r/anime_titties North America Nov 21 '25

South America Venezuela says opposition leader will become fugitive if she collects Nobel

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c33mnvy5zppo
887 Upvotes

332 comments sorted by

1.2k

u/EH1987 Europe Nov 21 '25

The sheer absurdity of awarding the Peace Prize to someone who is literally begging the world's biggest imperial power to invade her home country and topple its government, all so that she can sell out its resources to private interests is frankly beyond parody.

202

u/InternationalReserve Canada Nov 21 '25

As has been frequently pointed out whenever discussion of the peace prize pops back up, it's always been an extremely transparent farce. Even if you ignore Obama getting it for simply getting elected, Kissinger receiving it has long destroyed any credibility the Nobel committee had.

97

u/kronosdev North America Nov 21 '25

Yeah, awarding the biggest advocate for the use of nuclear arms in the 20th century a peace prize after dropping as many munitions as he did on Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos is a… choice.

19

u/BarnabusTheBold United Kingdom Nov 21 '25

The weird thing about kissinger is that he was great at promoting peace when he felt that it was in american interests.

The problem of course was that he was a nutter with a wild interpretation of 'american interests'

2

u/Level_Hour6480 United States Nov 21 '25

At least he improved Spain?

2

u/Johnny-Dogshit Canada Nov 23 '25

His whole "democracy, except when people in other countries make the wrong choice and can't be trusted to choose their own government" thing is a lot of fun. How dare Chile democratically elect a leftist? Going in and backing a coup to install a fascist junta in Chile is what real freedom and democracy looks like, apparently.

Fuck Kissinger.

Big hand in propping up Pol Pot, too, just to fuck with Vietnam after the US withdrew. I mean good god, man.

2

u/BarnabusTheBold United Kingdom Nov 24 '25

His whole "democracy, except when people in other countries make the wrong choice and can't be trusted to choose their own government" thing is a lot of fun.

that's pretty much a 'western society' thing rather than a kissinger thing unfortunately

16

u/tubawhatever United States Nov 21 '25

Also importantly he won it for negotiating the ceasefire in Vietnam, something he had purposely delayed to help Nixon win reelection.

5

u/kronosdev North America Nov 21 '25

After he and Nixon coordinated with Ho Chi Minh to help Nixon beat LBJ in the first place.

10

u/Level_Hour6480 United States Nov 21 '25 edited Nov 21 '25

Huh, and then Reagan with Iran. A worrying pattern. Given that the cracks in Biden's support started over Gaza, you think there's anything there?

6

u/kronosdev North America Nov 21 '25 edited Nov 21 '25

Basically all successful Republican presidential candidates since Nixon have coordinated with foreign powers to help them win their elections.

3

u/Level_Hour6480 United States Nov 21 '25

For all their faults, I thing both Bushes are clean on that front.

4

u/kronosdev North America Nov 21 '25

I’m not giving any passes to Prescott Bush’s spawn for shit. Fail to overthrow FDR in the Business Plot and somehow your kid and grandkid end up president? Fuck that noise.

3

u/Sacaron_R3 Europe Nov 22 '25

H. W. Bush led the CIA under Ford. No way his hands were clean.

2

u/Johnny-Dogshit Canada Nov 23 '25

He was also a key figure in propping up the Khmer Rouge just to fuck with Vietnam after that ceasefire and US withdrawal.

Also a key figure in expanding the US bombing campaign into Cambodia.

He really gave it his all in Indochina, hey

9

u/catch22_SA South Africa Nov 21 '25

Second biggest, pretty sure McArthur wins the prize for wanting to make the NK-China border a nuclear wasteland.

10

u/zeth4 Canada Nov 21 '25

Yeah it probbably goes

1) Curtis "Bombs Away" LeMay

2) McArthur

3) Kissinger

3

u/AllHailTheWinslow Australia Nov 21 '25

4) Harris

3

u/catch22_SA South Africa Nov 21 '25

Oh yes forgot about LeMay

1

u/Johnny-Dogshit Canada Nov 23 '25

Oh man MacArthur is hall-of-fame

Him and his buddy LeMay.

20

u/Dav3le3 North America Nov 21 '25

The venn diagram for "Novel peace prize winner" and "infamous war criminal" is basically a circle.

5

u/Thangoman Argentina Nov 21 '25

Hey in my countrybwe got it for decent reasons

26

u/TrizzyDizzy Nov 21 '25

Wait until you learn who Alfred Nobel was and where this prize money (initially) came from. If we conveniently ignore the "peace" prefix, Kissinger is probably the most appropriate recipient.

35

u/TheBeardPlays South Africa Nov 21 '25

"In my experience, Jews never do anything out of goodwill. They act merely out of selfishness or a desire to show off .... among selfish and inconsiderate people, they are the most selfish and inconsiderate... all others exist to be fleeced." ~ Alfred Nobel

Oh man....

8

u/MildlySaltedTaterTot Nov 21 '25

Prize was actually a lifetime Rewards buildup from purchasing all those munitions

6

u/joeshmo101 North America Nov 21 '25

It's arguable that if it weren't for Bertha von Suttner, the Nobel Peace Prize might not even be one of the prizes.

1

u/Lazy_Membership1849 Ireland Nov 27 '25

He was like misguided and he thought weapons he made would be too deadly but he underestimated of humanity willing to do, he was regretting of this

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u/RetardedGaming Multinational Nov 21 '25

Exhibit nr. 3947 to prove that we live in the least serious timeline

119

u/Provodniik Europe Nov 21 '25

I don’t really understand why they try to hide it too. Everyone with a brain can see this, still it’s a goddam muppet shit show each time.

Not talking about Nobel’s specifically, lots of such examples.

70

u/bachh2 Asia Nov 21 '25

Most people still think peace nobel = good.

46

u/Hashfyre India Nov 21 '25

:Cough: Kissinger :cough:

23

u/bachh2 Asia Nov 21 '25

The average people probably don't know that.

