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[00:00:07] [music] [00:00:08] It is a monumental act of war. After [00:00:11] being kidnapped and flown to the US, [00:00:14] President Nicholas Maduro has pled not [00:00:16] guilty to spirious drug charges in New [00:00:18] York City. Even as US government [00:00:20] documents admit that Venezuela is not a [00:00:23] major drugs producer and prosecutors [00:00:26] concede that Maduro's supposed cartel of [00:00:29] the Suns never even existed. The [00:00:32] Empire's macity knows no bound and they [00:00:36] will likely not stop there. Joining us [00:00:38] to discuss Trump, Venezuela, and the US [00:00:41] empire is Diego Seuera. Diego is a [00:00:44] journalist and academic based in [00:00:46] Karakas, Venezuela. You can find his [00:00:49] work in Spanish and English at [00:00:51] investigative news website mission verd. [00:00:54] Diego, welcome to the show. [00:00:56] >> Hey man, thank you. Thank you for having [00:00:57] me. Diego, I know this must be uh quite [00:01:01] a difficult time for people like [00:01:03] yourself who are from Venezuela watching [00:01:06] um your president, your elected [00:01:09] president being kidnapped by the US [00:01:12] Empire, the very nation that has waged a [00:01:15] maximum pressure campaign and uh so much [00:01:19] propaganda and aggression against your [00:01:21] independent country. And right now, [00:01:24] Western corporate media is trying to [00:01:28] justify and whitewash what Donald Trump [00:01:31] has done to Nicholas Madura and the [00:01:33] Venezuelan people by, you know, putting [00:01:37] out the same messaging that they've been [00:01:38] doing for such a long time. You know, [00:01:40] dictatorship, human rights abuses and so [00:01:43] forth, as if these drug charges were not [00:01:47] really, you know, don't have a solid [00:01:49] base. And so, you know, I I I want to [00:01:53] start by talking to you um about this [00:01:57] and what has been your reaction and the [00:01:59] reaction of the people in Venezuela. [00:02:03] So you get to grasp the with the feeling [00:02:06] that what was actually hit and who are [00:02:10] the victims and what more time can be [00:02:14] coined under the very malicious name of [00:02:18] collateral damage you know which is a [00:02:20] very which explains something that I [00:02:22] think is important getting getting back [00:02:25] to your your comment and your question [00:02:27] is how this is the outcome of so many [00:02:32] years of vilification, character [00:02:35] assassination, obuscation [00:02:37] and um the creation of this [00:02:40] dehumanization of us in particular and [00:02:44] the president specifically and uh yeah [00:02:47] society in general in order to make this [00:02:51] at some point more palatable for western [00:02:54] audiences or for western institutions to [00:02:57] you know erh justify this kind of [00:03:02] actions. Funny enough, [00:03:05] it has been so blatant as you said that [00:03:07] even [00:03:09] especially the liberals fear have are [00:03:13] now like you know alarmed of with what [00:03:16] happened without realizing how much it's [00:03:20] also on them precisely to enforce this [00:03:24] kind of baseless [00:03:26] uh deformed [00:03:28] uh ways and means of representing [00:03:31] Maduro, President Maduro himself, the [00:03:34] Biden revolution in Venezuela overall. [00:03:38] And I think this is this should be a [00:03:41] lesson in that sense because now you see [00:03:43] people who were actually just weeks ago [00:03:46] or months or years, doesn't matter. I [00:03:49] mean, like I said, attacking Venezuela, [00:03:52] condemning Venezuela, especially not [00:03:55] understanding the complexities Venezuela [00:03:57] was going through. And now suddenly you [00:04:00] see them scared and scared and alarmed [00:04:04] and I don't know how much coming into [00:04:06] terms that this was also on them [00:04:10] precisely for not go beyond the usual [00:04:15] talking points and the usual feelood [00:04:18] fear of knowledge and with something [00:04:20] that goes beyond that and is as brutal [00:04:22] as it gets. Which also [00:04:26] proves [00:04:27] how one more time the whole narrative [00:04:32] just fell immediately about the drugs, [00:04:35] about dictatorship and whatnot and how [00:04:38] basically resumes [00:04:41] on a first level exclusively on what [00:04:44] they already have been stating all this [00:04:46] time which is oil. Of course, the oil [00:04:49] resources er Venezuelan reserves as a [00:04:53] form of a m a very important resource, a [00:04:57] key resource for leverage uh worldwide [00:05:00] within the energy market and as a tool [00:05:04] for go further in other other areas as [00:05:07] well. not only focusing on what's [00:05:10] basically regional change that that [00:05:13] according to that rational it seems it [00:05:15] just starts with Venezuela but it's [00:05:16] going to go further and um but also like [00:05:20] many people have been saying and I think [00:05:21] it really makes sense for example that [00:05:24] this way like relying on Venezuelan [00:05:27] reserves in order to do something in [00:05:29] Iran in the case of the closing of the [00:05:32] Hormus trade for example you know as an [00:05:35] as a way to not get that harmed in in a [00:05:40] in a hypothetical [00:05:42] situation in which something happens [00:05:44] there. So this also in a way all brings [00:05:48] closer [00:05:51] and justifies and confirms the this [00:05:54] nonlinear contact line between [00:05:59] the countries that are actually [00:06:01] resisting [00:06:03] and are betting on a different kind of [00:06:05] world order and the urgency of the [00:06:09] United States to do something before [00:06:12] decline finishes taking it all over. and [00:06:15] bring them well you know to different [00:06:18] stages of collapse themselves. [00:06:21] >> And right now we are being bombarded [00:06:24] also with um AI footage that is being [00:06:28] shared by you know MAGA influencers like [00:06:32] Nick Shirley and even um Elon Musk [00:06:35] himself. They're sharing uh fake AI [00:06:37] videos of Venezuelans supposedly [00:06:40] celebrating their president being [00:06:43] kidnapped and abducted by uh President [00:06:46] Trump and they're crying. I mean, all [00:06:48] these are fake videos, of course. But [00:06:50] what's so interesting, um, Diego, is [00:06:53] that even though they've been verified [00:06:55] as fake AI videos, Grock, the AI, uh, [00:07:01] you know, uh, machine inside of X, says [00:07:04] that they're real and they're being [00:07:06] shared. And so, we're seeing this really [00:07:08] new way of manufacturing consent for [00:07:11] this regime change. But the reality on [00:07:14] the ground, I'm cur I mean I think a lot [00:07:15] of people are curious to know are people [00:07:17] celebrating Maduro's kidnapping on the [00:07:19] ground in Venezuela or are there mass [00:07:22] protests like I'm seeing uh to show that [00:07:25] people are upset and they're demanding [00:07:27] their president be returned uh to [00:07:30] Venezuela? Can you tell us about the [00:07:32] reactions on the ground and the [00:07:33] protests? [00:07:35] >> Of course. Mind you, one thing it's if [00:07:38] they're