Trump's Venezuela Vendetta

[Valmy]

It's starting to look like no one really gave serious thought about what happens after the operation, assuming total success. Hard to imagine that could be possible but increasingly difficult to understand otherwise. And perhaps not hard to imagine given the cast assembled at today's press conference: Hegseth, Rubio, Ratcliffe, Miller.

I don't know. It is kind of expected these days. I assumed that GWB had some secret knowledge that made his seemingly nonsensical pronouncements leading up to the Iraq war make sense, or he had some secret strategy. But nope, his plans really were just wishcasting and muddling through.

[Razgovory]

My initial thought was that this showed the world that the US can pull off a special operation regime change while Russia cannot.

... but if the US fails to enact an actual regime change then it might turn from a demonstration of power into an embarrassment after all.

It's a combination of extraordinary professionalism and capability at the operational and tactical level and complete amateur hour on the strategic level. 

It's starting to look like no one really gave serious thought about what happens after the operation, assuming total success. Hard to imagine that could be possible but increasingly difficult to understand otherwise. And perhaps not hard to imagine given the cast assembled at today's press conference: Hegseth, Rubio, Ratcliffe, Miller.

I can just imagine Lt. Hegseth sitting in Iraq pondering, "Maybe the military actually put too much thought into this."

[Sophie Scholl]

My initial thought was that this showed the world that the US can pull off a special operation regime change while Russia cannot.

... but if the US fails to enact an actual regime change then it might turn from a demonstration of power into an embarrassment after all.

Who are the local Venezuelan collaborators who will deliver the oil wealth to US firms?

Who on the US side have the expertise and plan to enact a post-Maduro order that aligns with US interests? The State Dep't? The CIA? The Office of the President? The US Armed Forces? Elon Musk?

There may be people waiting in the wings, and I'm sure there's no shortage of anti-regime emigrants, but can they actually make things happen?

It's still early days if course. We will see.

I presume they were banking on the Nobel "Peace" Prize winner, María Corina Machado, delivering everything to them after she was installed by popular acclaim as the new dictat... "President" with Maduro gone. Which, I guess, is at least a change of pace from the numerous attempts to set up Juan Guaidó as the US puppet during years past. Machado already laid out plans on how to divide up the country's oil and bring back the US corporations in a manifesto if memory serves.

[garbon]

My initial thought was that this showed the world that the US can pull off a special operation regime change while Russia cannot.

... but if the US fails to enact an actual regime change then it might turn from a demonstration of power into an embarrassment after all.

Who are the local Venezuelan collaborators who will deliver the oil wealth to US firms?

Who on the US side have the expertise and plan to enact a post-Maduro order that aligns with US interests? The State Dep't? The CIA? The Office of the President? The US Armed Forces? Elon Musk?

There may be people waiting in the wings, and I'm sure there's no shortage of anti-regime emigrants, but can they actually make things happen?

It's still early days if course. We will see.

I presume they were banking on the Nobel "Peace" Prize winner, María Corina Machado, delivering everything to them after she was installed by popular acclaim as the new dictat... "President" with Maduro gone. Which, I guess, is at least a change of pace from the numerous attempts to set up Juan Guaidó as the US puppet during years past. Machado already laid out plans on how to divide up the country's oil and bring back the US corporations in a manifesto if memory serves.

That's not what they are saying, at least publicly.

https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5671488-trump-machado-venezuela-opposition-leader/

Trump says Machado 'doesn't have the support' in Venezuela, wasn't consulted

President Trump on Saturday said Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado "doesn't have the support" within Venezuela to be its next leader after U.S. troops captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, and said she was not consulted prior to the operation.

"I think it would be very tough for her to be the leader," Trump said at a press conference from his Mar-a-Lago resort hours after the attack. "She doesn't have the support within or the respect within the country."

Trump said the administration did not talk to Machado about the attack and possibility of leading Venezuela. He leaned on Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez as Maduro's successor, who he claimed was sworn in as the country's president. Trump said he would work with her as the U.S. will "run" Venezuela until there is a peaceful transfer of power.

"I just had a conversation with her, and she's essentially willing to do what she thinks is necessary to make Venezuela great again," Trump said. "Very simple."

Rodríguez later dismissed Trump's remarks, saying in a televised speech that Maduro is the country's "only president."

Machado said the "hour of freedom has arrived" in the hours following Maduro's capture.

"Today we are ready to enforce our mandate and take power," Machado said in a letter shared on the social platform X, translated by Le Monde. "Let us remain vigilant, active and organized until the Democratic Transition is realized. A transition that needs ALL of us."

Machado placed her support behind opposition leader Edmundo González Urrutia, whom Maduro defeated in Venezuela's elections in 2024 amid allegations of widespread voter fraud. She said Urrutia must be "recognized as Commander in Chief of the National Armed Forces by all officers and soldiers."

...

[Sophie Scholl]

Well huh. It appears whatever "plan" they had has already fallen apart if they were banking on the VP then, as per Trump's comments. Wild. The coup attempt has possibly buckled in under a day. Great job, America! 

[DGuller]

When Soviet invasion of Afghanistan started, their special ops forces quickly assassinated their president.  In hindsight, that initial victory for the Soviets has been watered down somewhat by future events.

[Richard Hakluyt]

When Soviet invasion of Afghanistan started, their special ops forces quickly assassinated their president.  In hindsight, that initial victory for the Soviets has been watered down somewhat by future events.

Indeed, "Mission Accomplished" as they say.

[Syt]

It's a tired metaphor, but this feels a bit like the dog finally catching the car.   "And now what?"

[Maladict]

Venezuelan VP is now named acting president and is calling on Venezuelans to resist the US. This is going well.

Maybe the plan was to get Machado in after all? Even though she stole the Nobel Prize from Trump?
I have a hard time believing they really didn't plan beyond the kidnapping and taking some oil. But it might just be true.

[Syt]

I guess they were hoping that the Venezuelan government would just collapse or become compliant by this show of force? At least Hegseth gets to masturbate furiously over the prowess of his manly warfighters.

[Josquius]

It's amazing how low the regime corruption goes.

https://www.axios.com/2026/01/03/maduro-capture-bets-trade-prediction-markets

[Razgovory]

Interim-President of Venezuela is blaming "Zionists" for the attack.

[Zoupa]

Well now they've done it. Time to level Caracas.

[PJL]

Interim-President of Venezuela is blaming "Zionists" for the attack.

I think she has a point, if it is viewed as another variant of the military-industrial complex, corporatist government, tech bros terms banded about for this sort of thing.

[Admiral Yi]

Details of the raid.