Monday, January 05, 2026
Die Nachrichtenlage ist durchweg düster. Deshalb hier ein wenig aufmunternde Musik, um die Last einer Welt, die von einem Größenwahnsinnigen beherrscht wird, etwas zu erleichtern!
« Mort à Khamenei ! » : dopés par la chute de Maduro, les Iraniens continuent à défier la répression
LE FIGARO : Une semaine après le début des manifestations anti-régime, la colère ne démord pas. Certains protestataires, inspirés par la chute de Maduro, aspirent à la « fin rapide de Khamenei ».
« Nous combattons, nous mourrons, mais nous reprendrons l’Iran ! » Sous un concert de klaxons solidaires, de jeunes protestataires défient le régime en pleine nuit. La scène se déroule le samedi 3 janvier dans la très conservatrice ville de Machhad, quelques heures après le discours d’Ali Khamenei. Silencieux depuis le début des manifestations iraniennes, il y a une semaine, le numéro un du régime est enfin sorti de sa réserve, vraisemblablement ébranlé par la chute de son allié de Caracas. L’ayatollah au turban noir, qui se sait dans le viseur de Donald Trump, s’est fendu d’une sortie menaçante envers les « émeutiers » de son pays tout en cherchant à amadouer les commerçants du bazar, point de départ de la contestation, en estimant « justes » leurs revendications.
Mais l’arme de la terreur et de la division peine à produire les effets escomptés. « Il est temps que Khamenei se réveille. Il n’a pas compris que lorsqu’on crie : “Cette année sera celle du sang” », c’est que, pour nous, il est déjà fini », prévient un manifestant iranien, contacté à Narmak, quartier en ébullition du nord-est de Téhéran. S’il est défavorable à une intervention étrangère, la fin du dictateur vénézuélien, comme celle, un an plus tôt, du raïs de Damas, l’encourage à continuer à manifester dans l’espoir « d’un vrai changement ». » | Par Delphine Minoui, correspondant à Istanbul | lundi 5 janvier 2026
Réservé aux abonnés
« Nous combattons, nous mourrons, mais nous reprendrons l’Iran ! » Sous un concert de klaxons solidaires, de jeunes protestataires défient le régime en pleine nuit. La scène se déroule le samedi 3 janvier dans la très conservatrice ville de Machhad, quelques heures après le discours d’Ali Khamenei. Silencieux depuis le début des manifestations iraniennes, il y a une semaine, le numéro un du régime est enfin sorti de sa réserve, vraisemblablement ébranlé par la chute de son allié de Caracas. L’ayatollah au turban noir, qui se sait dans le viseur de Donald Trump, s’est fendu d’une sortie menaçante envers les « émeutiers » de son pays tout en cherchant à amadouer les commerçants du bazar, point de départ de la contestation, en estimant « justes » leurs revendications.
Mais l’arme de la terreur et de la division peine à produire les effets escomptés. « Il est temps que Khamenei se réveille. Il n’a pas compris que lorsqu’on crie : “Cette année sera celle du sang” », c’est que, pour nous, il est déjà fini », prévient un manifestant iranien, contacté à Narmak, quartier en ébullition du nord-est de Téhéran. S’il est défavorable à une intervention étrangère, la fin du dictateur vénézuélien, comme celle, un an plus tôt, du raïs de Damas, l’encourage à continuer à manifester dans l’espoir « d’un vrai changement ». » | Par Delphine Minoui, correspondant à Istanbul | lundi 5 janvier 2026
Réservé aux abonnés
Army Veteran Analyzes Trump's Venezuela Attack and Legality of Invasion and Maduro Kidnapping
ANTHONY DAVIS can be supported on Patreon here.
Anyone who still considers America an ally is a FOOL! — © Mark Alexander
Trump Suggests U.S. Could Take Action Against More Countries
THE NEW YORK TIMES: On Air Force One, President Trump threatened Colombia and its president, described Cuba as “ready to fall” and reasserted his desire to acquire Greenland.
President Trump suggested on Sunday that the United States could take action against other countries after its attack on Venezuela. He threatened Colombia and its president, described Cuba as “ready to fall” and reasserted his desire to take control of Greenland.
Mr. Trump has been facing questions about his plans for Venezuela since a U.S. raid in Caracas captured the country’s president, Nicolás Maduro, and brought him to New York City to face federal drug trafficking and weapons charges. As Mr. Trump took questions about that on Sunday, he spoke of other countries in Latin America and beyond.
On Air Force One, Mr. Trump told reporters that Colombia was being “run by a sick man who likes making cocaine and selling it to the United States.”
“He’s not going to be doing it for very long,” he said of Colombia’s president, Gustavo Petro, who has frequently criticized Mr. Trump. “He has cocaine mills and cocaine factories.”
Mr. Trump and Mr. Petro have been locked in an escalating dispute over the United States’ series of boat strikes in the Caribbean and the eastern Pacific, which have ratcheted up pressure on Colombia, a nexus of the region’s drug trade.
Asked whether his administration would carry out an operation targeting Colombia, Mr. Trump replied, “It sounds good to me.” » | Yan Zhuang | Sunday,, January 4, 2026
President Trump suggested on Sunday that the United States could take action against other countries after its attack on Venezuela. He threatened Colombia and its president, described Cuba as “ready to fall” and reasserted his desire to take control of Greenland.
