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Venezuelans are celebrating (Original Post) RoseTrellis Jan 3 OP
Iraqis celebrated the fall of Saddam Hussein, too. Ocelot II Jan 3 #1
they will be happy right up to the installment of a new right wing dictator lapfog_1 Jan 3 #2
Agree RoseTrellis Jan 3 #5
Not much of a surprise Polybius Jan 3 #3
Post removed Post removed Jan 3 #4
You can't just call another DUer a MAGA troll. yardwork Jan 3 #12
And you weren't at one time? MarineCombatEngineer Jan 3 #14
Don't personally attack other DUers, please. MineralMan Jan 3 #15
So sayeth a person who recently joined themselves. Kaleva Jan 3 #16
In Chile and Florida? newdeal2 Jan 3 #6
I sponsor a Venezuelan woman lapfog_1 Jan 3 #9
Local info is paramount RoseTrellis Jan 3 #10
Some are happy for sure. Johnny2X2X Jan 3 #7
The majority of the population there is anti-Maduro lapfog_1 Jan 3 #11
Soo, which Right Wing soon to be dictator are we backing to take over now? haele Jan 3 #8
Edmundo Gonzlez Urrutia RoseTrellis Jan 3 #13
Muchado is behind Gonzalez RoseTrellis Jan 3 #17
Another nod for him RoseTrellis Jan 3 #18
Selective reporting ForgedCrank Jan 3 #19

lapfog_1

(31,906 posts)
2. they will be happy right up to the installment of a new right wing dictator
Sat Jan 3, 2026, 11:11 AM
Jan 3

and the theft of their oil by US oil companies... and the mining of the rare earth metals that will ruin their environment.

RoseTrellis

(164 posts)
5. Agree
Sat Jan 3, 2026, 11:18 AM
Jan 3

I’m right there with you. A lot of the long term implications of how this will play out have yet to be known.
Honestly, I’ve haven’t followed the history of Venezuela and the Maduro regime closely until,today when I did a deep dive based on the current events. I was surprised to see how repressive the Venezuela government has become.
I was outright astonished to find out that 36 years ago today, Manual Noriega was captured by the US, and it seems Panama is way better off today for it.
I’m trying to be optimistic and seeing the the people from Venezuela seem to be very pleased gives me hope for their future .

Polybius

(21,904 posts)
3. Not much of a surprise
Sat Jan 3, 2026, 11:13 AM
Jan 3

Many there think that he stole the last election (which I'm sure he likely did).

Response to RoseTrellis (Original post)

yardwork

(69,368 posts)
12. You can't just call another DUer a MAGA troll.
Sat Jan 3, 2026, 11:38 AM
Jan 3

Also, there's nothing wrong with this OP.

Some Venezuelans are happy that a dictator was removed. One of my neighbors is from Venezuela. He told me weeks ago that many of his friends and relatives back home welcomed Trump's intervention. My neighbor doesn't trust Trump and doesn't think this will work out well for Venezuela, but other Venezuelans disagree.

Second, one of the promises Trump made to his followers was that he would put America first and not go to war. A lot of Americans are not going to be happy about this if it turns into a war of occupation. I doubt many MAGAs are celebrating this unless they're the ones making money off it.

MarineCombatEngineer

(18,060 posts)
14. And you weren't at one time?
Sat Jan 3, 2026, 11:48 AM
Jan 3

We were all low post at one time on DU.
Your comment was, IMHO, out of line and you really should delete it.

newdeal2

(5,432 posts)
6. In Chile and Florida?
Sat Jan 3, 2026, 11:18 AM
Jan 3

Like others said, the initial celebration will be short lived. These interventions are rarely straightforward.

lapfog_1

(31,906 posts)
9. I sponsor a Venezuelan woman
Sat Jan 3, 2026, 11:32 AM
Jan 3

who protested the last Maduro election. She became a target of the security police. Harassed, and put in a local jail for a short time.

She fled Venezuela for Chile where she now lives and works as a civil engineer.

She hates Maduro and his police state. For good reason. I'm sure I will hear from her today about how happy she is.

But... what she wants is a stable country, free elections, and oil revenue to create a better society. Better schools, better hospitals, etc. And to diversify the Venezuelan economy.

But I don't see that as a likely outcome. Oil riches attract the wrong sort of people... Russia, Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Iran are all proof of that.

RoseTrellis

(164 posts)
10. Local info is paramount
Sat Jan 3, 2026, 11:34 AM
Jan 3

Please let us know how that conversation goes, these kinds of people are the ones we really need to hear from.

Johnny2X2X

(24,215 posts)
7. Some are happy for sure.
Sat Jan 3, 2026, 11:23 AM
Jan 3

Many are outraged. Most are scared.

Just because some are celebrating doesn’t mean this is overall a popular action there.

lapfog_1

(31,906 posts)
11. The majority of the population there is anti-Maduro
Sat Jan 3, 2026, 11:38 AM
Jan 3

doesn't mean they are right wingers. Just anti-Maduro.

And I am sure they are happy right now... we will see what 6 months bring... and what 3 years bring.

Doesn't mean they will want Maduro back... but they may not like what happens next either.

haele

(15,407 posts)
8. Soo, which Right Wing soon to be dictator are we backing to take over now?
Sat Jan 3, 2026, 11:25 AM
Jan 3

Wouldn't be surprised if Ms. Right-Wing Opposition Leader who won this year's Nobel Peace Prize made a deal to give her peace prize to Trump in exchange for taking Maduro out of her way.
Not saying Maduro isn't a corrupt and inept guy, but it's pretty obvious he was becoming a weaker dictator who's only strength came from Chavez' popularity. Yah, he lost his election and used his OPEC, Russian, and Iranian cronies in the Venezuelan military to stay in power, but with Russia and Iran weakening and the Saudis throwing in with *rump to keep him propped up, it was pretty inevitable.
War is a racket.
And honest to Gawd, WTF, you stars in the Pentagon? Y'all know better, and this was so blatantly a stupid political stunt to prop up a tired old man's ego.
You couldn't even create a lie strong enough to manufacture any consent other than cynical bot army approval.

RoseTrellis

(164 posts)
13. Edmundo Gonzlez Urrutia
Sat Jan 3, 2026, 11:43 AM
Jan 3

Edmundo González Urrutia Is widely recognized as the true winner of the 2024 election.
Machado was disqualified and wasn’t a candidate.
Wouldn’t surprise me if Drumph championed for her to lead, especially after she kissed his ass regarding her winning the Nobel Peace prize.
Not sure how this will play out, but it will be interesting to see.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024_Venezuelan_presidential_election

ForgedCrank

(3,096 posts)
19. Selective reporting
Sat Jan 3, 2026, 01:36 PM
Jan 3

using propaganda is always a possibility.
None of us are plugged in with the local culture and mood, so a few hundred people running around celebrating could be overshadowed by thousands on the next street over vowing revenge on the US.
I'm always the skeptic, I don't trust the media, and I specially don't trust anything I see on social media. Only time will tell what level of damage has been done to not only Venezuela, but to America's position in global politics.

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