their opinions…)

  25. And just like that Trump re-asserted the Monroe Doctrine—that the Americas are the sphere of influence of the United States and that the US may use military force to remove another government in the Americas which openly act against the interests of the United States.

    Mark Carney and Claudia Sheinbaum may consider themselves warned.

    America may consider herself back, just in time for her 250th birthday. God bless her and her President Trump.

    1. $2.6 billion was paid out just before Christmas. $1776 to each of 1.45 million active duty and some reserve service members

    2. I vote to split it among all combat participants in the egression. And as a bonus … the same combat participants get every dime recovered from the Somali’s

  28. If you listen to the CBS video the man being interviewed insists the vast majority of Venezuelan drugs do not make it into the USA. Question then. How would he know where these drugs go? Follow up question. Does it matter where drugs go as long as their delivery is stopped? The media seems less interested in stopping drugs and more interested in Congress protocol.

    1. Probably parsing like a Clinton. ACKSTUALLY, it goes to Cuba and other Caribbean nations (and Canada) BEFORE it ends up in the U.S. so TECHNICALLY those Venezuelan drugs don’t go to the U.S….

  29. Everything is connected:

    1. Venezuela was circumventing financial sanctions by sending Heavy Crude to Iran for refining. The US started stopping tankers stopping the process. Gone was a primary source of finance for Venezuela.

    2. Iran was dependent upon those Heavy Crude shipments to, also, circumvent financial sanctions as a primary source of income on their refining. All of sudden there is a major uprising in Iran by the populace that has been brewing since the RG and Intelligence services (and nuclear program) took a major hit and sent their strong arm apparatus into disarray.

    3. Russia had just signed a Security and Energy Deal with Venezuela to allow Russia to circumvent financial sanctions. They, too, were hindered by the “blockade” on any ships going in or out of Venezuela. It’s telling that the Venezuelan VP ended up in Russia after last night’s events.

    4. Russia now has a problem in that the US just acquired leverage in the Russia/Ukrainian negotiations, in that Russia will want stability of their investment in Venezuela. I think Trump will be willing to provide that if they are reasonable at the negotiating table.

    5. The Heavy Crude of Venezuela is remarkably similar to the crude resourced out of Canada (a vast majority of which is refined in the US). With the USMCA (NAFTA) re-negotiations set for this year, Canada just lost a major point of leverage.

    6. Currently, I can assure you that those in charge of Cuba are very, very worried. It is likely that their behavior in the foreseeable future will reflect that.

    7. There is the potential for a new and growing free market to re-enter the world stage (Venezuela), and the US is positioned to take advantage of that potential, and the White House will likely encourage the other Central and South American countries that have made the “right turn” to join in to assist that potential.

    It’s all connected. Domino #1 has fallen. Iran will be next.

    1. The President did refer to the future of Cuba in his remarks this AM. Only briefly and in response to a journalist’s question, but not very much that he says is meaningless. Cuba will find it impossible to “pay retail” for the oil imports they now source from Venezuela. It doesn’t sound like so much to us, between 27,000 bpd and 33,000 per day, about 25-30% of their oil imports.

      1. They aren’t being very coy about it.

        Rubio talking about Cuba: “Yeah, look, if I lived in Havana and I worked in the government, I’d be concerned.”

        2. Being coy is unmanly; it isn’t even a good feminine trait unless one is playing the coquette for one’s partner or admirers.
          Sometimes people just need to hear the truth.

          1. Oh, I don’t know. They had a coy pond in the park here, and I kind of liked it. Such lovely fish.

            Oh… wait… Never mind.

    2. Thank you for that comment. It is indeed a large part of the picture (not all, but a very large part of it).

  30. Now what?
    Does the Deep State impeach Trump and then reinstall Maduro?
    What if the good burgers of Venezuela don’t want him back?
    Then what?
    “You take him back or we’ll bomb the shit out of you.”?

  31. “As a Venezuelan-American…” I cut it right there. I am sick and tired of hyphenated Americans and Canadians. Integrate or GTFO. I don’t GAF about Iran, Venezuela, Ukraine, India or Gaza. Keep your filthy politics, civil wars and ancestral hatred in the shithole country you came from or go back. We don’t need it here.

    When Trump discussed the raid he mentioned Mexico… and Canada (although very quickly). Do you think Carney is starting to understand Trump is serious? Is he going to lease another clapped-out helicopter for the mounties to display next November’s Rememberance day parade?

  32. Trump’s plan is to drive down the cost of energy and control the flow, weaking his enemies while strengthening the USA.

    The Canadian governments’ policies have been to drive *up* the cost of energy, while relying upon Western crude and gas to finance their boondoggles and corruption.

    I think the Canada is about to get a wake up call. While Alberta has been able to stand the financial drain in the past, if crude prices go down significantly Alberta’s tolerance for supporting recalcitrant provinces may reach its limit. A lot of forces are converging in favor of the sovereignty movement, and this latest is another.

    I doubt that the rest of Canada we’ll come around, though, because when I talk to people who watch Canadian media they have no clue at all what’s going on.

    I just have to shake my head because I have no way of knowing where to start a conversation about what is happening right before their eyes and the hard lessons headed Canada’s way.

    Trump has Canada in his crosshairs but plays his cards well. Or to mix metaphors, he is playing Canada like a fish on the line. Mixing again, at this point, he has given Carney just about enough rope to hang himself.

    We can hope that the Canadian electorate wakes but I sure wouldn’t count on it.

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