Newsmax has already sent journalists to Caracas downtown, which is hilarious because Bolívar Plaza has always been an anti-imperialism focused restricted zone. A decade ago and beyond, it was impossible to distribute opposition political pamphlets at Bolívar Plaza, as you would get water splashes from local police to evacuate that area. Nowadays, Richard Grenell is allowed to send in right wing media, which will be a refreshing point of view for anyone he interviews.
Socialist educated population from Venezuela have expressed optimism to Newsmax reporter. This optimism is based on fact that Nicolás Maduro is no longer in power: thanks to President Donald Trump, quoted as Liberator of Latin America in the 21st century by Newsmax reporter. Max Blumenthal, who is a leftwing reporter who used to interview former dictator Maduro, is not pleased by right-wing inroads in Venezuelan formerly socialist structure, which is necessary as many points of view need to confluence. Nicolás Maduro was recently interviewed on January 1st, 2026 by Ignacio Ramonet from left wing European media.
Newsmax also is thrilled by opportunity of being first international media able to enter sphere of influence of Venezuela’s authorities. He is certainly expected to interview Jorge Rodríguez, president of National Assembly, as they are all friends of Richard Grenell, special envoy for Venezuela and director of Kennedy Performing Arts Center in Washington, DC. Newsmax plans to interview President Delcy Rodríguez shortly. which will be a welcoming and refreshing departure from onesided world views.
Countries where left wing is dominant always need right wing contrasting points of view. Countries where rightwing is dominant also need left wing contrasting points of view. Democracy around world thrives when all schools of thought are adequately represented, which eliminates polarization.
José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero is thrilled with Delcy Rodríguez performance at presidency of Venezuela. He acknowledges that previous decade under Nicolás Maduro was challenging, abundant in conflict. Just as Newsmax reporter, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero feels hope in Venezuela. We may see a pattern of high level incoming international celebrities into Venezuela: extensively praising new government, implying that previous government failed.
Free Maduro, we want them back propaganda seems confined to social media selected events: restricted to local sections in cities and towns. While promoters of elections not approved by Donald Trump or Marco Rubio, at least at this stage, are also confined to social media, just as released political prisoners, such as one who wishes to appear as a native Venezuelan with a huge hat, who is boycotting local police and military who maintain order next to jails. Political prisoners are expected to be next week once Amnesty Law is approved.
There are opposition figures who thrive on eternal protest without cause. It looks like they want to be arrested again. Peru and Brazil presidents Lula Silva and Xi are absolutely enthusiastic about absence of Nicolás Maduro on international scene. It is a wide international consensus that world is better without Maduro in Venezuelan presidency. While many traditional opponents of Venezuela may not feel fond of Delcy Rodriguez yet, they welcome positive recent developments.
Delcy Rodríguez has challenge of reuniting Venezuela with Western Hemisphere: which is usually boycotted by legacy foreign minister from Nicolás Maduro regime, who tends to insult other leaders when they do not approve far left ideologies. Reconciliation and dialogue must be extended to international relations in Venezuela and not be exclusive to domestic politics. Best case scenario would be that Delcy Rodríguez changes foreign minister altogether. Iván Gil is a carbon copy of Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla from Cuba: who continues denying challenges and mistakes from his own dictatorial regime. He places all guilt into United States embargo.
Laura Dogu, United States chief of mission in Venezuela, continues alluding to a hypothetical third transition elections phase in Venezuela: which would be counterproductive as relationship between Donald Trump and Delcy Rodriguez is actually one of most solid international relations of United States. At this point United States has many domestic problems. United States has lots of trouble with many of its former allies. It is not in national interest of United States to impose elections in a country such as Venezuela: whose government led by Rodríguez brothers is so successful in navigating encounters of left and right wings. Laura Dogu is absolutely welcome to support first phase of stabilization and second phase of recovery. Both phases are complex and they will consume a number of years. Therefore, it is not necessary to plan ahead on third phase of transition: which will anyway occur on occasion of presidential elections in year 2030.
A new president could be sworn in by 2031. It cannot be ruled out that President Delcy Rodríguez should run to be reelected. She remains a strong candidate, as she has been able to improve PDVSA oil production and exports during last few years from absolute minima. It reached as a result of sanctions of Donald Trump’s first administration. While Jorge Rodríguez from National Assembly must be credited for implementing a series of modernization laws.
Venezuelan opposition has no leadership. Exiles no longer count as their priorities are detached from regular everyday Venezuelans: who are actually those who vote in elections. Local and regional issues are irrelevant for exiles, while local domestic Venezuelans within country urgently need economic development proposals: such as what is being offered by American companies that slowly start coming in, including Newsmax and Chevron. Chevron continues to be an engine of economic growth in Venezuela. Laura Dogu recently spoke to their Venezuelan representatives.
