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Trump is blaming Venezuela for the fentanyl crisis in America. But it’s actually about stealing Venezuela’s oil and minerals: https://english.elpais.com/intern

Trump is blaming Venezuela for the fentanyl crisis in America. But it’s actually about stealing Venezuela’s oil and minerals: https://english.elpais.com/international/2025-12-22/oil-gold-and-rare-earth-elements-the-backdrop-to-us-political-tension-with-venezuela.html https://english.elpais.com/international/2025-12-22/oil-gold... Once a puppet regime has been established, you can bet Trump-related companies will get contracts to extract this stuff.

JumpCrisscross 10mo ago
> it’s actually about stealing Venezuela’s oil and minerals It's multi-faceted. Venezuela is a hive of Russian, Chinese and Iranian activity in the Western Hemisphere. That is–long run–a problem for America. Venezuela is also a brutal dictatorship that is oppressing its people and producing waves of migrants. Finally, Venezuela is rich in underdeveloped mineral and energy resources. (Caveat: Exxon currently pumps those wells.) Venezuela is also not Epstein, so, idk, there's that.
- drysine 10mo ago
  >Venezuela is a hive of Russian, Chinese and Iranian activity in the Western Hemisphere. That is–long run–a problem for America. Hmm, the Ukraine is a hive of American, British and German activity near Russian border. That is–long run–a problem for Russia. How does that sound?
  - JumpCrisscross 10mo ago
    > Ukraine is a hive of American, British and German activity near Russian border. That is–long run–a problem for Russia. How does that sound? Like a bad reason to go to war. Same here. I'm not justifying the war. I'm just saying the reasons are–or at least reasonably can be–more complicated than one dimension.
    - drysine 10mo ago
      Bad or good, you call it a reason.
  - blfr 10mo ago
    Sounds like Russian leadership should have known they're not a match for Americans. A costly misjudgement.
    - drysine 10mo ago
      [flagged]
      - emptyfile 10mo ago
        [dead]
      - azan_ 10mo ago
        What do you mean? Do you think that Ukrainian natonalists started the war and not Russia (or to reply in your tone - fans of Stalin)?
        kelipso 10mo ago
        A lot of people do think exactly that.
        drysine 10mo ago
        >What do you mean? Do you think that Ukrainian natonalists started the war You could start by watching Bush Sr.'s speech in Kiev in 1991: "Americans will not support those who seek independence in order to replace a far-off tyranny with a local despotism. They will not aid those who promote a suicidal nationalism based upon ethnic hatred".[0] Americans later did support them, of course. [1] Fast forward to 2014: "The night before the clashes, Right Sector called on all of its members to ready themselves for a "peace offensive" on 18 February. <...> That morning, around 20,000 demonstrators marched on the parliament building as that body was set to consider opposition demands for a new constitution and government. Around 09:45, the demonstrators broke through the police barricade of several personnel-transport trucks near the building of the Central Officers' Club of Ukraine and pushed the cordon of police aside. The clashes started after some two dozen demonstrators moved a police vehicle blocking their path to parliament." [2] Right Sector is "the right-wing, paramilitary confederation of several ultranationalist organizations" [3] After overthrowing pro-Ukrainian president who was predominantly supported by the Eastern Ukraine, pro-Western Ukrainian nationalistic "government" started what they cynically called Anti-Terrorist Operation in the Eastern Ukraine [0] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vkjxf76xRTw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vkjxf76xRTw [1] https://www.businessinsider.com/john-mccain-meets-oleh-tyahnybok-in-ukraine-2013-12 https://www.businessinsider.com/john-mccain-meets-oleh-tyahn... [2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Revolution_of_Dignity#Protest_march_and_initial_clashes https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Revolution_of_Dignity#Protest_... [3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Right_Sector https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Right_Sector
- SilverElfin 10mo ago
  > Venezuela is a hive of Russian, Chinese and Iranian activity in the Western Hemisphere. That is–long run–a problem for America. A problem for American ideology or dominance? Sure. But a valid reason for war? No. Right now America is breaking international law. Stealing oil tankers is literal piracy. Bombing a country is imperialism. These things should be done with a process that involves other countries and seeks consensus. > Venezuela is also a brutal dictatorship that is oppressing its people and producing waves of migrants. Agree. > Finally, Venezuela is rich in underdeveloped mineral and energy resources. (Caveat: Exxon currently pumps those wells.) Given how the Trump family is using every single means to become rich through their power, I imagine this is their main motivation. > Venezuela is also not Epstein, so, idk, there's that. I view this Venezuela war and the Somalian daycare fraud as ways the administration distracts from inconvenient issues like Epstein and affordability.
- thrance 10mo ago
  I can't remember the last time the US invaded a South American country and it ending up in a better position. Usually, a fascist dictator is installed, and the country is economically raped out of its wealth. The population is left oppressed and made even poorer.
  - sph 10mo ago
    This administration is so incompetent, the CIA might actually do good this time around.
  - HDThoreaun 10mo ago
    Panama
    - antonymoose 10mo ago
      Mexico, Dominican Republic, Grenada, the Spanish-American war. All quite successful as well. It’s a shame interventions in Haiti haven’t helped that place much.

