General Discussion

Venezuela is falling apart at the seams. The economy is a shambles, and except for gangs, militias, and corrupt vestiges of a central government that rarely leaves the cities, no one is really in charge. Anyone who can leave is either already trying to do so, or already has. The last time I was in Florida and Chicago for work (last January and last April), instead of the expected Cubans and Mexicans, the only Hispanic locals I met were all Venezuelan. Taxi drivers, airport workers, service staff, Uber drivers--almost ALL Venezuelans, and VERY relieved to be able to speak Spanish with me, so probably not yet in the States very long.

If Trump sends our armed forces to attack Venezuela, the response of the people might be, "so what? Come on in. You think you guys are gonna be any worse than what we already have? Just feed us." When Trump refuses, and Maduro flees to Cuba, then we'll have a Viet Cong situation all over again. I know that Chávez sent Venezuela's gold to Cuba for "safekeeping," and also know that he sold off over $1 billion of it through a California firm doing the deal in (and with) Canada to avoid any embargo laws. So, while Madurto and his pals sing "Don't Cry For Me Venezuela," the rest of the country will either work for their new Yanqui occupiers or else join the new FAR (Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias, or whatever the local version is calling themselves these days) in the jungle, of which there is still plenty. Republicans will call them "kommanists," and follow Putin's suggestion that we throw every bit of armed might the USA can muster into Venezuela while Putin, himself, quietly retakes the Baltics from NATO in some half-discreet overnight action.