Trump has 'given the game away' that Venezuela was all about oil - Malcolm Nance - Times Radio

On this episode of the Trump Report, former US Naval Intelligence Officer Malcolm Nance tells Times Radio's Fergus Macphee what the US capture of Venezuelan for the world, and what Donald Trump might do next.

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The excerpt is a transcript of a radio discussion on the U.S. military operation in Venezuela, where President Nicolás Maduro was captured and reportedly flown to New York on charges of drug trafficking, weapons, and narco-terrorism. The conversation, hosted by Fergus Macphee and featuring former U.S. intelligence officer Malcolm Nance, analyzes the operation as a targeted leadership removal rather than a full regime change. Key points include:

- The U.S. conducted a swift, 28-minute operation with minimal resistance, suggesting possible internal collusion or negotiated exit by Maduro’s top aides, including Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López and Interior Minister Cabello.

- The U.S. did not dismantle the Venezuelan government; key military and security officials remain in power, raising concerns about continued authoritarian control.

- The operation is framed as a transactional move—targeting Maduro for personal or strategic gain—rather than a democratic intervention, with oil interests and geopolitical leverage cited as potential motives.

- The U.S. did not destroy Maduro’s mausoleum or remove the military infrastructure, indicating limited intent to overhaul the state apparatus.

- The operation draws parallels to the 1990 U.S. capture of Manuel Noriega in Panama, but with a different strategic outcome.

- The discussion highlights the risk of instability, with potential for violence, foreign intervention (e.g., Iran, Russia), and a power vacuum that could lead to chaos or a new authoritarian regime.

- The U.S. has not committed to a long-term military presence or reconstruction effort, and the operation may serve more as a symbolic demonstration of power than a path to lasting reform.

- The segment concludes with skepticism about whether the Venezuelan people will benefit, noting that real change depends on domestic action, not foreign intervention.