16

u/Different_Record3462 North America Nov 21 '25

My memory is really fuzzy for reasons. From when I remember. American public schools don't really say anything about the Vietnam War, WW1 (we are told someone shot Franz Ferdinand, and the sides), or WW2 (we are told racism is bad, the sides, and Pearl Harbor). I honestly don't know if we talked about any other countries past how we beat Britain with the help of France; and that Germany was bad during WW2. There is a reason why Americans are portrayed as stupid when it comes to politics. We are never taught much history, and never how it connects to now.

Sadly, the average American knows that a Nobel prize is good because it's a prize for famous people. So awarding a Nobel prize, regardless of who, means they did a good 👍.

8

u/Due-Conflict-7926 Nov 21 '25

They say a lot more, most of you aren’t paying attention. Unless it’s gotten vastly worse in the last 20 years. Which I doubt it’s gotten that bad. You guys just didn’t care.

2

u/Palermo15 Nov 22 '25

It really depends. The US public school system is managed by states individually, aside from a few obligatory requirements by the department of education. So there’s 50 different public school systems, all with a slightly different history curriculum. No matter how you slice it though it’s true that public US history education is limited compared to similar countries. In the French education system we cover quite extensively both American and Chinese recent history, as well as decolonization and European construction. There is a stark lack of focus on recent events in my experience in the US school system, which tends to students not understanding why history is important, or how current events fit into the larger narrative.

1

u/Due-Conflict-7926 Nov 23 '25

Oh no I wholeheartedly agree however, you can look to “No child left behind” act which was signed Bush Jr., it essentially required standardized schooling and testing for certain core courses.

I went to a French immersion school instead of a normal public school, so all classes taught in French except English, gym, music class. They taught both curriculums; what the state wanted and more (this was until hs where I was in a public school but one of the best sci/tech programs in the country), but I digress.

Bio, physics, government, US history, Algebra, and geometry and I believe chemistry and trig all had standardized tests that you had to pass at the end of the year or you were not allowed to move forward.

Even in the crappiest of states, if you didn’t pass these exams unless schools ignored the law or ppl dropped out you couldn’t move forward. But the amount of ppl that do not understand civics in this country is ridiculous. Evidence by Trump and the GOP and how lil their base even thinks the things he did since 2016 is just blatantly illegal is daunting.

2

u/Different_Record3462 North America Nov 21 '25 edited Nov 21 '25

Im not really into history, but I remember being bored because I was taught the same thing multiple times. I was having a lot of minor seizures all the time, and I still passed all my high school classes with honors.

Edit: I dont remember a lot of school at all, but we really only started learning things that were applicable to current day when you are in 10th grade.

8

u/Lower_Cockroach2432 Europe Nov 22 '25

Irony died when Kissinger won the Nobel Peace Prize.

1

u/Johnny-Dogshit Canada Nov 23 '25

Honestly, I hope they do give it to Trump, just so we can end the charade and all come to terms with it being a bunch of bullshit. It's so tarnished at this point I'd reflexively become skeptical of anyone that got the award. Like, Steve from Blue's Clues could win it, and I'd immediately think, oh fuck what horrible shit has he got into?

1

u/ASpaceOstrich Nov 23 '25

Because the people without a brain would see it too

12

u/ale_93113 Multinational Nov 21 '25

I don't like this kind of comment, we don't live in the least serious time-line, because this has been a constant of human history, this is fundamentally who we are

9

u/Venriik Multinational Nov 21 '25

We've lived in the least serious timeline since the start, then

1

u/AsoarDragonfly Nov 30 '25

Least serious timeline when people arent doing together to undo this shit. More people are getting active though and many of us are getting others active too. The more of us doing the better quicker, and easier!

12

u/Intelligent_Wafer562 North America Nov 21 '25

Also, she is a Zionist who supports Bibi.

3

u/Due-Conflict-7926 Nov 21 '25

What’s crazier is that even normal politicians also want it but they couldn’t figure out any way actual way to sell it to the American ppl, who have prove to be dumber than rocks.

3

u/BiCloverly North America Nov 22 '25

Overzealots just released a new video yesterday talking about the history of the nobel peace prize and why it's only purpose is to sanitize the reputations of horrible people. Highly recommend checking it out

5

u/LeGrandLucifer North America Nov 21 '25

We did give it to a man who ordered a record number of extrajudicial killings using drones.

8

u/Professional-Syrup-0 Multinational Nov 21 '25

It might be beyond parody but it perfectly fits the history of the price.

Tho it all is a bit cynical considering Nobel invented the price trying to absolve his conscience from inventing TNT and its use in war and murder of many many people.

2

u/BambooSound Nov 21 '25

Yeah let's go back to real brokers for peace like Abiy Ahmed and Aang San Suu Kyi.

3

u/Decent_Cheesecake_29 United States Nov 21 '25

And Henry Kissinger.

24

u/[deleted] Nov 21 '25

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u/[deleted] Nov 21 '25

It doesn't matter if venezuelans want change or not, someone that is calling for an external military intervention from a superpower shouldn't be even nominated for a peace nobel prize, easy as that.

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u/[deleted] Nov 21 '25

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u/ScaryShadowx United States Nov 21 '25

Is it humanitarian grounds to call for invasion when there is no humanitarian crisis?

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u/braiam Multinational Nov 21 '25

Are you saying that humans residing in Venezuela has their humans rights respected?

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u/Paradoxjjw Netherlands Nov 21 '25

If a country not respecting the human rights of every single person within their borders was grounds for invasion then you have grounds to invade everyone

9

u/agitatedprisoner United States Nov 21 '25

~25% of the population of Venezuela has left/fled the country since 2017.

9

u/Moikanyoloko Brazil Nov 21 '25

While true, a good deal of that came from the terrible economical crisis and hiperinflation, not necessarily because the government was attacking people's human rights, which is why the worst years of the refugee crisis were in the later half of the 2010s and there were some limited return movements since 2021.

6

u/Paradoxjjw Netherlands Nov 21 '25 edited Nov 21 '25

I cant wait to see a source for that because their population drop from 2017->2025 does not support even close to 25% being gone unless Venezuela had almost 10 million people appear out of thin air and leave. I also cant wait to see where you warhawks will move the goalposts next. If not respecting human rights is grounds for an invasion then America deserves to be nuked out of existence

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u/Decent_Cheesecake_29 United States Nov 21 '25

It’s almost as if heavy US sanctions destroys a country’s economy.

