Venezuela's grim reality serves as a stark warning of what happens when socialism takes hold, leaving behind a trail of devastation. Broken hospitals, rampant crime, mass emigration, and the unchecked proliferation of drug trafficking are just a few of the consequences that have befallen this once-great nation.
For those who lived through it, the memories are all too vivid. I know this firsthand, having fled Venezuela myself after years of living under the socialist regime of Nicolás Maduro and his predecessor Hugo Chávez. The news of President Trump's successful operation to capture Maduro and his wife was met with jubilation from Venezuelans around the world.
But there is a caveat – Maduro still wields significant power in Venezuela, leaving many to live in fear of their government. The overhang of uncertainty makes it difficult for people to fully celebrate, even as they rejoice at the news of the regime's downfall.
It was a moment of triumph for those who have suffered under Maduro's rule, but not everyone shares the same enthusiasm. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani's statements condemning Trump's actions on behalf of Venezuelans in New York City were widely seen as shameful. His stance ignores the plight of people like Maria Oropeza, a friend of mine who has been languishing in a torture center since last summer.
Mamdani's stance also disregards the exodus of nearly 9 million Venezuelans who fled their homeland due to starvation and violence. It disregards how Maduro's government trafficked cocaine into America and aligned with hostile powers against the United States. Most glaringly, it ignores the destruction of Venezuela's once-great oil industry under socialist policies.
When peaceful measures fail to achieve justice, force is often the only option left. In this case, military action was necessary to bring down a regime that refused to listen to reason. It's a hard-won victory for the United States and a glimmer of hope for Venezuela's people.
As Daniel Di Martino notes, there is still much to be learned from Venezuela's experience. The country now has a chance to be free again, a prospect that fills many with optimism.
For those who lived through it, the memories are all too vivid. I know this firsthand, having fled Venezuela myself after years of living under the socialist regime of Nicolás Maduro and his predecessor Hugo Chávez. The news of President Trump's successful operation to capture Maduro and his wife was met with jubilation from Venezuelans around the world.
But there is a caveat – Maduro still wields significant power in Venezuela, leaving many to live in fear of their government. The overhang of uncertainty makes it difficult for people to fully celebrate, even as they rejoice at the news of the regime's downfall.
It was a moment of triumph for those who have suffered under Maduro's rule, but not everyone shares the same enthusiasm. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani's statements condemning Trump's actions on behalf of Venezuelans in New York City were widely seen as shameful. His stance ignores the plight of people like Maria Oropeza, a friend of mine who has been languishing in a torture center since last summer.
Mamdani's stance also disregards the exodus of nearly 9 million Venezuelans who fled their homeland due to starvation and violence. It disregards how Maduro's government trafficked cocaine into America and aligned with hostile powers against the United States. Most glaringly, it ignores the destruction of Venezuela's once-great oil industry under socialist policies.
When peaceful measures fail to achieve justice, force is often the only option left. In this case, military action was necessary to bring down a regime that refused to listen to reason. It's a hard-won victory for the United States and a glimmer of hope for Venezuela's people.
As Daniel Di Martino notes, there is still much to be learned from Venezuela's experience. The country now has a chance to be free again, a prospect that fills many with optimism.
. And what about all those people who are still suffering under his rule? Mayor Mamdani's stance seems pretty out of touch to me. We need to be supporting the Venezuelan people, not just celebrating a regime change 
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... I mean, sure Maduro's gotta go, but is it really about the people or is there somethin' more goin' on? That NYC mayor, Mamdani, seems kinda out of touch with the situation down in Venezuela. What's his angle here? Is he gettin' paid off by some other government or somethin'? And what about all them Venezuelans who got left behind? Are they just gonna be forgotten now that Maduro's gone? The US is just sweepin' this whole thing under the rug, but I'm not buyin' it 
the US intervention in Venezuela was a complex situation... I'm not saying it was the right or wrong thing, but what's crazy is how some ppl are still complaining about it 
like, come on, Maduro was a dictator and ppl were DYING under his rule 
. The fact that 9 million ppl had to flee their homeland is just mind-blowing 
. It's not like Trump or the US gov did this out of the goodness of their hearts, but more like they saved Venezuela from itself 
. Zohran Mamdani's stance is just weird... I mean, what does it even have to do with him? He's a NYC Mayor and Venezuela has nothing to do with his job 
. But hey, at least it's a start for Venezuela, maybe they can finally get their economy back on track 
think trump's move was necessary... Maduro wasnt listening 2 reason n now vzn can start 2 rebuild 
but mamdani's statement is whack... can't believe he's so quick 2 judge trump on this 
gotta give props 2 people like orpeza who r sufferin in torture centers 
i remember when i fled venezuela myself it was a nightmare. the memories are still so vivid 
His legacy is one of authoritarianism and corruption 
The US should've been more supportive of the Venezuelan people when they were fleeing violence and starvation 
. We've all seen what socialism can do to countries, but is Trump's operation just a silver bullet 
? What about the consequences of his regime's collapse? Are they really gonna have a chance to rebuild and start fresh from scratch? And how are we even defining "regime" here? Is it just Maduro or everyone involved in his government? It feels like some people are just looking for an easy target 
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. The country is left with so much destruction, it's hard to see how they'll rebuild 
... that's 9 million families torn apart by the regime's actions. No wonder they're still living in fear of the government 
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. But the uncertainty lingers, making it hard for people to celebrate 
. The once-great oil industry is all but destroyed under Maduro's rule 
. The US has won a hard-fought battle, and it'll be interesting to see how they rebuild 
And why did people keep voting for Maduro even when things were so bad? 
... but I can see how some people would be upset about the whole thing 
Like, what made them leave? Was it just because they were hungry or was there more to it?