Uncertainty and deep confusion cloud the road ahead as Venezuelans across the world celebrate the ouster of Nicolas Maduro.
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And now, a news recap... followed by my thoughts on the ongoing situation.
WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT VENEZUELA 🇻🇪
MADURO APPEARED before U.S. District Court Judge Alvin K. "doesn't give a s--t what anyone thinks about him" Hellerstein earlier today. The Venezuelan strongman pleaded not guilty to all charges and asserted his role as Venezuela's leader. "I am a kidnapped president. I am a prisoner of war," Maduro stated to a protester as U.S. Marshals led him outside the courtroom. His next court hearing is scheduled for March 17.
LOOK AT ME, I'M THE CAPTAIN NOW: There has been a lot of speculation about "who" is running Venezuela. Here is how President Donald Trump categorized Venezuela's leadership: "We're dealing with the people. We're dealing with the people who just got sworn in. And don't ask me who's in charge, because I'll give you an answer, and it'll be very controversial." When pressed by reporters, Trump replied, "It means we're in charge."
VICEROY RUBIO AND GOVERNOR MILLER? However, Trump's comments did not stop the mainstream from wondering what role, if any, Secretary of State Marco Rubio will play in Venezuela's transition from Maduro. Separate but not far apart, there are also reports indicating that the Trump Administration's chief racist, Stephen Miller, may also have a say in Venezuela's future. Here are two pieces you should take a look at:
- Janna Brancolini for THE DAILY BEAST: Trump Plots Wild Power Move for Stephen Miller
- Francesca Chambers & Michael Collins for USA TODAY — Marco Rubio, who dreamed of ousting Venezuela's Maduro, takes charge
MADURO'S VICE-PRESIDENT ELEVATED: Daniel Arkins at NBC News has an excellent write-up about Delcy Rodriguez, Maduro's vice-president, who has been sworn in (by Nicolas Maduro's government) as President of Venezuela. Is this the person who will report to Trump, Rubio, and Miller? Some Venezuelans seem to think so.
WhatsApp groups are sharing mental gymnastics about how Delcy, a staunch Chavez and Maduro loyalist, is a chess piece needed in Donald Trump's broader Venezuelan chess game to (eventually) install Venezuela's opposition as leaders.
ELSEWHERE ON THE INTERNET...
POLYMARKET'S SUSPICIOUS WINNER. Fortune favors the bold, but someone was probably too bold when betting on Nicolas Maduro's exact capture. The Wall Street Journal reports on how a newly created polymarket account has profited upwards of $400,000, fueling speculation of insider knowledge being leaked so that someone could make a quick buck. Our friend Sylvia Salazar of Tono Latino has the following Instagram Reel explaining the situation.
MADURO MEMES are in no short supply — here are some of my favorites — with El Chigüire Bipolar (a satirical publication like The Onion) probably nailed the ongoing situation in Venezuela with their latest take "Venezuela pasa de tener a un presidente que nadie eligió a una presidenta que nadie eligió tampoco" [ENGLISH: Venezuela goes from having a president that nobody elected to a president that nobody elected either]
TRUSTED VOICES AND COVERAGE ON VENEZUELA — Here is a quick recap on what I am reading and who I am following for Venezuela news: The Latino Newsletter, Tono Latino, Project Pulso, Caracas Chronicles, Radio Ambulante, The Venezuelan American Caucus, and The Handbasket.
THOUGHTS FROM THE MULTIPLE SCREENS OF JUAN ESCALANTE... 📱👨🏻💻📺
Hello, and thank you for reading Double Click 👋 This newsletter was originally conceived as a quick way to share smart links and short, fun reads without the doomscroll.
I published the first (second if you were part of the Beehiiv days) edition yesterday as a tsunami of news came out of Venezuela, the country I fled with my family upon the rise of Hugo Chavez, regarding the toppling of Nicolas Maduro.
As I mentioned in my previous post, there are many opinions about what will and should happen to Venezuela's oil, government, and people. However, lost in the mix is the essence of the argument — spheres of influence (good analysis from David Frum over at The Atlantic), personal experiences of Venezuelans inside and outside Venezuela, as well as U.S. domestic policy.
To really understand what is happening, especially if you have not followed three-plus decades of Venezuelan political and economic drama, you must first grasp that Venezuelans who do not subscribe to Chavismo are overjoyed to see Maduro ousted from power. To Venezuelans, seeing Hugo Chavez's successor brought to justice is reason to overlook, even if temporarily, more pressing questions of whether the Trump White House needed congressional approval or who (and how) will govern the Caribbean-facing nation in the near future. Those are two big questions that merit answers, and Venezuelans are willing to extend Donald Trump's administration time to show their roadmaps.
How much time? That is unclear.
Washington, D.C., will rapidly find itself in a tough spot if credible plans do not materialize for Venezuela, the country, and Venezuelan immigrants in the United States. A reminder that the Trump Administration, while being credited with Maduro's downfall, is the same administration that sent Venezuelan men fleeing Maduro's Venezuela to a gulag in El Salvador. It is also the same Administration that has stripped Venezuelans of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) protections and, just over the weekend, pulled a bait-and-switch on whether Venezuelans in the United States could seek deportation relief while their government is in flux.
Having the United States deal with Delcy Rodriguez or Maria Corina Machado will not solve Venezuela's high-crime rate, food insecurity, and infrastructural woes. Those are the same issues that should be highlighted when we talk about anyone, willingly or forcibly, returning to Venezuela.
Similarly, conversations about oil are not real until the ink dries on reshaping the dilapidated pumping infrastructure. Trump, a lame-duck president, is betting on deals and riches that will not be as easy to maneuver given the complexities surrounding Venezuela's partnerships with Russia and China.
Of course, all of these and other topics related to Venezuela's future can change overnight.
What I am trying to convey is that we, the general public, and the people of Venezuela are rushing to game out scenarios rooted in hope and assumption. Because, at the end of the day, the White House is unlikely to enlist the help of geopolitical experts or Venezuelan leaders from across the political spectrum. Hopefully, if invited to the table, Congress can inject Venezuelan-Americans into the discussion as a means of representing their community.
While we wait for more answers and details on Venezuela's fate and the United States' role in the region, I encourage everyone to talk to Venezuelans about Venezuela. My opinions are my own, of course. Still, I assure you that Venezuelans are not of a singular mind when it comes to discussing the future of their country — Venezuelans from Miami and New York will disagree, so will younger and older Venezuelans, as will Venezuelan-Americans and recent arrivals.
Thank you again for reading Double Click Newsletter. Congratulations on reading this far into the post! If you have a thought, question, suggestion, tip, or trick, then why not write me at hello at doubleclick dot blog
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