Episode Details

Venezuela has stabilized in ways few predicted after Donald Trump’s January 2026 military operation captured Nicolás Maduro, leading to unprecedented releases of over 700 political prisoners, Delcy Rodríguez purging Maduro loyalists from power, and María Corina Machado’s supporters openly organizing as she plans her return. Oil production has surged past 1.2 million barrels per day under U.S. oversight, with American companies pouring in billions to fix decades of socialist ruin—delivering cheap energy wins for the U.S. while easing migration pressures. Richard Hanania calls it Trump’s “heroic” success story; critics question if it’s true democracy or a pragmatic oil deal—either way, this is the foreign policy win mainstream media ignored.