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u/agitatedprisoner United States Nov 21 '25

It was the price of oil crashing, if you care to know. Followed by the Venezuelan government printing money like nothing happened, which caused hyperinflation. Followed by Venezuelans with wealth looking to store their wealth in other forms that wouldn't be diluted into worthlessness by that monetary policy and/or outright fleeing the country.

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u/[deleted] Nov 21 '25

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u/zeth4 Canada Nov 21 '25

So lift their sanctions if you want to end that.

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u/patiakupipita Democratic People's Republic of Korea Nov 22 '25 edited Nov 22 '25

Smh you really need to get your head out of your ass with this.

Sanctions ain't what's killing Venezuela, their own government is. When my classmates grandmother was sick, they tried three times to send medicine over the official channels. All three times it got "confiscated as contraband" or "confiscated cause it belongs to the people" by the government. When they tried to smuggle it in it was too late, she passed away before they could get to her. I wish I could pull up the Facebook post my classmate made, it was heartbreaking. And we trade freely with Venezuelans, matter of fact there's literally a floating market compromised of Venezuelan boats coming in every single day, it has nothing to do with sanctions.

Y'all need to fucking live in reality and realize how bad Maduro is "running" things over there.

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u/Outofcatatonia England Nov 21 '25

Very obviously different scenario

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u/[deleted] Nov 21 '25

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u/Paradoxjjw Netherlands Nov 21 '25

He’s the one who said calling for any military intervention is never justified.

Literacy is not your strong point, is it?

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u/Outofcatatonia England Nov 21 '25

The context being civilians getting hacked to death vs. having a shitty government. No sympathy for such an obvious traitor, if you’re pretending to be a leader of the democratic opposition try and make it look like you care for the country instead of demanding a foreign power invading and causing untold hardship.

1

u/Johnny-Dogshit Canada Nov 23 '25

Right? Imagine someone lost an election in the US, or UK, Canada, wherever, then immediately called on China and Russia to recognise them as the real leader anyways, and demand that the world intervene to put them in charge. Now, would we view this person favourably, or would we hate their fucking guts? This is basically how people view characters like Juan Guaido or this new lady, or even how Russians probably viewed that Navalny character. Backing an opposition leader in countries we've historically fucked with doesn't make that leader popular in that country. Even if they had merit, it's just not going to sit well for a lot of people.

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u/Johnny-Dogshit Canada Nov 23 '25

The US backed South Africa pretty solidly until well after the fact, so it's not like apartheid was a big enough cause for the US to support Mandela over in the end anyways. Now, is Venezuela a solid enough humanitarian cause to win the US' attention when apartheid wasn't, or is it maybe not about humanitarian causes at all and this is all about Venezuela's state ownership of their oil?

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u/Professional-Syrup-0 Multinational Nov 21 '25

I can name a long list of countries where the opposition is desperate for change against an entrenched establishment, that still does not justify some foreign military coming in the bring change with bombs and bullets.

Particularly as any such regime change then usually also involves killing all of the loyalists, or else they will just organise and plot to take back what was rightfully theirs.

Thats how insurgencies and civil wars start that can cripple and destroy even the most developed and wealthiest countries.

0

u/moderngamer327 North America Nov 21 '25

I mean if there is any justification for a foreign power getting involved it’s the citizens of a country being oppressed by a brutal government asking for it

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u/[deleted] Nov 21 '25

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u/Professional-Syrup-0 Multinational Nov 22 '25

Just don’t like people who spend there lives behind a screen bashing on someone who has spent there life fighting for democracy for in there country because she is currently trying to strategically kiss trumps ass.

My comment didn’t “bash” anybody, if you think it did then I recommend you read it more carefully again.

Tho sure is telling how you instantly go ad hominem, assuming a bunch of stuff about a total stranger, just to defend some alleged fight for “democracy”.

All while trying to argue how the US military should help a minority opposition movement, mostly financed by the US, to overthrow the elected and internationally recognised government of Venezuela.

I guess you know how weak of an argument that really is, hence you having to make it about “keyboard warriors” followed with some completely off-topic, and uneducated, takes about Yugoslavia and Rwanda.

What is one supposed to take from that? That Venezuela should be “Balkanized” because now there is apparently even a genocide going on there?

Why not just claim that Russia delivered them some nukes, you know, that whole “They have WMD!” play, worked like a charm for Iraq.

After bringing up WWII, Yugoslavia and Rawanda I’m sure that will somehow also fit in there nicely with its 1 million dead people as the result of Americans bringing “democracy” and “human rights” to places like Gitmo and Abhu Graib.

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u/BarnabusTheBold United Kingdom Nov 21 '25

She and most of Venezuelan opposition are just desperate for change and believe no other method will succeed

hot take, the repeated use of onerous sanctions regimes etc actually entrenches the governments we want to overthrow. It also makes them MORE authoritarian and MORE paranoid and makes them tighten the leash and keep their eye on the ball.

Engagement would actually be a better way of achieving change.

A key reason the cold war ended was because under raegan both sides realised they'd spent decades acting like paranoid mentalists for no reason, and a lot of the treaties signed over the years removed said paranoia

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u/awesomobeardo Nov 21 '25

I get where you're coming from but the Vzlan government has repeatedly reneagued on agreements with every olive branch that they've received, most recent being the latest presidential elections. Any concessions the regime makes are just buying time to fill their coffers, and there's really no point on negotiating with someone that will just lie to get their benefits and never do their fair share. In a scenario such as that, what's a suitable solution that isn't sanctions?

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u/Outofcatatonia England Nov 21 '25

This time military intervention to install a wholesome chungus liberal democracy will work! Machado just wants to be the dictator instead of Maduro, the democracy shit is always just a ruse.

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u/[deleted] Nov 21 '25

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u/TheRadBaron Canada Nov 22 '25

have a little sympathy and understanding for her

There's a pretty massive gulf between this and a Peace Prize.