inside Venezuela, it's [00:07:40] definitely an AI in this case. If it [00:07:42] sounds like Venezuela, it is real. It is [00:07:44] like parts of the diaspora in, you know, [00:07:48] United States and Spain and and other [00:07:51] places. And and and I mean they're [00:07:52] saying such cynical stuff like this is [00:07:54] the price that needs to be paid, but of [00:07:56] course it's easy when you're outside, [00:07:58] you know. There's a saying here that a [00:08:00] stab doesn't hurt another body, you [00:08:02] know, and this is one of those cases [00:08:06] precisely because of how uh shameful [00:08:10] this is. There are also on social media. [00:08:13] I was able to finally, you know, go [00:08:15] through some scroll some social media [00:08:19] last night when I got here about Yeah. [00:08:21] the different very common [00:08:23] non-politicized Venezuelans reactions. [00:08:25] people that don't necessarily support [00:08:28] Nicolas Maduro and are [00:08:32] addressing all these diaspora types be [00:08:34] it artist influencers or whatever and [00:08:37] just calling them out for what they are [00:08:41] you know and tell them come over and and [00:08:43] and endure this with us if you're that [00:08:45] tough and you're going to if you're [00:08:47] going to do that hard talk so that's [00:08:49] part of the level to it then you got yes [00:08:51] there are currently today it's another [00:08:54] day that there are rallying throughout [00:08:57] the country I mean to different extents [00:09:02] and then you got the other and also a [00:09:05] lot of mourning and then you got the [00:09:06] people who are basically calm but what [00:09:09] I'm trying to say here is that yeah [00:09:11] there are no street celebrations [00:09:14] uh [00:09:15] you know celebrating precisely Nicolas [00:09:18] Maduro's kidnapping that's not happening [00:09:21] inside Venezuela and I think that's [00:09:23] important to take into into account up [00:09:26] to this point also which is I think it's [00:09:30] normal that happens now we're starting [00:09:32] to see more footage of victims people [00:09:35] that didn't die but their homes got [00:09:37] destroyed got wrecked [00:09:40] just because they are now collateral dam [00:09:43] people damaged people who died civilians [00:09:47] that died in Laguaya in Karakas [00:09:50] because of yeah because of the targets [00:09:53] they chose post and the impact that it [00:09:56] had. For example, they attacked in [00:09:59] Laguaya which is as you know it's a [00:10:01] coastal city. It's a coastal city next [00:10:03] to to Karakas and where one of not the [00:10:06] main port but one of the most important [00:10:08] port the port of Karakas was also [00:10:10] bombed. They bombed a a medicine storage [00:10:15] facility for kidney treatment for [00:10:18] dialysis [00:10:20] for example. And um they also bombed the [00:10:25] math center of the Venezuelan Institute [00:10:28] for Scientific Studies. [00:10:31] So that also tells you that this is all [00:10:34] the surgical [00:10:36] BS. One more time, it's not the case. Of [00:10:39] course. Yes. At this point, it's not [00:10:40] that to be accurate, it's not that as [00:10:42] indiscriminate as other it's not back [00:10:45] that 2003 in that sense, but it's it has [00:10:48] had an impact and there are very many [00:10:51] reactions [00:10:53] in the street in conversation and on [00:10:56] social media precisely condemning this [00:10:59] and addressing the fact that this is not [00:11:01] what we want. And this goes one more [00:11:04] time. I always have to stress this [00:11:06] because people think this is just a [00:11:08] chabista thing and it's not and it's not [00:11:11] at any at any level. I mean, but many [00:11:13] Venezuelans just basically never agreed [00:11:15] with with this kind of pressure, this [00:11:17] kind of US meddling and this kind of, [00:11:20] you know, ways and means to [00:11:23] resolve the situation. And funny enough, [00:11:26] not even if they were supporters of [00:11:29] Marina Machalo or those factions, not [00:11:31] even them are being pleased. The US has [00:11:36] they said they basically said we are now [00:11:38] running the show, not them. And we [00:11:40] rather run the show according to this [00:11:44] unstable moment in we we're at with the [00:11:46] Chavista government. So that's a de [00:11:49] facto acknowledgement of where the power [00:11:51] the center of gravity still is and how [00:11:55] much weight does the actual extremist US [00:11:57] supported and funded opposition actually [00:12:01] stands [00:12:03] because there's also opposition now [00:12:05] within parliament that list yesterday [00:12:06] also condemn the attacks but it's a [00:12:09] moderate legal opposition the one that [00:12:12] acknowledged Venezuela's government [00:12:14] Venezuela's constitution and Venezuela's [00:12:16] political processes [00:12:19] So this proves even further that [00:12:22] chabismo is still an agemany here not [00:12:26] only on an institutional level [00:12:28] especially on a parliament that started [00:12:31] just two days ago with with a yeah [00:12:33] overwhelming majority of seats uh taken [00:12:37] by chavismo by the PSUV or allied [00:12:40] parties. So indirectly this confirms [00:12:45] the opposite of everything that has been [00:12:47] slandered about Venezuela. [00:12:50] >> Well, and I'm I'm really curious to [00:12:51] know, I mean, the Trump administration [00:12:53] and Trump himself have said, you know, [00:12:56] we are now in control of the oil. We are [00:12:58] now in control of Venezuela. [00:13:00] And I mean, like you just said, you guys [00:13:03] are having parliamentary meetings. [00:13:05] people are protesting on the streets [00:13:07] demanding their president be uh you know [00:13:11] brought back home. And so when Trump [00:13:14] says that he's in charge and they've [00:13:16] taken over the oil and he's ready to to [00:13:19] seize 30 to 50 million barrels and to [00:13:22] sell that and to use that money, he's [00:13:24] going to be in charge of that money. He [00:13:25] said those profits and those sales. I [00:13:28] mean what is going on here? Like can he [00:13:31] actually and can the US be actually in [00:13:34] charge right now? And how would they [00:13:36] even do that? [00:13:37] >> Yeah, I mean nothing that happens with [00:13:40] oil trade is something that's going [00:13:42] inside Venezuela properly right now. So [00:13:46] this is something that goes beyond [00:13:47] Venezuela's borders. And first of all, [00:13:49] you know, especially in markets that [00:13:52] were already closed and [00:13:55] withheld from Venezuelan oil [00:13:57] participation over a decade anyway. So [00:14:01] in that sense this I mean this it has a [00:14:03] lot a lot of noise to it and in another [00:14:06] sense this actually helps to [00:14:09] ease the deposits of oil of Venezuelan [00:14:12] oil production in a way I mean on a very [00:14:15] specific and technical aspect and [00:14:18] currently yes that's what we're seeing [00:14:20] and I think this is a situation that [00:14:22] basically has to be managed and it has [00:14:24] to be wisefully managed from Venezuelan [00:14:27] I don't have details I don't have exact [00:14:29] details on how