Venezuela

[Bob Juch]

It's not about cocaine, it's about oil.

[Spock]

BobJ>>>It's not about cocaine, it's about oil.'<<<

Of course, part of it is about oil-but as one Venezuelan said yesterday-"Of, course, it is about oil, but what do you think Russia and China are after in Venezuela-"The recipe for arepas?"

Years ago, when I went down the rabbit hole to learn as much about oil as I could, I found a blog by an oil industry CEO and he wrote about how Venezuela had maybe the best oil reservoirs in the world but there was significant concern that they were being irreparably damaged by the Chavez/Maduro regime as that is what the warmth of collectivisism does.

[elwoodblues]

George W. Bush has to be thinking, "You mean I could have just SAID it was for oil? We didn't need that BS about WMDs?"

[Beebs52]

George W. Bush has to be thinking, "You mean I could have just SAID it was for oil? We didn't need that BS about WMDs?"

Possibly...

[Bob Juch]

SoS Rubio's statement today:

“Ultimately, this is not about securing the oil fields; this is about ensuring that no sanctioned oil can come in and out until they make changes to the governance of that entire industry,” Rubio said on ABC. “The way to address it to the benefit of the Venezuelan people is to get private companies that are not from Iran or somewhere else to go in and invest in the equipment.”

Rubio said he has not spoken to specific U.S. oil companies about the prospect of starting business in Venezuela. Currently, only Chevron
operates in the country.

“We’re pretty certain that there will be dramatic interest from Western companies,” Rubio said.

Rubio said Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and Energy Secretary Chris Wright will be “taking an assessment and speaking to some of these companies.”

[silverscreenselect]

Rubio said he has not spoken to specific U.S. oil companies about the prospect of starting business in Venezuela. Currently, only Chevron
operates in the country. “We’re pretty certain that there will be dramatic interest from Western companies,” Rubio said.

Chevron's oil facilities produce about 250,000 barrels of oil daily. (The US produces about 20 million barrels of oil a day.) The oil infrastructure in Venezuela isn't centralized; it's scattered throughout a country the size of Texas and Oklahoma put together. Any effort to rebuild or repair those facilities would be an easy target for sabotage, with a lot of people having very hostile feelings about US oil companies. The only way to have any chance of keeping those facilities and their workers safe is through US troops on the ground.

Trump and Rubio can't wave a magic wand and get Venezuela's oil infrastructure operating overnight. It would take years under the best conditions, which you won't have for the foreseeable future. Another case of Trumpian "ready-fire-oops I don't have a plan" strategizing.

[silverscreenselect]

Isn't it amazing that in the four days since Maduro was kidnapped, we haven't heard one word about the Venezuelan drug trade or "narco-terrorism" other than in the list of charges read against Maduro in the New York courtroom?

[Weyoun]

It is curious to me, if the current regime was so bad, why did we install the vice president of that regime has the number two?

[a1mamacat]

Why was Mrs Maduro kidnapped. Haven’t heard of her role in this alleged drug cartel.

[BackInTex]

Why was Mrs Maduro kidnapped. Haven’t heard of her role in this alleged drug cartel.

I hadn't heard she was kidnapped. From US custody?

[tlynn78]

Isn't it amazing that in the four days since Maduro was kidnapped, we haven't heard one word about the Venezuelan drug trade or "narco-terrorism" other than in the list of charges read against Maduro in the New York courtroom?

We've heard about the political prisoners being released in Venezuela; something else to blame Trump for!

[Beebs52]

https://www.cnn.com/2026/01/08/americas ... latam-intl

[Weyoun]

One way to speed up the process would be to let the rightfully elected democratic government take over, and not have the current installed government let the occasional person out as a piecemeal gesture to satisfy President Manbaby.

[jarnon]

One way to speed up the process would be to let the rightfully elected democratic government take over, and not have the current installed government let the occasional person out as a piecemeal gesture to satisfy President Manbaby.

An occasional person and tankers full of oil. If they also stop exporting drugs and take back immigrants that Trump is trying to deport, he’ll probably forget about regime change and restoring democracy and focus his attention elsewhere.

[jarnon]

US judge authorizes sale of Citgo parent’s shares to Elliott affiliate

Elliott Investment Management’s biggest shareholder is billionaire Paul Singer. Singer is a major Republican donor (of the traditional variety rather than MAGA). Venezuela dropping their objection to this sale would go a long way to appease Trump.