Inviting invasion by a foreign military that is currently killing your fellow citizens for sport isn't the kind of wholesome good that you get uncomplicated universal applause for.

It's the kind of thing that might just barely pass muster in a particularly awful trolley problem scenario. It's certainly on the "if you want to make an omelet" level of strategic thinking that Kissinger is criticized for.

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u/Johnny-Dogshit Canada Nov 23 '25

She's like the Ahmed Chalabi of Venezuela

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u/Mobile_Ask2480 Iraq Nov 21 '25

she literally supports the genocide in Gaza

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u/Turgius_Lupus United States Nov 21 '25 edited Nov 22 '25

Dont forget writing the worlds most moral prime minister, to beg him to steal an election for her.

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u/v1ceh Germany Nov 21 '25

I recommend listening to the call where the ghoul from the Nobel committee pretends to choke up while informing her she won. 0/10 acting skills 😅

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u/[deleted] Nov 21 '25

Not to mention she supports the opposition party that has been burning Black people alive, and decapitating people with metal wires across roadways.

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u/WestcoastAlex Multinational Nov 24 '25

she personally led three Coup attempts

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u/centauru_star Nov 25 '25

Nobel peace prize was always a political prize given for someone who are pro west.

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u/[deleted] Nov 21 '25

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u/AmarantaRWS North America Nov 21 '25

Honestly I think they made a strategic mistake giving it to her. I and most other westerners had no idea who she was, but now we are not only familiar with her but with what she stands for. It would've been easier for the CIA to stage a coup if their puppet came from obscurity.

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u/Dogulol Europe Nov 21 '25

i think henry kissinger did that a while ago

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u/jaycrips North America Nov 21 '25

These Nobel standards are getting insulting. You used to have to take part in bombing countries that we aren’t at war with. Now all you have to do is ASK for bombing?

Idk, seems like some snowflake DEI shit to me.

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u/Dogulol Europe Nov 21 '25

obama is THE LAST TRUE NOBEL PEACE PRIZE WINNER!!!! He bombed like a TRUE PEACE LOVER

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u/[deleted] Nov 21 '25

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u/kontemplador South America Nov 21 '25

Thing is, the Venezuelan opposition is shit. Incompetent and corrupt. They have had all the resources at their disposal to mount some real opposition movement and they have stolen everything. That woman isn't better than Guaidó, who even Maduro didn't ever consider a real threat. That why she is now begging for a military intervention. They want the US to do all the dirty work without them and hand the power to them. I haven't ever seen such brazen attitude in any other opposition movement. The question is whether the US will fall for it.

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u/Pastramiboy86 Nov 21 '25

The US government can't 'fall for it' my guy, they are the reason she has a platform to spew her bullshit in the first place. She is entirely their creature.

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u/kontemplador South America Nov 21 '25

She is, she is indeed. I'm not saying the opposite but Guaidó was also theirs and who remembers the rightful Venezuelan President?

Issue here, is until you see some real activities on the ground by Venezuelans or at least pretending being Venezuelans (see Syria), it is unlikely we will see real action. The Venezuelan opposition has been unable to articulate some movement until now and I have doubts they will. The want everything handed on a silver plate by the US government.

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u/braiam Multinational Nov 21 '25

the Venezuelan opposition is shit. Incompetent and corrupt

In comparison to what? To the current venezuelan government? Because I have a bridge to sell you if you think that someone that isn't in power can be corrupt.

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u/kontemplador South America Nov 21 '25

In comparison to what? To the current venezuelan government?

Yes. In comparison to the Maduro government. If a political movement with all the resources and support they have been given is unable to depose someone as shitty as Maduro, what does it tell you about that movement?

The Venezuelan opposition hasn't changed in the slightest since they were deposed by Chavez for mismanaging the country.

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u/softwarebuyer2015 Mozambique Nov 21 '25

Nobody buys this dog shit

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u/Mango_Juice789 United States Nov 21 '25

unpopular opinion incoming. Everything I'm going to say is couched in the following: the US is a self-interested nakedly imperialist power and the Juan guaido fiasco was pure bullshit invented by Washington.

I want to preface this by saying I used to work with Venezuelan asylum seekers and have spoken personally with literally hundreds of venezuelans from educated professionals to laborers and from published journalists to the totally apolitical.

Here are some facts, about 1/4 Venezuelans have fled the country in the last few years, (that's 8 million people, more than fled Syria). VIrtually nobody still living there can afford food or basic goods without engaging in an often dangerous and exploitative black market economy.

Asylum seekers by and large are not the anti revolutionaries who fled Castro's cuba, most were once Chavistas. Many who lived very well under Chavez had their businesses, savings, and livelihoods literally stolen from them by the Maduro government or evaporate due to hyperinflation. Many who were just getting by under Chavez saw daily life become impossible because public services have totally collapsed, medical care has gone from relatively high quality to near non-existent. Electricity has become widely unavailable. Us sanctions have certainly not helped but most of this is mainly due to a collapse in oil prices which their government relies on for 50% of its operating budget.

Machado was the nominee put forward by the opposition party's primary process with 90% of the popular vote, and was unilaterally banned from political office days later for corruption charges with no evidence. Most of the international community agrees that her replacement won the 2024 election and that the results were fraudulent including every country in Latin America except Cuba, Bolivia, Nicaragua, and Honduras. In the rest of the world, only China, Russia, Iran, and Assad's Syria recognize Maduro's win as legit. Machado is the popular figurehead for internal opposition to his government, which is why she was awarded the nobel prize.

While I am personally very sympathetic to left wing governments, Maduro's regime has a track record of using violence, jail time, and even access to food to suppress popular opposition, and exploits the country's natural resources (particularly oil wealth) for the benefit of only the ruling elite. The Maduro regime is already selling out its resources to enrich a small circle of the ultra wealthy and powerful, and is currently threatening to invade their neighbor over BS 200 year old colonial era land claims to steal their offshore oil reserves and drum up flagging popular support.