this actually working [00:14:32] right now other than the statement that [00:14:34] we have seen and other than from my own [00:14:37] personal conclusions that you have to [00:14:40] manage yes the situation in a way smart [00:14:42] enough this is not and when I say smart [00:14:45] enough I'm I'm thinking about what other [00:14:48] ways [00:14:50] have to be implemented to face an [00:14:54] overwhelming military superpower on mad [00:14:59] dog mode and not a very smart one, you [00:15:02] know, and especially because this is [00:15:05] really a short-term thing. This is I was [00:15:08] telling Katie H helper yesterday, this [00:15:10] is a sugar high win. This is all short [00:15:14] term. According to many western media, [00:15:19] they say there's no actual plan of what [00:15:22] they're actually going to do the United [00:15:24] States regarding Venezuela. And [00:15:26] regardless of course of what they've [00:15:29] been saying, if if you see there's a lot [00:15:31] of gibberish going on, you see you saw [00:15:33] Stephen Miller unable to say anything [00:15:36] coherent to Jake Tapper for example. So [00:15:39] this is descriptive of of [00:15:43] I don't know if it's if it's if it is a [00:15:46] level of improvisation [00:15:48] uh relying of course on the tools they [00:15:50] already have in hand. Uh I don't know if [00:15:52] it's method within the madness. Uh I [00:15:56] don't know if it's just chaos and imp [00:15:57] and just a daybyday [00:16:00] thing. We have to see more. We have to [00:16:03] see the coming days how this many of [00:16:07] these things actually take shape. [00:16:10] But for one, I do believe that in order [00:16:13] to face this [00:16:16] kind of overwhelming moment, you have to [00:16:19] play and we're able to play it [00:16:21] smarter than they do. And one of the [00:16:25] major profiteers of the seizure of [00:16:28] Venezuela's oil is going to be a [00:16:31] pro-Zionist, a pro-Zionist uh mega donor [00:16:36] who's donated to Trump and to many [00:16:38] pro-Israel causes and think tanks that [00:16:41] have been promoting uh regime change [00:16:43] inside of Venezuela. And his name is [00:16:44] Paul Singer. Um he just bought Yeah, he [00:16:48] just bought uh SIGGO. Like he just [00:16:50] bought SIGGO. So talk to me more about [00:16:52] Sitgo and Paul Singer and how they plan [00:16:55] to seize and profit off of Venezuela's [00:16:57] oil. [00:16:58] >> Well, you know, Singer is famous in this [00:17:02] side of the world for being one of the [00:17:06] managers of vulture funds. You know, [00:17:08] they they bought they did fire sales [00:17:12] purchases of many assets in Argentina [00:17:14] back in the day and trying to buy the [00:17:16] debt and extort Argentina during the [00:17:17] Christina Ken's years. I mean, this is [00:17:20] the kind of economic hitman that you're [00:17:21] going to find. But mind you, something [00:17:24] that is very important here, and it's [00:17:27] not so obvious yet, and you already [00:17:31] described part of the character, but I [00:17:33] don't know if you're aware how close he [00:17:34] is to Marco Rubio, and he has been close [00:17:36] to Marco Rubio for years. He's one of [00:17:39] the one of the biggest funders of his [00:17:40] packs, just like Exon Mobile is. So when [00:17:46] and this is something I've also repeated [00:17:47] but I think it has to be repeated one [00:17:49] more time. uh [00:17:52] when you when Trump and Wright or [00:17:55] whoever deals with the energy markets [00:17:58] talks about oil companies for me [00:18:01] basically translate into one of them [00:18:03] which is Exon Mobile the only one that [00:18:06] didn't got any kind of agreement [00:18:09] compensation or terms to or accept the [00:18:12] terms of Venezuela back in 2000 2007 and [00:18:16] who left the country and sued Venezuela [00:18:19] on international courts. And by the way, [00:18:22] I don't know if you are aware that one [00:18:24] of the lawyers of Exor Mobile in [00:18:27] Venezuela was Carlos Beio. Carlos Beio, [00:18:31] as you know, is the [00:18:34] was the fake US Venezuela ambassador [00:18:37] from the fake U. Venezuelan government [00:18:39] of imaginary government of one white dot [00:18:41] back in the day. So if you actually go [00:18:44] further into detail, you see Exxon a lot [00:18:47] appearing especially because for example [00:18:50] up to this point at least up to last [00:18:52] week before the attacks Chevron was [00:18:54] operating in Venezuela. It was operating [00:18:56] by under licenses of the USG [00:19:01] and um of Treasury of OFAC and um and [00:19:05] they've been and they were working with [00:19:07] Venezuela. They have been in Venezuela [00:19:09] for 100 years. I mean so they then they [00:19:13] didn't stopped all these days. So what [00:19:16] does that tells us from my point of [00:19:19] view? I think we have to take into [00:19:22] account and go we and and realize how [00:19:24] big Exommobile's [00:19:26] stakes and participation is inside this [00:19:30] besides of course singer which I'll jump [00:19:33] back to that in a minute but put [00:19:35] yourself in the place of Exommobile that [00:19:37] already is extracting il illegally oil [00:19:41] from the from offshore erh wells in [00:19:46] disputed waters between Venezuela and [00:19:48] Guana. [00:19:50] and actually unrestricted, [00:19:53] unchecked, [00:19:55] frantically, and basically controlling [00:19:58] each and every nook and cranny of Guana. [00:20:01] So just put yourself in in their in [00:20:03] their mind for a moment and think about [00:20:04] having all these large reserves of light [00:20:07] crude from upshore Venezuela's shores [00:20:11] because this is less [00:20:14] and um also Venezuela's largest reserves [00:20:17] in the Orinoco belt [00:20:20] and then walk back to Marco Ruvio one of [00:20:24] the helping hands of Apac inside the US [00:20:26] government according to a APAC official. [00:20:30] So all this comes you know falls into [00:20:33] place quite easily especially when [00:20:36] Israel just like Exxon [00:20:39] had uh [00:20:41] they wanted to settle some accounts with [00:20:43] Venezuela from a long time ago [00:20:46] and yeah and Israel by itself doesn't [00:20:50] have such much of a vocal [snorts] [00:20:55] participation that you can you're that [00:20:58] you can see But boy, they're there. And [00:21:02] boy, do they have reasons, especially [00:21:03] for with a country that actually uh has [00:21:06] no diplomatic relationship with the [00:21:08] entity since 2009 during Operation [00:21:11] Castle up to this point. People forget [00:21:14] about this. I mean, and and it's [00:21:16] commendable that many countries uh this [00:21:19] last two two Yeah. two years. Erh, also [00:21:24] joined the lawsuit by South Africa in [00:21:27] you know in the [00:21:29] IC [00:21:31] yeah in the international court [00:21:34] but at the same time [00:21:38] we already did it more than a decade [00:21:40] ago. [00:21:43] You could have done it. I mean you know [00:21:44] it's it's a matter of will. if you [00:21:46] actually are going to do something to [00:21:49] the extent you're you're able to support [00:21:51] Palestine. So that's of course that's [00:21:54] also part of the of the interest and the [00:21:58] procedures. [00:22:02] All the AI and all this it's of course [00:22:04] run by Uber scientists [00:22:07] and they also had a a role here. I mean, [00:22:10] it's hard not to imagine that one more [00:22:12] time, at least in part of the new way of [00:22:17] war slash political economy that stems [00:22:20] from Gaza wasn't operating here, you [00:22:24] know, especially for a section of of [00:22:27] this new cloud robber baron which really [00:22:31] need to rely on cheap energy to make [00:22:34] their, you know, their venues [00:22:38] actually viable. in a midterm thing. So [00:22:42] yes, all of this is crossed together and [00:22:45] singer it's a very descriptive crossing [00:22:47] point of all of this because it touches [00:22:49] that like you already see it touches the [00:22:51] scionist it also [00:22:54] established context with with Maru [00:22:59] with vulture funds with the kind of you [00:23:03] know the kind of bookering finance kind [00:23:08] of things and um and yes and also no [00:23:11] interest here. So that that I mean I [00:23:13] think it's very that's a very good pick [00:23:16] to you know pin up a lot of [00:23:20] factors and actors that are also around [00:23:24] the the current moment against Venezuela [00:23:26] >> and you know Venezuela has historically [00:23:29] through the Chavez administration put [00:23:31] Palestine as a national cause. Um, you [00:23:34] know, Chavez even formed an alliance [00:23:37] with former Iranian president uh, [00:23:39] Ahmedina Jad to say that Venezuela is [00:23:42] part of the access of resistance. Um, [00:23:46] and has said that, you know, all of [00:23:48] Venezuela is Palestine and all of [00:23:50] Palestine is Venezuela. Like we are [00:23:52] brothers and sisters in the same [00:23:54] struggle. And I don't think people [00:23:57] realize how much this was a thorn in [00:24:00] Israel's uh, back. And so for decades, [00:24:04] for decades, Israel has written about [00:24:07] and has spoken about how not only does [00:24:10] Iran need to be overthrown, the [00:24:12] government of Iran needs to be [00:24:13] overthrown, but also the Venezuelan [00:24:15] government needs to be overthrown for [00:24:17] its support for Palestine, for its [00:24:19] alliance with Iran, which is another [00:24:21] sanctioned country. And so talk to me [00:24:24] more about this and how Israel [00:24:28] um apart from the pro-Zionist actors may [00:24:30] have played a role in the kidnapping of [00:24:34] Maduro. [00:24:35] Yeah, I have no exact [00:24:38] knowledge of something directly, but I [00:24:42] think that this one of the one of the [00:24:44] things that explains this is basically [00:24:46] because uh I think they have been not [00:24:50] only now but all these years they have [00:24:53] been playing more in stealth mode [00:24:55] regarding Venezuela but they always pop [00:24:57] up at some point. I don't know if you [00:24:59] remember this was n now nine years ago [00:25:03] here in Venezuela in 2017 [00:25:06] there were this erh colorcoded [00:25:09] unconventional warfare kind of [00:25:10] demonstration that were extremely [00:25:12] violent far more violent than the ones [00:25:15] from 2014 h in which even you know stars [00:25:19] of David appeared painted in the streets [00:25:23] and [00:25:25] yeah even in the highway in in in [00:25:27] southeastern Karakas for example and [00:25:29] they and then people who were detained [00:25:32] and interrogated also admitted to this [00:25:34] and then many other I remember one of [00:25:37] the numerous [00:25:40] uh plots to kill Maduro to overthrow the [00:25:44] government and so on uh had them [00:25:47] mentioned this is a son of a general who [00:25:48] was involved in this mentioned I have [00:25:50] the and they were actually infighting [00:25:52] between them and saying I have the [00:25:54] contact I'm the one with the with the [00:25:56] Israeli context here so you have to [00:25:58] listen to me what I'm going to do. And [00:26:01] this actually was one of the stren of [00:26:03] the strains that at some point ended up [00:26:05] in the previous operations before [00:26:09] operation Gideon, you know, back in 2020 [00:26:13] May. Uh so this actually shows that in [00:26:18] some ways or others they're there. [00:26:19] Especially also you have the logistics, [00:26:21] you have the AI, you have the sigent, [00:26:23] you have all those resources that are [00:26:25] actually run by people if they're not [00:26:27] embedded, they're outside but close to [00:26:29] unit 8 82,000, you know. So in that [00:26:33] sense it is clear that they have a take [00:26:36] but they're playing second line here [00:26:40] from my point of view and it pops up on [00:26:44] different ways. I think everyone saw [00:26:47] Marina Machado calling [00:26:50] I mean recently my you know our double [00:26:52] peace [00:26:54] peace Nobel peace prize laurate Marina [00:26:57] Machado calling herself calling [00:27:00] Netanyahu after she won the prize and [00:27:04] talking to him and so and supporting [00:27:06] this quote unquote strong commitment in [00:27:09] Gaza and so on and how in 2018 her party [00:27:13] which is not a by the way a legally reg [00:27:16] registered party Venezuela actually sent [00:27:19] a communication to the liquood [00:27:22] and directed to Netanyahu [00:27:26] asking for political and military [00:27:28] support in the efforts of bringing [00:27:31] freedom into Venezuela and also in 2024 [00:27:37] before the presidential elections Marina [00:27:40] Machado gave a [00:27:43] interview to one of the Israeli TV [00:27:45] channels. I don't remember which, but [00:27:48] she said quite clearly that when we win, [00:27:51] we're going to resume relations with [00:27:54] Israel and Venezuela will move its [00:27:57] embassy to Jerusalem under the frame of [00:28:00] the Abraham Accords. [00:28:03] But if you also want to see how [00:28:06] candid and how explicit on the other [00:28:10] side of things Israel is playing in the [00:28:13] region, just go and see Argentina. [00:28:16] and just go see the now looming Isaac [00:28:19] Accords that basically it's like a low [00:28:22] tier replica of the Abraham Accords uh [00:28:25] that has been already subscribed by [00:28:28] Argentina, Costa Rica, Panama and if I'm [00:28:31] not mistaken the new Lolivia [00:28:35] which basically yeah it's a it's a [00:28:37] replica and it focuses on what matters [00:28:40] and the most for the current Zionist [00:28:44] regime which is the narrative which is [00:28:46] the means of [00:28:50] to control the speech the freedom of [00:28:52] speech of course now and and and of [00:28:55] course they call the fight against [00:28:56] anti-semitism as you extensively know [00:29:00] but to bring all that chapter into Latin [00:29:03] America so at the current moment other [00:29:07] than I don't know some congratulations [00:29:08] and that kind of stuff and some Freudian [00:29:12] slips from some US officials and an [00:29:16] executive. I remember there was this [00:29:18] interview this guy saying how how much [00:29:20] good this is going to bring to the and [00:29:22] he says to Israel and then he corrects [00:29:25] you know to the United States. I mean [00:29:27] that kind of Freud and slips also [00:29:29] confirms