Venezuela Under Siege: Life After Maduro's Kidnapping | Diego Sequera

Описание: Journalist Diego Sequera joins Carl Zha live from Caracas to reveal what's really happening in Venezuela following the unprecedented U.S. kidnapping of President Nicolás Maduro. We cut through the AI-generated propaganda and Western media disinformation to discuss life on the ground, the lack of internal celebration, the political reality beyond María Corina Machado, Trump's incoherent oil ambitions, the resilience of the Venezuelan state, and the global implications of this act of war. A vital on-the-ground perspective you won't find anywhere else.

📋 Timestamps / Chapters
00:00 Introduction: Cutting Through the Propaganda
01:40 The Reality Inside Venezuela: No Celebrations
03:25 Understanding Venezuela's Political Landscape
05:48 The Traumatic Impact of the Bombing & Kidnapping
08:06 How is Venezuela Functioning? The Constitutional Process
10:31 Trump Throws Machado Under the Bus
12:54 Trump's Oil Fantasy vs. Corporate Reality
16:20 Is There a Coherent U.S. Plan?
18:45 U.S. Military & Economic Siege: The Naval Blockade
21:06 Economic Resilience & Diversification
24:35 Venezuela's Message to its True Allies: China, Russia, Iran
27:57 The Fight for Survival & Forms of Resistance
30:56 The Upcoming Kangaroo Court & PR Nightmare
33:25 Conclusion: This is Far From Over
35:06 Where to Follow Diego's Work

🔑 Key Takeaways
Life goes on, but under trauma: Contrary to AI-fueled propaganda, there is no internal celebration in Venezuela. The kidnapping and bombing were traumatic, but daily life continues under a state of shock and national resolve.

No regime change occurred: The Venezuelan state remains intact, operating under its constitution. Vice President Delcy Rodríguez has assumed executive duties, maintaining Maduro's plans and refusing to capitulate or expel the country's allies.

The U.S. has no coherent plan: Analysis suggests the U.S. operation is a desperate, short-term stunt driven by Trump's personal politics and domestic distractions (e.g., Epstein files), lacking a long-term strategy for control or realistic economic investment.

Venezuela is more resilient than in 2019: Thanks to economic diversification and stronger alliances, the country is better positioned to withstand the economic siege and blockade than during the worst of the sanctions in 2019.

The legal battle will be a PR disaster for the U.S.: The bogus charges against Maduro and the use of coerced witnesses threaten to expose U.S. hypocrisy and its own history, turning the show trial into a geopolitical liability.

📝 Detailed Show Notes
In this urgent episode, host Carl Z. is joined by Diego Sequera, a journalist based in Caracas with Misión Verdad, to dissect the reality in Venezuela after the shocking events of early January.

Main Discussion Points:

The Propaganda vs. Reality: Diego debunks the AI-generated videos and diaspora celebrations, explaining that inside Venezuela, the mood is one of resilience, not revolt. Even opposition figures are fearful of the U.S.'s actions.

Political Nuance: The conversation clarifies that Venezuela is a multi-party democracy with a legal opposition. U.S.-backed figure María Corina Machado represents an extremist faction with little domestic support, a fact even Trump has admitted.

State Continuity: Following the kidnapping, Venezuela's institutions functioned as planned. The Supreme Court invoked constitutional measures, and Vice President Delcy Rodríguez—a formidable leader with a history of resistance—assumed leadership, vowing to continue Maduro's project without concession.

Trump's Incoherent Oil Gambit: The discussion analyzes Trump's meeting with oil executives, where his fantasy of seizing Venezuelan oil collided with corporate reality. Executives from Chevron and Exxon highlighted how U.S. sanctions themselves are the barrier to investment, not the Venezuelan government.

Economic Warfare & Resilience: The U.S. naval blockade is an act of economic war. However, Diego explains that years of forced diversification have made Venezuela's economy more resilient. While challenges remain (especially currency volatility), the crippling shortages of 2019 are not repeating.

Global Alignment: The new government's first diplomatic gestures were to the ambassadors of China, Iran, and Russia, signaling a firm commitment to its strategic allies and a rejection of U.S. ultimatums.

The Coming Legal Farce: The weak, amended charges against Maduro (centering on "possession of machine guns") and the use of a coerced witness will make the trial a spectacle that could backfire on the U.S., potentially exposing its own legal corruption and history.


🔗 Links & Resources
Follow Diego's reporting at Misión Verdad: missionverdad.com (Spanish)

Their Telegram channel: t.me/misionverdad

Follow Diego on Twitter/X: @QueraElse






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