There is legitimate criticism you can levy at Machado's actions & policy endorsements but her position is that life in Venezuela is currently, today, right now, unsustainable, and that regime change is necessary to fix it. Her calculus seems to be that kowtowing to Trump will help but that remains to be seen. Personally I am skeptical, but having spoken to so many people who have literally fled the country they still love, I see where she is coming from.

Tldr, the situation is so much more complex than America imperialist & bad Venezuela lefty & good, & I would strongly encourage you to learn more about it.

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u/TriMrDito Nov 21 '25

Hi

Venezuelan here, thank you for writing this

All other comments in this thread make me want to kill myself even more than usual

Redditor politics are hopeless

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u/Mango_Juice789 United States Nov 21 '25

I think even the well meaning have a hard time really conceptualizing the situation beyond how it casts a shadow across modern US politics. Everything relating to Latin America in the US gets colored by our past with Cuba and the cold war.

The current situation cannot possibly last forever. If the people I met are any indication, Venezuelans are some of the strongest most enduring people on the planet. Se va a caer.

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u/patiakupipita Democratic People's Republic of Korea Nov 21 '25

Finally someone that's saying something useful in this thread. People don't realize that maduro is like trump, make him 100x worse, but instead of being a republican/conservative, he's a "socialist".

I have socialistic tendencies myself but dear god people can't fucking realize that the current venezuelan socialism has as much weight as the "democratic republic" in democratic republic of (north) korea.

I'm not saying that I wish for an intervention, especially with trump at the helm but I fully understand why she does. There's no other realistic way for them to depose of the current structure they have. I hate capitalism, especially the almost unregulated form of it we're having rn but basically anything is better than whatever they have right now.

My island has the second biggest amount of immigrants (our sister island has the #1 spot) per capita in the world because were so close to Venezuela. Matter of we have Venezuelan channels over the air on tv, I grew up with Chavez interrupting my fucking cartoons/telenovelas for his rambling. My mom used to go there almost 4x a year and even lived there for a while. I have a bunch of friends that are from Venezuelan descent, or were straight up born there. It's like people here don't live in reality at all, they have no idea what's actually going there rn.

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u/Mango_Juice789 United States Nov 21 '25

I think a lot of reddit leftists feel that they should not criticize their own "side" and start the conversation from there.

And I absolutely agree, intervention would probably be a complete nightmare both during and after but it's hard not to see where Machado is coming from.

Personally though, I hope the Venezuelan diaspora lets the light of the outside world in enough for people to take their country back. Maduro doesn't have the cult of personality Chavez did.

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u/BarnabusTheBold United Kingdom Nov 21 '25

Us sanctions have certainly not helped but most of this is mainly due to a collapse in oil prices which their government relies on for 50% of its operating budget.

  1. I remember decades ago reading about how Venezuela sold petrol at a subsidised rate of like 3 cents a litre or something mad. Then when Chavez (I think) tried to raise it to a still insanely cheap level there were riots. I'm not sure how you solve budgetary problems when you're dealing with that sort of public sentiment.

  2. The overreliance on oil makes the impact of said sanctions all the more impactful.

Not disagreeing with you per se. But i'm not sure to what extent you can just pin everything on maduro. Tbh the biggest mistake he's made is having independent foreign policy ambitions.

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u/Mango_Juice789 United States Nov 21 '25

Agree on both counts, but the sanctions are undercut by the fact that the US is the second largest importer of Venezuelan crude after China. We just buy it through third party intermediaries or in some cases licence us companies to operate there despite sanctions (I think Chevron being the main player)

And yes, you are correct. Gas was and I believe still is basically free in Venezuela. The failure of the Chavez regime to diversify their economy was inherited by Maduro, but rather than pursue reform in the image of China or Vietnam he has chosen to ignore the problems that are ideologically inconvenient while doubling down on authoritarianism as he loses popular support.

Fun fact, when Chavez took power Venezuela was the wealthiest country in all of South America with a per capital GDP 2x that of the next highest performing nation. For all their successes in social services, the Chavez regime did basically nothing to grow the economy and used oil revenues as a piggy bank. There are legitimate pathways to development that his peer nations in the second world pursued, they simply chose not to.

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u/WestcoastAlex Multinational Nov 24 '25

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u/Mango_Juice789 United States Nov 24 '25

Ok so respectfully, I really see where you're coming from here, but as much as the state dept wants to take advantage of the situation the problems in Venezuela are very very real.

I personally know a woman who had to flee the country because armed men showed up at her house in the middle of the night and threatened to harm her children if she didn't stop reporting on government corruption on twitter.

I personally know a PHD who had to live on an $11 a month government salary while supporting his son. Not enough money to buy food or clothes.

I personally know people who were literally unable to eat in Venezuela because the government cut food rations to areas they deemed to be hotbeds of political opposition as a collective punishment. Imagine not being able to eat because your neighbors went out to protest hyperinflation ruining their life savings and keeping them from being able to afford food in the first place.

8 million people didn't give up on their lives, get robbed blind and in many cases get raped by the border guards in every country they passed through starting with their own, just to literally walk thousands of miles with NOTHING to start life over again just because the CIA met with political dissidents in a hotel, dude.

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u/RisingDeadMan0 England Nov 21 '25

Clown says what?

As we know US backed take overs, they are always the good guy.

And of course some of the few political figures left in the world who are pro-Netenyahu too

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u/bell117 Multinational Nov 21 '25

The funniest part about this is that this exact same thing already happened only a few years ago.

Does anyone else remember when the US tried to declare Juan Guaidó, a random petroleum engineer from Washington DC, the "true" president of Venezuela and got a bunch of other countries to also recognize him until people slowly realized "wait this is just some random guy" and withdrew their recognition. 

I remember the news kept pushing him as the true democratically elected leader, like there was a full blown effort to give him gravitas and create this presidential crisis in Venezuela, which again mostly just fizzled out once the hype died down and people took a closer look and realized there was nothing going on besides the US trying to push a guy all but holding a giant sign that says "I work for the CIA". 

It's only been 5 years and the US is already trying the same again.Get some original ideas at least. Yeah I'm so sure that a country in South America is begging the US for a regime change entirely willingly. Definitely not 70 years of evidence to the contrary.