Venezuelan opposition is placing lots of complaints on Amnesty Law: saying that it is insufficient and they are proposing a series of amendments that would take a very long time to be approved. It is strategically desirable to approve amnesty law as it is. Opposition parties represented at National Assembly should introduce additional legislation to take care of cases that under their opinion should also be addressed for reconciliation. However, extremist opposition has clearly stated on social media that they do not wish to reconcile. They do not wish Law against Hate to be eliminated: because they are hateful people. They need to exercise what they consider as a right to hate their opponents.
Hating people should not be considered a right. Hating people is actually considered a crime punishable by prison. You are not supposed to hate other human beings. Religiously hate is a sin and legally hate is a crime. If liberty, freedom, and extreme right wing consider as a central point of their political speech agenda to promote hate speech, and to indulge in excessive expressions and encouragement of hateful symptoms of behavior. Such extremists are not desirable for a peaceful society and must be punished. Law against hate in Venezuela is expected to remain in effect as it protects law abiding, peaceful citizens from being discriminated against due to hateful actions of political opponents.
Venezuelan opposition also has trouble of not being highly considered by United States government: which chooses to engage in business with Venezuelan authorities. Alliance between Venezuela and United States is expected to continue increasing: as both countries seem on verge of converging interests of higher petroleum production, and a leading role in exerting Western Hemisphere sovereignty. We must remember that American Revolution in late 18th century was followed by Venezuelan independence movement: that transcended all of South America in early 19th century.
Cuba should also be included in equation as current vice minister of energy might be called to replace Díaz Canel: on a United States sponsored interim government once negotiations of Castro regime with United States end up with desirable regime change. Cuba has suffered a 70-year-old dictatorship that has impoverished country. No petroleum has been flowing for several weeks. Energy is not being produced. There are increased calls for phase zero: which many equate as massive death as there would be nothing left to eat. A solution for economic development in Cuba requires changes of legislation, as far reaching as those that Jorge Rodríguez and his national assembly are proposing for Venezuela, meaning an executive power friendly to capitalism as Delcy Rodríguez is successfully doing in Venezuela.
Cuba’s vice minister of energy has explained specifics of 10,000 solar panels that could be installed in Cuban homes, which is obviously insufficient to light up an entire country. However, he sounds like a person with some sound ideas. He should be given opportunity to use existing system as a platform for needed market reforms. Just as Delcy Rodríguez is doing in Venezuela, Cuba must quickly fall in line with rest of American continent. Both Venezuela and Cuba should be readmitted to Organization of American States. Celac turned out to be incomplete: as separating Americas between Latin America and North America only promoted hatred and discouraged learning English or Spanish for monolingual people and cooperation between North America and South America. Global energy projections led by an alliance of Venezuela and United States should prevail.
It would be interesting to check how Cuba’s foreign policy would change under a new government led by current vice minister of energy. Cuba’s foreign office has led anti-imperialist movement that blocks investment, and wastes significant international resources in international lobbying for useless organizations like United Nations which have not prevented wars. Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla, foreign minister of Cuba, just as Iván Gil, foreign minister of Venezuela: they both need urgently to go. Their approach to diplomacy is a great cause of misery for our countries: as they actively promote underdevelopment, tension and boycott to economic production and trade.
Donald Trump and Marco Rubio are urged to understand that Venezuela and Cuba have acted together as a single country during several decades. If change has already been facilitated in Venezuela, job must be replicated in Cuba, quickly before historical paths of Venezuela and Cuba diverge. We must keep existing union between Venezuela and Cuba intact: for benefit of quick results of United States national security strategy on Western hemisphere. Cuba’s maritime exclusive zone and airspace are gateways between Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea. Strategic location of Cuba as a transition between North America and South America is obvious, as Cuba returns to normalcy in its relations with United States.
Many investments from United States into Venezuela could also be transacted through a liberated Cuba: as geographically it makes sense to connect easternmost part of Cuba, Santiago de Cuba: is well connected by sea through Guantánamo to rest of Caribbean and Venezuela, with northwestern parts of Cuba. Havana is more related to Florida and Cancún, Mexico. A road in Cuba is full of potholes. Energy and transportation companies from Americas should consider investing in a quick rebuild of Cuban infrastructure: for benefit of panamerican trade. We must get used to consider economic development projects in both Cuba and Venezuela simultaneously: so that economies of scale are well profited. However, for that to happen, regime change in Cuba must occur within next few days or weeks.
Rubén Rivero