JumpCrisscross 10mo ago

> it’s actually about stealing Venezuela’s oil and minerals It's multi-faceted. Venezuela is a hive of Russian, Chinese and Iranian activity in the Western Hemisphere. That is–long run–a problem for America. Venezuela is also a brutal dictatorship that is oppressing its people and producing waves of migrants. Finally, Venezuela is rich in underdeveloped mineral and energy resources. (Caveat: Exxon currently pumps those wells.) Venezuela is also not Epstein, so, idk, there's that.

drysine 10mo ago
>Venezuela is a hive of Russian, Chinese and Iranian activity in the Western Hemisphere. That is–long run–a problem for America. Hmm, the Ukraine is a hive of American, British and German activity near Russian border. That is–long run–a problem for Russia. How does that sound?
- JumpCrisscross 10mo ago
  > Ukraine is a hive of American, British and German activity near Russian border. That is–long run–a problem for Russia. How does that sound? Like a bad reason to go to war. Same here. I'm not justifying the war. I'm just saying the reasons are–or at least reasonably can be–more complicated than one dimension.
  - drysine 10mo ago
    Bad or good, you call it a reason.
- blfr 10mo ago
  Sounds like Russian leadership should have known they're not a match for Americans. A costly misjudgement.
  - drysine 10mo ago
    [flagged]
    - emptyfile 10mo ago
      [dead]
    - azan_ 10mo ago
      What do you mean? Do you think that Ukrainian natonalists started the war and not Russia (or to reply in your tone - fans of Stalin)?
      - kelipso 10mo ago
        A lot of people do think exactly that.
      - drysine 10mo ago
        >What do you mean? Do you think that Ukrainian natonalists started the war You could start by watching Bush Sr.'s speech in Kiev in 1991: "Americans will not support those who seek independence in order to replace a far-off tyranny with a local despotism. They will not aid those who promote a suicidal nationalism based upon ethnic hatred".[0] Americans later did support them, of course. [1] Fast forward to 2014: "The night before the clashes, Right Sector called on all of its members to ready themselves for a "peace offensive" on 18 February. <...> That morning, around 20,000 demonstrators marched on the parliament building as that body was set to consider opposition demands for a new constitution and government. Around 09:45, the demonstrators broke through the police barricade of several personnel-transport trucks near the building of the Central Officers' Club of Ukraine and pushed the cordon of police aside. The clashes started after some two dozen demonstrators moved a police vehicle blocking their path to parliament." [2] Right Sector is "the right-wing, paramilitary confederation of several ultranationalist organizations" [3] After overthrowing pro-Ukrainian president who was predominantly supported by the Eastern Ukraine, pro-Western Ukrainian nationalistic "government" started what they cynically called Anti-Terrorist Operation in the Eastern Ukraine [0] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vkjxf76xRTw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vkjxf76xRTw [1] https://www.businessinsider.com/john-mccain-meets-oleh-tyahnybok-in-ukraine-2013-12 https://www.businessinsider.com/john-mccain-meets-oleh-tyahn... [2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Revolution_of_Dignity#Protest_march_and_initial_clashes https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Revolution_of_Dignity#Protest_... [3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Right_Sector https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Right_Sector
SilverElfin 10mo ago
> Venezuela is a hive of Russian, Chinese and Iranian activity in the Western Hemisphere. That is–long run–a problem for America. A problem for American ideology or dominance? Sure. But a valid reason for war? No. Right now America is breaking international law. Stealing oil tankers is literal piracy. Bombing a country is imperialism. These things should be done with a process that involves other countries and seeks consensus. > Venezuela is also a brutal dictatorship that is oppressing its people and producing waves of migrants. Agree. > Finally, Venezuela is rich in underdeveloped mineral and energy resources. (Caveat: Exxon currently pumps those wells.) Given how the Trump family is using every single means to become rich through their power, I imagine this is their main motivation. > Venezuela is also not Epstein, so, idk, there's that. I view this Venezuela war and the Somalian daycare fraud as ways the administration distracts from inconvenient issues like Epstein and affordability.
thrance 10mo ago
I can't remember the last time the US invaded a South American country and it ending up in a better position. Usually, a fascist dictator is installed, and the country is economically raped out of its wealth. The population is left oppressed and made even poorer.
- sph 10mo ago
  This administration is so incompetent, the CIA might actually do good this time around.
- HDThoreaun 10mo ago
  Panama
  - antonymoose 10mo ago
    Mexico, Dominican Republic, Grenada, the Spanish-American war. All quite successful as well. It’s a shame interventions in Haiti haven’t helped that place much.