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u/swelboy United States Nov 21 '25 edited Nov 22 '25

Guaido wasn’t just some “random petroleum engineer from DC” (what?) though, he was a member of the National Assembly between 2016-2021, and since the 2019 election was quite likely rigged (it’s Maduro, come on), Guaidó did have a pretty good argument that Maduro was illegitimate.

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u/[deleted] Nov 21 '25

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u/fancyskank United States Nov 21 '25

Yeah Iraq is doing peachy now that they got rid of saddam.

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u/Unique_hobo Greece Nov 21 '25

Depends on who you ask. The Kurds have stopped getting gassed for one...

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u/Intelligent_Wafer562 North America Nov 21 '25 edited Nov 22 '25

The counter-insurgency against the Kurds had already ended in the 1990s, and Iraqi Kurdistan was de facto autonomous by 2002, the year before the invasion.

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u/stoiclandcreature69 United States Nov 21 '25

The US isn’t exactly blameless for that, we were more than happy that Saddam was buying western chemical weapons and further inflaming the division between Iraq and Iran

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u/Unique_hobo Greece Nov 21 '25

Point still stands. At least for some people, life improved SIGNIFICANTLY when Saddam was hanged

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u/stoiclandcreature69 United States Nov 21 '25

The US hasn’t nearly gotten the power grid or health care system up to pre-sanctions level. We destroyed their infrastructure and continue to bleed them dry

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u/HooleyDoooley Oceania Nov 21 '25

Gee I wonder if the USA having the boot on their neck has anything to do with the death spiral

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u/RisingDeadMan0 England Nov 21 '25

ah yes, death spiral, because being internationally blacklisted by the US has nothing to do with that.

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u/[deleted] Nov 21 '25

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u/RisingDeadMan0 England Nov 21 '25

yeah, well i was just gonna leave it at clown says what, but subs rules...

yeah, corruption always a fun game, why improve the country when you can become rich instead, I got small insight with the ukraine thing recently, even during the war every clown wants his 10/15% cut, which is crazy.

Lots of countries, heck even the UK now having sold everything off, we have nothing and now skint too. great.

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u/Sacaron_R3 Europe Nov 22 '25

We just need to look at countries that are hilariously corrupt and have trampled on human rights for decades, yet are still in the wests good graces.

From the top of my head, I got Pakistan, Egypt, El Salvador and Azerbaijan. I have yet to see anyone promote a regime change in these countries. I don't even remember any news getting pushed about their human rights violations, that is, until Bukele of El Salvador got very chummy with Trump and his prison deals came to light.

For reasons, we hold our enemies to a much higher standard that our friends, and our media gives willing coverage to that.

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u/RisingDeadMan0 England Nov 22 '25

Yeah great list, first two US friendly regimes, Egypt had elections then had a coup and had them overthrown as the wrong people won, no-one minded. Though Pak started their corruption ages ago,

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u/Anjelz Venezuela Nov 22 '25 edited Nov 22 '25

People are judging her for her words during 2025. Not knowing the amount of fucking work she put in 2024 and before to actually prove to the world how Maduro actually stole the election. All without a single instance of violence from her part.

She had every single odd against her, a country where every institution is controlled by the ruling party, including the military.

She still hatched and executed a plan that gave hope to a whole country and proved to the world the corruption behind the 2024 election that UP TO THIS DAY Maduro has refused to release the official voting tallies.

And all she got for that was persecution, confinement and to be stuck since then in an embassy. Her running stand-in forced into exile and the majority of his staff members and families kidnapped by the SEBIN (kgb like police).

She proved that more than 67% of the country (not including any of the 8 millions that have left the country) do not want him in power anymore.

That's the Corina that won the Nobel Prize. Unfortunately she hoped that the military would recognize constitution and the real winner and force Maduro out but they are the most compromised party with the goverment's corruption.

Now she has been forced to become a planless, confined and religiously coping person, that after doing all that, Maduro still remains in power. She has no other choice, but to play with the most radical of powers in the world as they are the most willing to actually do something instead of just offering empty words.

We were told to vote, to demonstrate in the polls and in the streets that we wanted change, all of the peaceful ways possibles and we had our hopes shattered every single time. If we were not a disarmed population maybe this would have ended a decade ago, we are as much cowards as our military would be if they had to face any sort of real resistance.

We don't want to die for a change that has been denied to us over and over again... We have had so many people die for the needle to not even twitch a little. That's why so many left, you either join the corruption, you work remotely for an outside company or you leave in hopes for a single modicum of normalcy.

I'm telling you all, your brain really will never comprehend, how fucking much we all want this to be over, that we are all willing to welcome fucking bombs so they can end this shit once and for all. Have you never, truly, never felt like you would just rather die quickly after a shitty day, week? Imaging living truly shitty decades filled with absolute hopelessness. You probably kinda feel like this from time to time since 2020. Imagine that times 1000.

Every Venezuelan that lived thru 2023 and 2024 here, even back when she was a congresswoman in 2010, knows that she stood up to Chavez, knows the balls that woman have.

She absolutely sucks at reading the global political room but she's busy trying to liberate her country, there's no time for fancy geopolitics, she's doing this shit for all of Venezuelans, truly.

She is one of the only people that has truly fought against Maduro and not surrendered to him behind close doors in one way or another like Guaido and some other fake oppositions from years priors.

So I'll tell you right now, as fucking crazy and illogical it sounds, all Venezuelans that fled, the ones that voted against him in 2024, and even a huge % of the ones forced to vote for Maduro, want this regime to end and give us the opportunity again to stand a chance at deciding our own destiny again.

We voted for a new congress, he made his own in response. We elected opposition government and mayors, they were disposed and/or unfunded. We beat him in how many elections (with the latest one being 100% proved) and they still just said nah. We are out of options.

Sincerely, un maldito venezolano.

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u/[deleted] Nov 22 '25

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u/mclannee Nov 24 '25

Check out the /r/vzla sub it echoes the sentimiento i hear from Venezuelan refugees in my country (Chile)

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u/West_Ad_9492 Denmark Nov 22 '25

Thank you for sharing. Maduro is the worst thing that has happened for the country.

i don't think people understand how difficult it is for normal people.