how deep this goes and how much [00:29:32] active he is and it has been a long [00:29:35] while. Uh this has been a long while. I [00:29:38] mean I remember yeah something like six [00:29:41] years seven years ago some declassified [00:29:44] files proved that for example Israel had [00:29:46] a important role in communications [00:29:50] uh between inside the whole structure of [00:29:53] the of the condor operation and they [00:29:56] were based in Panama. It was like a hub [00:29:59] for communications between all this [00:30:01] military and secret services from the [00:30:03] southern cone and other places in order [00:30:05] to help for the effort of disappearing [00:30:07] and exterminating people. So there you [00:30:10] go. I mean it's not as obvious as in of [00:30:15] course in Western Asia but of but [00:30:17] definitely they're there and they're [00:30:19] doing them what they are good at in that [00:30:22] sense. And we'll have to wait and see. [00:30:26] And I'm sure that's that we won't take [00:30:28] too long to see more evidence of their [00:30:31] participation [00:30:34] during I mean before and during the [00:30:37] recent events. [00:30:39] >> Thank you for explaining that. Um you [00:30:41] know one of the I want to talk more [00:30:43] about the sham court case that's [00:30:47] happening right now. This court hearing [00:30:48] against President Maduro in New York [00:30:51] City. You know, it's so horrible to have [00:30:54] seen all of those images and video of [00:30:57] our corporate mainstream media from CNN [00:30:59] to Fox News showing how Madura was being [00:31:02] paraded in the streets of New York. Um, [00:31:05] as if like they had caught this prize, [00:31:07] right? And they're like showing him off [00:31:08] and you can hear people in the streets [00:31:10] yelling USA, USA. [00:31:12] It was so disgusting. And to top all of [00:31:16] this off, the star witness in the DOJ's [00:31:19] drug trafficking court hearing against [00:31:21] Maduro is actually a US asset. His name [00:31:24] is Hugo Carvajel. Um he defected and [00:31:27] colluded with the Bush administration [00:31:29] during the um Chavez government. Tell us [00:31:32] more about his history and why this is [00:31:35] problematic for this case that um the [00:31:40] DOJ's key witness is a US asset. [00:31:45] Yeah, you know, I want I would like to [00:31:48] address the first part of your of your [00:31:50] of your question, which was Yeah. the [00:31:54] parading, the Roman parading of Nicolas [00:31:57] Maduro [00:32:00] and Celia Flores, the first lady of [00:32:02] course was wounded as you can as was [00:32:05] also clear to see for anyone who wanted [00:32:07] to [00:32:09] and how actually [00:32:11] there was I think it's a very important [00:32:13] symbolic defeat there for the United [00:32:15] States [00:32:17] because of how he actually first the [00:32:20] opportunity he had in front of cameras [00:32:23] and what he did first of all just saying [00:32:26] good night and smiling and just keeping [00:32:27] you know keeping it up looking straight [00:32:30] to the to the world and also sending us [00:32:33] this sign I don't know if you realize [00:32:34] but he did this he was in in handcuff [00:32:36] and he did just like this [00:32:40] he touched his hands and did the V sign [00:32:42] basically saying in Spanish [00:32:46] we will prevail so that has become now a [00:32:49] symbol for us and um also if You look at [00:32:53] the takes of his presence in court and [00:32:57] the way he behaved there and what he [00:32:59] said and how he was uh [00:33:03] well standing firm that made a strong [00:33:06] impression on all the correspondents who [00:33:08] were inside the court that day a couple [00:33:11] of days ago. So for that so in that part [00:33:14] I think that's important. Now regarding [00:33:18] Poo Carvajal who was a former military [00:33:20] intelligence chief for Chaveis and there [00:33:24] also were colluded in to an extent with [00:33:27] Tisami the you know the one of the [00:33:31] traitors of of the project of the [00:33:33] revolution who actually had very [00:33:36] high-profile [00:33:39] positions that was basically conspiring [00:33:42] and was and was leading one of the [00:33:43] biggest frauds on in the oil field and [00:33:46] others in our history which was [00:33:49] devastating at that moment in the sense [00:33:51] of of how [00:33:54] to the extent of how treasonous it was [00:33:56] and WA was part of that scheme and um so [00:34:02] and I even have to think about this [00:34:06] follows a pattern that wasn't that [00:34:09] successful back then and it's not being [00:34:12] successful now either if you if you ask [00:34:14] me [00:34:15] uh because he has they're trying to turn [00:34:17] me into a a star witness, but this is [00:34:21] also a cow witness, something where was [00:34:24] actually actually asking for benefits in [00:34:27] order to reduce his own sentence. So, [00:34:30] he's actually [00:34:32] declaring [00:34:33] under the arrest regardless of how [00:34:35] willful he has to lie and deceive. but [00:34:39] he has his own erh [00:34:42] fate at play here and if he doesn't play [00:34:45] ball [00:34:47] it will be far worse for him. So he's [00:34:48] going to say anything the US wants them [00:34:51] to say and as you already saw the [00:34:53] indictment basically there's no mention [00:34:57] of fentanil and and they just like the [00:35:01] media has been covering the whole cartel [00:35:04] deos thing was dropped. [00:35:07] So this proves how flimsy and how [00:35:11] opportunistic and how fake the whole uh [00:35:15] drug thing was and how it was used as a [00:35:19] procedure. We were warning this a lot [00:35:21] before [00:35:23] before January the 3rd in which they [00:35:28] the [snorts] whole thing about calling [00:35:30] uh our president and the government [00:35:32] narco terrorist and a and a narco state [00:35:37] and leading this [00:35:39] the fake cartel de loses the cartel of [00:35:41] the sons which is a CIA creation of the [00:35:44] '9s it's mostly a procedural thing you [00:35:47] have of course the narrative to you to [00:35:49] further the criminalization and the [00:35:51] character assassination of Nikoras [00:35:53] Maduro, the first lady, the government, [00:35:56] the society and the country as a whole. [00:36:00] But it was also a convenient way to just [00:36:04] say this is not a military operation. [00:36:07] This is not a state declaring war to [00:36:10] another state. This is police work. This [00:36:13] is domestic security kind of erh [00:36:16] operations. This is this has nothing to [00:36:19] do with uh dictatorship or freedom. This [00:36:23] is only about uh [00:36:27] yeah about a criminal and a criminal [00:36:29] procedure in this sense. And they've [00:36:32] been calling it even police operation. [00:36:34] It it's far more easier legally and [00:36:37] institutionally to do it this way, you [00:36:39] know, than going through the whole [00:36:44] massive construct. That was the EDAG [00:36:48] 2003 WMDs. [00:36:51] This was a highway for this. And [00:36:53] throughout the the whole process, [00:36:56] not showing the goods, not showing [00:36:57] evidence and actually getting push back [00:37:00] even from their own