Venezuela

Jarhead0331 · January 03, 2026, 04:55:38 AM

Just, wow.

https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/loud-noises-heard-venezuela-capital-southern-area-without-electricity-2026-01-03/

solops · January 03, 2026, 12:22:06 PM

Never a dull moment.

Jarhead0331 · January 04, 2026, 12:29:22 PM

Cogent big picture theories...

Destraex · January 04, 2026, 09:38:12 PM

There is a lot to unpack here. Going way back to the Venezuelan elections.
Was this the right thing to do?

Jarhead0331 · January 05, 2026, 07:01:21 PM

Nice initial debrief.

solops · January 07, 2026, 05:36:06 PM

Re. Above: Obviously, I need to learn to use my fingers more effectively.

JasonPratt · January 07, 2026, 06:34:19 PM

RFU News often has some interesting tactical and strategic analysis. Their ep today on the fallout:

Essentially it's an indirect strike against Putin, who needed oil from V and from Iran (which is also crumbling) to keep going. Of course there are other potential benefits if the US can effectively nation build... ..... ...

But even if it not, it bricks Putin from a different angle. BRIC pun highly intended.

I wonder what the over/under odds are of China taking Siberia soon.

JasonPratt · January 07, 2026, 06:53:35 PM

Naturally taking that tanker (under French Guiana ownership, with Iranian connections, sailing from Venezuela, defecting to Russia as one of their main clients and no doubt part of their 'shadow fleet') means the whole Shadow Fleet is about to get got by anyone who cares to go for it.

Not great for Iran or Russia either one. Not really great for China either, just in terms of Venezuela collapsing into (maybe) a US protectorate-ish government.

bobarossa · January 08, 2026, 05:22:07 PM

I'm surprised Columbia and Cuba haven't requested Chinese troops/equipment yet. They could get easy proxies in South America that way, assuming the US gives a shit about their presence/absence.

Jarhead0331 · January 08, 2026, 06:14:14 PM

Quote from: bobarossa on January 08, 2026, 05:22:07 PMI'm surprised Columbia and Cuba haven't requested Chinese troops/equipment yet. They could get easy proxies in South America that way, assuming the US gives a shit about their presence/absence.

Of course the US cares. That is one of the primary reasons Maduro was removed. He was getting too close to China. The US can't afford to have Chinese (or Russian) anti-shipping weaponry in a position that could deny access or make transit dangerous through the Panama Canal.