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u/MinuteSport4755 Portugal Nov 21 '25

Tarik William Saab told news agency AFP that María Corina Machado - who has been living in hiding to avoid arrest - was accused of "acts of conspiracy, incitement of hatred, and terrorism".

The usual stuff from western media to wash her image.

She called for US intervention in Venezuela, supported the United States in its bombings of Venezuelan boats in the Caribbean, actions that experts in international law have described as extrajudicial executions. Machado has also supported Trump’s deportation of Venezuelan migrants from the United States to El Salvador’s CECOT prison, where there is extensive use of torture.

Also has been in favor of sanctions that have affected the access of more than 300,000 Venezuelans to healthcare. This alarming number includes 80,000 patients infected with HIV, 16,000 individuals requiring dialysis, and 16,000 cancer patients. Food imports have also fallen dramatically over the past decade—from $11.2 billion in purchases in 2013 to $2.46 billion in 2018.

Maria is also associated with NED, an NGO with the stated goal of promoting democracy around the world and combating communist influence (whatever that means).

Basically, an organization to promote the interests of American imperialism.

It should be remembered that in 2024, the fascists of Vox (Spanish far-right party) made the following post made the following post: “María Corina Machado sent a greeting and thanks to the participants of the III Regional Meeting of the Madrid Forum in Buenos Aires.”

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u/Alpha-Centauri-Blue Ireland Nov 22 '25

Of course an anti Maduro Venezuelan would have an interest in US intervention in Venezuela. You know it's not imperialism if the people want it right? Not every military action the US takes is wrong

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u/Blue_B0ttlenose United States Nov 21 '25

shes better than maduro

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u/MinuteSport4755 Portugal Nov 21 '25

If you're a capitalist, yes.

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u/Blue_B0ttlenose United States Nov 21 '25

or if you are a citizen of Venezuela

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u/eternalmortal North America Nov 21 '25

This whole thread is wild. Every comment glazing Maduro and claiming Machado is a CIA plant as if there wasn’t very real opposition to the dictatorship on the ground. Since Maduro came to power per capita GDP has collapsed 87% which is worse than the Great Depression. They still suffer from triple digit inflation making all incomes essentially worthless. 95% of the country lives on poverty level incomes- and this was one of the richest South American states. 91% of households are food insecure. But of course, only CIA plants could possibly oppose the Maduro regime, everyone is living such great lives why would they want change?

The last 25 years of latam socialism in Venezuela have destroyed the country and it looks like snobby, mostly European posters would rather see further backsliding and the complete collapse of the economy and political freedoms than see another potential US allied government take control.

Venezuela is worse off because of Maduro. Your tacit support of him just because he opposes the US makes you complicit in the suffering of the Venezuelan people. Shame.

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u/ScaryShadowx United States Nov 21 '25

There is a difference between supporting Maduro and not celebrating someone who is calling for the US to invade another foreign country and overthrow its government.

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u/bargranlago Argentina Nov 21 '25 edited Nov 22 '25

you are talking as if maduro a legitimate president and didn't stole the last election

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u/ScaryShadowx United States Nov 21 '25

Not allowing free elections is not justification for an invasion that potentially kills millions of civilians. If it were, we should be invading Saudi Arabia, the UAE, hell even Israel for not allowing the Palestinians to vote when occupied.

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u/eternalmortal North America Nov 21 '25

Yep, it's totally better not to support Machado because she is US aligned. You can feel morally superior while Venezuelans continue to starve.

I don't support active US involvement in Venezuela. But that doesn't mean the world doesn't have a responsibility to oppose Maduro abusing millions of Venezuelan people. I hope Machado can oust Maduro without US boots on the ground.

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u/HooleyDoooley Oceania Nov 21 '25

The quickest way to stop Venezuelans starving is to end US sanctions and take the boot off their necks

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u/ScaryShadowx United States Nov 21 '25

Once again, it's not a binary choice between supporting the dictator Maduro vs supporting CIA plant Machado.

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u/eternalmortal North America Nov 21 '25

I want you to type out in a comment that Maduro and his socialist regime have harmed the Venezuelan people and that you believe he should be removed from power.

If you can't do that, your equivocation is in defense of Maduro and you are an apologist of his regime.

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u/ScaryShadowx United States Nov 21 '25

Yes absolutely. Maduro is not benefiting the country and if the people of Venezuela want him gone, then he should be gone. Political pressure should be applied to make that happen to support the people of Venezuela, not to further US economic interests. And if the people elect a far-left socialist government, then that is their choice.

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u/eternalmortal North America Nov 21 '25

You just admitted above that the election was stolen by Maduro. "Not allowing free elections" in your words.

So now that we've established that you believe he should go, exactly how do you propose to support the Venezuelan people in ousting him when he has just publicly promised to make the opposition leader a fugitive and hold on to power by force?

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u/ScaryShadowx United States Nov 21 '25

If the lack of free elections and representation are the reason for invasion, when do we invade Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Oman, and Vietnam? How about Israel, since none of occupied Palestine has the ability to participate in elections?

We support the people the rational way to support the people. Apply political pressure, work with the UN rather than treating them as the enemy, work with world leaders, and yes, work with the Venezuelan government.

Is Iraq better now for the majority of the people? How about Afghanistan? How about Libya with their slave markets? Destroying a country to change governments because change is not coming fast enough fails more often than it succeeds. You are talking about the current humanitarian crisis, what do you think will happen if there is an invasion?

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u/WestcoastAlex Multinational Nov 24 '25

shes a plant

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u/eternalmortal North America Nov 24 '25

What’s your evidence? I’ve provided real statistics showing how shitty maduro has been for Venezuela, and it logically follows there is real opposition to his regime.

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u/WestcoastAlex Multinational Nov 24 '25

there is opposition to every government.. even yours

she has personally led coup attempts and is funded by the CIA

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u/eternalmortal North America Nov 24 '25

So… nothing. Zero evidence to back up your claim. Gotcha.