institutions like [00:37:02] the you know the the top judicial [00:37:06] authority inside the Pentagon [00:37:07] acknowledging the Jack acknowledging [00:37:09] these were war crimes for example. [00:37:13] So it proves one more time that this was [00:37:16] just this is just lawfare and and and [00:37:19] it's and and it's even sloppier than [00:37:21] that if you think if you ask me it's [00:37:23] even sloppier they just don't care [00:37:25] anymore. [00:37:27] >> This never a matter [00:37:29] >> matter of truth. Yeah. Go on. Well, no, [00:37:31] I was just going to say, I mean, if if [00:37:33] you know the Trump administration really [00:37:36] cared about um, you know, drug [00:37:38] trafficking, I mean, the CIA itself, [00:37:40] just the CIA is one of the largest narot [00:37:42] terrorists in the world responsible for [00:37:46] uh, trafficking so many different drugs. [00:37:48] I mean, look at the war in Afghanistan. [00:37:49] It was US troops guarding the poppy [00:37:51] seeds. We can't forget that those [00:37:53] images. [00:37:54] >> Um, and that list, of course, uh, [00:37:56] >> US troops and and CIA contractors. [00:37:59] >> Yeah, it was the CIA. Exactly. Exactly. [00:38:01] And of course, we can't forget that, you [00:38:03] know, I mean, at this point, [00:38:05] >> the mask is off. Trump just pulled that [00:38:08] mask off. And like, yeah, we're talking [00:38:10] about drug trafficking and so on, but [00:38:12] like he has said, this is about oil. We [00:38:14] were we're going there to take the oil. [00:38:16] We're there to take over the vast [00:38:19] mineral wealth. This is a, you know, the [00:38:22] Monroe Doctrine and now the Donroe [00:38:24] doctrine to make sure that the Western [00:38:26] Hemisphere in its entirety is in US [00:38:30] control. I mean, this could very much be [00:38:34] a cover up, of course, from the uh from [00:38:37] Trump's role in the Epstein files. You [00:38:40] know, he was mentioned what over 600 [00:38:43] times and implicated in like the rape [00:38:47] and murder of young girls. It's really [00:38:50] disturbing stuff. So, not only are we [00:38:52] ruled by criminals, but we're ruled by [00:38:54] pedophiles as well. And we're just like [00:38:56] given this show. I mean, like you said, [00:38:59] it's like a they're we're having the US [00:39:01] is having a sugar high right now. And [00:39:03] they're putting up a big show of [00:39:05] strength, you know, parading Maduro in [00:39:07] the streets, putting him on trial, [00:39:10] kidnapping him with like Hapachi [00:39:12] helicopters [00:39:13] and um you know, threatening to take [00:39:15] over the oil industry. Like like this is [00:39:17] like this what has just happened is a [00:39:22] representation of US imperialism. It [00:39:25] never died. And if anybody ever thought [00:39:29] that the US cared about human rights, [00:39:31] let this be yet another reminder in case [00:39:33] you're confused. I don't know how you [00:39:34] can be confused at this point [00:39:36] >> considering we just watch we just [00:39:38] watched a [00:39:39] >> Yeah, we just watched a genocide in Gaza [00:39:42] and it was presided over by the Trump [00:39:45] administration, the Biden administration [00:39:46] by US imperialism funded and armed. So [00:39:51] there's no question at this point that [00:39:53] the US does not give a damn about human [00:39:55] rights. Otherwise, Netanyahu right now [00:39:58] would be on trial, right? He would have [00:40:00] been captured. He would have been the [00:40:02] first person that the United States [00:40:03] would have kidnapped. Um, and so this is [00:40:06] obviously a sham case, but you know, we [00:40:10] haven't, this is not the first time [00:40:11] we've seen stuff like this before. But [00:40:13] before we go into other examples of the [00:40:15] US kidnapping um other state leaders um [00:40:19] you know Deli Rodriguez who is the vice [00:40:22] president [00:40:24] >> um in the government has now been sworn [00:40:26] in as the interim president of [00:40:29] Venezuela. And so what is that going to [00:40:32] look like considering she has openly [00:40:35] stated and invited the United States for [00:40:37] dialogue? [00:40:39] You know, I mean I what what can we take [00:40:42] from that? [00:40:42] >> Yeah, I understand. [00:40:43] >> Yeah. [00:40:45] >> Sure. But first, I mean, she doesn't see [00:40:48] she didn't say anything new. This has [00:40:50] been government position ever since. [00:40:54] I mean, Venezuela will always be [00:40:56] available and willful to talk as equals, [00:41:00] as normal actors with the United States, [00:41:04] just like any other country in the [00:41:06] world. I mean this is not about [00:41:08] privilege relationship. This is about a [00:41:11] conversation among states among rational [00:41:14] states. That's a premise in which this [00:41:16] is based and and that has been I mean [00:41:19] Nicolaras Maduro was saying the same [00:41:20] thing probably one two weeks before all [00:41:23] of this and mind you that at at least [00:41:26] until 20 [00:41:29] yeah 134 [00:41:31] the US was one of the main buyers of [00:41:33] Venezuelan oil. There's a whole refining [00:41:36] circuit in southern US that relies on [00:41:39] Venezuelan's heavy crude that has [00:41:41] suffered a lot by the way because of all [00:41:44] this [00:41:46] uh militancy of of people who are [00:41:48] actually opposing ideology to energy [00:41:50] markets. [00:41:52] But at the same time she said that she [00:41:54] also said the other part of this which [00:41:56] is as important because that yeah that's [00:41:59] official. I mean that's no there's no [00:42:01] there's nothing new there. But she also [00:42:03] said, "I am the interim president and [00:42:06] I'm waiting and we are all waiting for [00:42:08] the return of the legitimate elected [00:42:10] president of the Biban Republic of [00:42:12] Venezuela, which is Nicolas Maduro and [00:42:14] the first lady, Cyia Flores." [00:42:16] >> And do you think and and do you think um [00:42:19] Diego that the United States will return [00:42:22] Maduro? Like what do you think lies [00:42:24] ahead for Nicholas Maduro now that he's [00:42:26] in captivity by the US government? [00:42:29] Yeah, it's really hard to tell at this [00:42:31] point and it's too too soon for at least [00:42:34] for me to make a more a more informed [00:42:37] analysis or opinion about this. I don't [00:42:40] rule that out. [00:42:43] I mean, I don't know how or when, [00:42:46] but I don't rule that out necessarily up [00:42:49] to this point. It depends what happens [00:42:50] next. Depends what happen uh in next uh [00:42:55] audience, which is in March. [00:42:58] uh March the 17th depends on a lot of [00:43:01] things that are going on right now but [00:43:03] uh but I don't think it's impossible. [00:43:06] Venezuela was able to bring back for [00:43:08] example Alexa which also seemed [00:43:10] impossible back then. Alex, as you know, [00:43:12] it's a it's a now he's a ministry of [00:43:16] industries [00:43:18] and he was an entrepreneur and who had a [00:43:21] diplomatic support for [00:43:25] bringing food into Venezuela from other [00:43:28] places and this was his crime. [00:43:31] A very different kind of leader from [00:43:33] some people who are used to, you know, [00:43:34] the usual 20th century kind of [00:43:36] revolutionary, but a leader [00:43:38] nevertheless, a hero nevertheless. I [00:43:41] mean, in that sense, someone who puts [00:43:43] his life in the line to bring food to [00:43:46] Venezuela in order not to not to allow [00:43:50] well a famine [00:43:53] or even a worst uh for what it was back [00:43:57] then, bringing food from important food [00:43:59] from throughout the world and [00:44:00] circumventing sanctions. So, I don't [00:44:04] think it's at all it's impossible. I [00:44:07] don't think I think that should could [00:44:08] happen at some point but I don't have [00:44:10] like any valuable point in which to rely [00:44:15] other than this kind of precedence. He [00:44:17] has also very good lawyer in this case [00:44:19] who was able to manage to finally [00:44:22] release Assange [00:44:25] which because it did that's his lawyer [00:44:27] Pollock Jeffrey Pollock I think is his [00:44:29] name that's that's Maduro's lawyer here. [00:44:31] >> Yeah. Yeah. [00:44:31] >> And I think that's also significant. [00:44:34] And um so it's it's it's a matter of [00:44:38] waiting and see. But jumping back to the [00:44:40] other question where you ask how would [00:44:42] that look like with with our in current [00:44:44] interim president [00:44:46] Rodriguez. First you have to take into [00:44:49] account that this was ruled by the [00:44:51] Supreme Court based on two articles of [00:44:53] our own constitution. So it's a pro it's [00:44:56] a [00:44:57] legally it's very it's it's a solid move [00:45:00] and it's important and it's based on our [00:45:03] domestic laws and if you see the cabinet [00:45:06] nothing has changed either and this [00:45:09] happens because timing it's never easy [00:45:11] to hide a couple of days before the new [00:45:15] national assembly was installed. [00:45:18] So they so this tells you how they [00:45:21] wanted to disrupt state function and [00:45:23] administrative continuity and they [00:45:25] weren't able to achieve that and now [00:45:27] they have to rely on this government [00:45:29] because they they know that any other [00:45:30] it's incapable to keep stability. [00:45:34] I mean this is uncharted waters manar in [00:45:37] many ways and this is one of them but it [00:45:40] shows you how no state collapse means a [00:45:43] lot in this kind of situation and [00:45:45] describes a lot the situation. [00:45:48] >> Yeah and I and I was going to actually [00:45:50] bring up Alex Saab. I mean, the fact [00:45:52] that he was an ambassador to bring aid [00:45:56] um and food and he was even on his way [00:45:59] from getting aid um when he was [00:46:02] kidnapped by the US government and he [00:46:05] was put on trial in US courts and he was [00:46:08] in fact let go and freed and brought [00:46:10] back to Venezuela. And so it definitely [00:46:14] we're living in interesting times. I [00:46:16] think that the president um is a little [00:46:19] bit different because of just how much [00:46:21] the United States has been trying to [00:46:23] take over the oil and mineral uh wealth [00:46:26] of Venezuela. Then again, you know, we [00:46:29] have examples of, you know, Ugo Chavez [00:46:31] uh there was a coup and he was [00:46:33] kidnapped. I don't think he made it all [00:46:34] the way to the United States, but it was [00:46:37] the will of thei of the people of [00:46:39] Venezuela and them demanding that their [00:46:42] president be returned that Hugo Chavez, [00:46:45] they actually ended up overthrowing the [00:46:46] coup government, the people and the [00:46:48] military and then [00:46:49] >> yeah, it was a counter coup [00:46:52] and then um you know he was returned he [00:46:55] was returned to Venezuela. So [00:46:57] >> I really think again it really signifies [00:47:00] just the power of the people and you [00:47:03] know it's so horrible what they've said [00:47:06] about Maduro being a dictator because I [00:47:08] don't know of any other dictator that [00:47:09] would be handing out rifles to the [00:47:12] people of their country. He armed his [00:47:15] country to the tea whereas here in the [00:47:17] United States you know the second [00:47:19] amendment is being disarmed and people [00:47:22] [clears throat] could argue that that's [00:47:23] a form of you know authoritarianism. And [00:47:26] I'm not one to support, you know, guns [00:47:28] or anything like that, but it is our [00:47:30] second amendment right. And the people [00:47:33] [clears throat] of Venezuela are being [00:47:35] armed. They're not having their guns [00:47:36] taken away. They're being armed. That's [00:47:38] how much trust trust there is between [00:47:40] Maduro and the people. [snorts] [00:47:42] >> Yeah. And also part of the charges [00:47:44] against Maduro is is having [00:47:46] >> guns at his home, having weapons. [00:47:49] >> That's part of the indictment based on a [00:47:51] 1934 law. I mean, domestic US law that [00:47:54] it has nothing to do with Venezuela [00:47:56] legal system at all. So, yeah. I mean, [00:47:59] it it is true. [00:48:01] >> Yeah. Well, [00:48:02] >> like I've said, I mean, it's it's [00:48:04] >> Yeah. Go on. Go on, son. [00:48:06] >> No, no. I I was just going to, you know, [00:48:07] we're going to try to wrap it up now, [00:48:09] but um I want to talk about um you know, [00:48:13] January 3rd marks a very historic day in [00:48:16] US history because that was the day that [00:48:18] Nicholas Maduro was kidnapped. January [00:48:21] 3rd in 2020 was also the date that the [00:48:23] United States under the Trump [00:48:24] administration carried out an [00:48:26] assassination against Kasamsle Mani. And [00:48:29] also on January 3rd, 36 years ago to the [00:48:33] day that the US abducted sitting [00:48:35] Panameanian President Manuel Noriega, [00:48:38] also on drug charges. So, it seems like [00:48:41] there's something going on with this uh [00:48:44] date where the United States, you know, [00:48:46] they they celebrate New Year's with a [00:48:48] new war plan. And so, um how do you [00:48:53] think this [00:48:55] >> Mhm. Go on. Go on. [00:48:56] >> No, I was just going to say like how do [00:48:58] you think this signals a new era with uh [00:49:00] Latin American countries, with the US? I [00:49:03] mean, the US [clears throat] has openly [00:49:06] now the Trump administration has said, [00:49:07] "Oh, Cuba, you're next. Nicaragua, [00:49:09] you're next. Colombia, you're next. Do [00:49:12] you think that will actually happen or [00:49:14] what do you what do you what's your [00:49:16] response to this? M [00:49:18] >> uh [clears throat] you know it it was [00:49:19] already happening during the first stage [00:49:22] of what we could what could call what we [00:49:24] could call in hindsight now the first [00:49:25] stage of this uh aggression [00:49:29] uh you know striking the speed boats the [00:49:32] the fish fisherman boats in some cases [00:49:35] uh near our shores and throughout the [00:49:39] southern Caribbean bassin [00:49:41] uh many victims were Colombians Anthony [00:49:45] not only Venezuelans [00:49:47] So it it is already happening in that [00:49:50] sense and this fits into the Trump [00:49:54] corollary of the national security [00:49:56] strategy uh that was released early in [00:49:58] early December of last year and you have [00:50:01] to also pair this up with how they are [00:50:04] also engaging with other countries. If [00:50:06] it is the case of Argentina for example, [00:50:09] they offered a massive bailout to MLE [00:50:12] that actually allowed him to win [00:50:14] Congress back then. Then you got the [00:50:16] case for example of Honduras the way it [00:50:19] was basically also the true social posts [00:50:24] uh threatening Honduras that actually [00:50:27] you know tipped the balance and allowed [00:50:29] also and protected fraud that was of [00:50:33] yeah electoral fraud that was going on [00:50:35] allowing to for for the opposing [00:50:38] candidate of the Liberty party to [00:50:40] actually reach office. The same moment, [00:50:43] by the way, Minard, they released Juan [00:50:45] Orlando Ernnandez, as you know, [00:50:48] >> Juan, former president Juan Orlando was [00:50:50] convicted for like 45 years for for [00:50:55] being guilty of pushing along with his [00:50:58] brother 400 tons of cocaine into the [00:51:01] United States. There's there is footage [00:51:04] of him saying, "We're going to stuff the [00:51:07] US population's noses up to, you know, [00:51:10] it was allowed a bad word there." And um [00:51:14] and also you see Marco Rubio involved in [00:51:17] all of this, including the lobby effort, [00:51:20] the lobby agency that actually pushed [00:51:22] for Trump to talk about Juan Orlando in [00:51:25] the first place. by Orlando who actually [00:51:28] shaped Honduras as a narco state and a [00:51:31] full-fledged Narco state just like [00:51:33] Ecuador is now one and al it's so [00:51:37] surprising to see how close Daniel Nooa [00:51:40] the current narco president of Ecuador [00:51:43] is so close extremely close to Marco [00:51:46] Rubio so this tells you a lot and and we [00:51:49] all know about Marco Rubio and Nectto [00:51:52] Ciccilia's [00:51:53] p early days in Florida and we all know [00:51:58] also about Miami being a narco city in [00:52:01] and of itself. [00:52:03] So this is quite descriptive. I mean a [00:52:06] friend of mine said that uh if actually [00:52:10] Venezuela if actually and this is the [00:52:12] the main difference with Noriega if [00:52:14] Venezuela was a narco state it would [00:52:16] have been a US partner not a US enemy. [00:52:20] >> That's a very very accurate statement [00:52:22] and I think many people would agree with [00:52:24] that. Yeah. [00:52:25] >> And [00:52:26] >> but this shows you what they want for [00:52:28] the region in the sense that it's not [00:52:30] only about destroying and threatening [00:52:33] and trying to impose this kind of vice [00:52:36] royal thing going on here in Venezuela, [00:52:40] but also uh shows you which are their [00:52:42] actual preferences in the vassel friend [00:52:46] vassel governments in in other [00:52:48] countries, the friendly governments in [00:52:50] other countries. They're a different [00:52:52] nature now. coming up. This is even [00:52:54] worse than the ones from 2015 who were [00:52:57] actually yeah neoliberal nut cases uh [00:53:01] not so bright bulbs that actually did a [00:53:04] lot of harm to their own societies and [00:53:05] then lost power. These are actually [00:53:08] turbocharged vessels far more [00:53:13] dumb and crazy [00:53:15] and able to do whatever and or or dirty [00:53:18] in the case of NOA and able to do [00:53:21] whatever the US wants them to do. [00:53:23] >> Yeah. [00:53:23] >> In spite of anything uh in spite of how [00:53:27] harmful it could be to their own [00:53:30] countries onto the societies they are [00:53:32] supposed to govern and protect. So this [00:53:34] tells you a lot of what's in store for [00:53:38] the region. What how how does the Trump [00:53:41] corollary of the Mandro doctrine now [00:53:44] looks like and but also it shows you how [00:53:48] desperate this is. It shows you how this [00:53:50] is within the decline and it shows you [00:53:54] how this are not precisely [00:53:57] manifestations of strength. They're [00:53:59] actually demonstration of desperation [00:54:01] because all this you were already [00:54:04] mentioned a lot of the the the resource [00:54:06] factor this all amounts to keeping the [00:54:09] proto dollar alive. [00:54:11] >> Yeah. [00:54:12] >> In a very bad moment. Well, and that's [00:54:14] what I was going to say is if we can [00:54:16] conclude on any uh sort of note about [00:54:19] this is that you know it's not just [00:54:21] about resources of course it's about US [00:54:22] hijgemony and keeping the US dollar [00:54:24] alive since right now with the rise of [00:54:27] bricks the rise of China the rise of the [00:54:29] global south and resistance to US uh [00:54:33] hegemony the United States is trying to [00:54:36] basically get control of the situation [00:54:38] and it it looks desperate you know when [00:54:40] when a big bully like when you think [00:54:42] about like a bully the way they they [00:54:45] act, they don't get this aggressive and [00:54:47] this crazy unless they get extremely [00:54:49] desperate and they're kind of on their [00:54:51] lats, their last uh whim of what they're [00:54:54] capable of. So, [00:54:56] >> um it's an unfortunate turn of events [00:54:58] that we've seen under the Trump [00:55:00] administration, but I always say like, [00:55:01] you know, the Republicans and [00:55:03] specifically Trump, this is like the [00:55:06] emper the empire without its clothes on. [00:55:08] The mask is off. This is the true [00:55:10] intentions and what the United States [00:55:11] has always wanted. and he's there to [00:55:14] fulfill uh those ambitions. And I think [00:55:16] that um you know with the genocide in [00:55:19] Gaza, what we've really learned and [00:55:21] people around the world have learned is [00:55:22] that pro-Zionist actors um are there [00:55:27] pushing the US to fulfill these war [00:55:30] ambitions. So it's, you know, they've [00:55:32] become like vessels of each other where [00:55:34] they're they're pushing um the same [00:55:36] agenda. So um Diego, [00:55:40] >> absolutely. Diego, we are out of time, [00:55:42] but it's been such a pleasure to have [00:55:44] you here to learn, you know, from a [00:55:46] Venezuelan on the ground who can give us [00:55:48] the perspective of Venezuelans in [00:55:51] Venezuela, uh, about what has happened [00:55:53] with the abduction and kidnapping of [00:55:56] their president, Nicholas Maduro. And of [00:55:59] course, we don't know what's going to [00:56:00] happen next. We don't know if the US is [00:56:02] going to send more boots to the ground, [00:56:03] boots on the ground of Venezuela, how [00:56:05] exactly they're going to take over the [00:56:07] oil industry or the government. We have, [00:56:10] you know, yet to see what this is going [00:56:12] to look like. And so hopefully we'll [00:56:13] continue this conversation, [music] but [00:56:16] um we thank you and everyone who's [00:56:17] watching can find more of Diego's work [00:56:20] at Mission [music] Verdat. Thank you so [00:56:21] much. [00:56:22] >> Thank you, Bernardo. This is not over. [00:56:24] It's not something I'm going to say. [00:56:25] This is just the first act.