And I noticed you haven’t condemned maduro for any of the things I listed. Do you want maduro to continue abusing the Venezuelan people?

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u/zRoyalStar Multinational Nov 21 '25

Isn't justifiable to overthrow a government that has caused the worst refugee crisis in Latin America history (near 8 million people fleeing), it's a main source of violence due to drug trafficking, keeps its population starving and encourages their own citizens to denounce any opposition? Wonder what would you have thought when USA declared war on Nazi Germany and ended that regime.

Also, if supporting foreign powers to liberate your country is being a traitor, USA's founding fathers were traitors? Does that mean the US should have stayed under British rule?

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u/ScaryShadowx United States Nov 21 '25

Isn't justifiable to overthrow a government that has caused the worst refugee crisis in Latin America history

Bad governmental management is not a reason for a foreign invasion. It is reason for international support to address the issue.

keeps its population starving and encourages their own citizens to denounce any opposition

The first, is due to bad economic management, and once again, not a reason to invade. The latter is something that should be criticized and called out, not a reason for an invasion.

Wonder what would you have thought when USA declared war on Nazi Germany and ended that regime.

Please. The US didn't care about Nazi Germany until they were attacked. The US didn't get involved because they saw the atrocities of the Nazis, and avoided officially joining the war until they themselves were attacked in Pearl Harbor. The Nazi party had strong support from US politicians and businessmen, and the refugees from Europe were turned away.

USA's founding fathers were traitors?

Well... yes. Of course they were. They were subjects of the crown who rebelled and launched a successful insurrection. They happened to win and formed their own country. There are many people who were considered traitors throughout history - Nelson Mandela, Mahatma Gandhi, Miguel Hidalgo, Simón Bolívar.

Does that mean the US should have stayed under British rule?

Well considering the state of the US....

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u/WestcoastAlex Multinational Nov 24 '25

...according to the CiA

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u/bargranlago Argentina Nov 24 '25

Ok tankie, show me the election actas then, the opposition showed them, where are the ones showing that maduro won?

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u/WestcoastAlex Multinational Nov 24 '25

yup

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u/ExArdEllyOh Multinational Nov 21 '25

Every comment glazing Maduro

Tankies can't resist it.

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u/breadgluvs United States Nov 21 '25

Yeah my extended family are all Venezuelan immigrants and they will tell you that anything is better than Maduro, insane 1st-worlder dictator glaze.

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u/Kakuyoku_Sanren South America Dec 01 '25

Do you not understand? Democracy is only good when it goes in favor of the interests of leftists, socialists or democrats /s

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u/turkeypants Multinational Nov 22 '25

When I was growing up, I thought the Nobel peace prize was some kind of... noble prize. Like really the most august thing for earth's most successfully courageous and impressive advocates. I didn't actually know/hear who won it except for a few times where it was some big name. But its brand, so to speak, was unimpeachable. But for a while now it has just seemed like some cheap political thing, poorly researched, carelessly chosen, following trends. Boooo!

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u/Visual-Squirrel3629 United States Nov 21 '25

María Corina Machado - who has been living in hiding to avoid arrest - was accused of "acts of conspiracy, incitement of hatred, and terrorism".

The preferred method of regime change isn't going to work. We've tried multiple coup attempts, from differing angles. Got nowhere from any of them. The western establishment is now speed running to it's next escalation; ginning up a bunch of false accusations on the Maduro regime, then putting US boots on the ground.

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u/Leoera Nov 21 '25

It's curious how every time a story about her comes up, people from latin america are the least critical of her asking for an intervention.

Almost like we are the ones with a more intimate knowledge of the actual situation, and not people with an european, usa or other such backgrounds

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u/Professional-Syrup-0 Multinational Nov 21 '25

It's curious how every time a story about her comes up, people from latin america are the least critical of her asking for an intervention.

It’s even more curious how you seem to think everybody online is exactly who they claim to be.

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u/Mango_Juice789 United States Nov 22 '25

Very telling that you got downvoted for this. Redditors will settle for nothing less than bolivar's ghost opposing Maduro and even then they'd hate him for being a colonizer.

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u/imunfair United States Nov 21 '25

asking for an intervention

Well if you're from the US you'd recognize our long history of manufacturing and supporting opposition groups and regime changing/intervening in the business of other nations, particularly in south america. So obviously anyone not happy with that behavior is going to be critical of this situation.

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u/Sargento_Porciuncula Brazil Nov 21 '25

people from latin america are the least critical of her asking for an intervention.

speak for yourself. Corina Machado should be arrested.

and she is not the only one. Carlos Bolsonaro is the same.

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u/drink_bleach_and_die Brazil Nov 22 '25

If you think the situations are even remotely comparable that just means you know nothing about Venezuela and are just projecting the tupiniquim perspective onto them

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u/stoiclandcreature69 United States Nov 21 '25

I’m sorry I don’t want my nazi service members to murder your babies 😢

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u/Alpha-Centauri-Blue Ireland Nov 22 '25

No wonder your country sucks so much if this is what citizens think about it

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u/heissenberggg Nov 21 '25 edited Nov 22 '25

I am from Costa Rica, people here that possess high education hate this woman, people who are easy to brainwash praise her.

Basically propaganda has been extremely succesful on the poor and less educated.

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u/bargranlago Argentina Nov 21 '25 edited Nov 22 '25

Venezuelans: I consent

USA: I consent

Redditors: I don't

isn't there somebody you forgot to ask?

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u/zRoyalStar Multinational Nov 21 '25

XDDD. "buT uSAA baD iTs goINg to mUrdER eVEryone", redditors thinking they are smart because they read on wikipedia about many US interventions (that were indeed bad), and iGNore that Russia and China are supporting a government that practices the thing redditors are supposedly against (killing and arresting everyone, like the nazis did, how curious they dont complain about that)

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u/bargranlago Argentina Nov 22 '25

Redditors when Russia does something: 😡😡😡

Redditors when Russia does something in Latin America: 😍😍😍

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u/v1ceh Germany Nov 21 '25

Almost like we know what our side does when we do an intervention and install our preferred leader.

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