Mr. Trump has been facing questions about his plans for Venezuela since a U.S. raid in Caracas captured the country’s president, Nicolás Maduro, and brought him to New York City to face federal drug trafficking and weapons charges. As Mr. Trump took questions about that on Sunday, he spoke of other countries in Latin America and beyond.
On Air Force One, Mr. Trump told reporters that Colombia was being “run by a sick man who likes making cocaine and selling it to the United States.”
“He’s not going to be doing it for very long,” he said of Colombia’s president, Gustavo Petro, who has frequently criticized Mr. Trump. “He has cocaine mills and cocaine factories.”
Mr. Trump and Mr. Petro have been locked in an escalating dispute over the United States’ series of boat strikes in the Caribbean and the eastern Pacific, which have ratcheted up pressure on Colombia, a nexus of the region’s drug trade.
Asked whether his administration would carry out an operation targeting Colombia, Mr. Trump replied, “It sounds good to me.” » | Yan Zhuang | Sunday,, January 4, 2026
US ‘Has No Right’ to Take Over Greenland, Danish PM Says after Renewed Trump Threats
THE GUARDIAN: Mette Frederiksen responds to president amid febrile atmosphere after US actions in Venezuela
Denmark’s prime minister has urged Donald Trump to stop threatening to take over Greenland after the president said the US “absolutely” needs the territory.
Mette Frederiksen said on Sunday: “It makes absolutely no sense to talk about the US needing to take over Greenland. The US has no right to annex any of the three countries in the Danish kingdom.”
The US bombardment of Venezuela and the capture of its president, Nicolás Maduro, has renewed fears of an American takeover of Greenland, as members of Trump’s Maga movement gleefully set their sights on the Danish territory after the attack in South America.
Speaking aboard Air Force One on Sunday hours after Frederiksen’s remarks, Trump doubled down on his claim that Greenland should become part of the United States. » | Deborah Cole | Sunday, January 4, 2026
Trump sets sights on Greenland: President says US needs Danish territory ‘for defence’ from China and Russia »
Denmark’s prime minister has urged Donald Trump to stop threatening to take over Greenland after the president said the US “absolutely” needs the territory.
Mette Frederiksen said on Sunday: “It makes absolutely no sense to talk about the US needing to take over Greenland. The US has no right to annex any of the three countries in the Danish kingdom.”
The US bombardment of Venezuela and the capture of its president, Nicolás Maduro, has renewed fears of an American takeover of Greenland, as members of Trump’s Maga movement gleefully set their sights on the Danish territory after the attack in South America.
Speaking aboard Air Force One on Sunday hours after Frederiksen’s remarks, Trump doubled down on his claim that Greenland should become part of the United States. » | Deborah Cole | Sunday, January 4, 2026
Trump sets sights on Greenland: President says US needs Danish territory ‘for defence’ from China and Russia »
Donald Trump Warns of ‘Big Price to Pay’ If Caracas Fails to Toe Line
THE GUARDIAN: Washington keeping 15,000-strong military presence in Caribbean in case interim president hinders US objectives
The prospect of the United States seizing direct control of Venezuela appeared to recede on Sunday after the shocking seizure of President Nicolás Maduro – but US officials said Washington was keeping a 15,000-strong force in the Caribbean and might make a fresh military intervention if Venezuela’s interim president, Delcy Rodríguez, did not accommodate their demands.
While Rodríguez kept up a defiant tone in public, the substance of conversations she had had in private with US officials was not clear.
In the aftermath of Maduro’s abduction on Saturday, Donald Trump said the US would “run” the South American country of 30 million people. On Sunday he warned Rodríguez to heed US wishes. “If she doesn’t do what’s right, she is going to pay a very big price, probably bigger than Maduro,” he told the Atlantic.
Rodríguez, 56, had on Saturday pledged fealty to Maduro and condemned his capture as an “atrocity” but the New York Times reported that Trump officials several weeks ago identified the technocrat as a potential successor and business partner partly on the basis of her relationship with Wall Street and oil companies.
The US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, spoke to Rodríguez, who told him “‘we’ll do whatever you need’”, Trump told reporters. “She, I think, was quite gracious, but she really doesn’t have a choice.”
In the capital, Caracas, senior government and military figures demanded the return of Maduro but pledged support for Rodríguez as a stand-in leader and called for a return to normality. » | Patricia Torres in Caracas, Tom Phillips in Bogotá and Rory Carroll | Sunday, January 4, 2026
The prospect of the United States seizing direct control of Venezuela appeared to recede on Sunday after the shocking seizure of President Nicolás Maduro – but US officials said Washington was keeping a 15,000-strong force in the Caribbean and might make a fresh military intervention if Venezuela’s interim president, Delcy Rodríguez, did not accommodate their demands.
While Rodríguez kept up a defiant tone in public, the substance of conversations she had had in private with US officials was not clear.
In the aftermath of Maduro’s abduction on Saturday, Donald Trump said the US would “run” the South American country of 30 million people. On Sunday he warned Rodríguez to heed US wishes. “If she doesn’t do what’s right, she is going to pay a very big price, probably bigger than Maduro,” he told the Atlantic.
Rodríguez, 56, had on Saturday pledged fealty to Maduro and condemned his capture as an “atrocity” but the New York Times reported that Trump officials several weeks ago identified the technocrat as a potential successor and business partner partly on the basis of her relationship with Wall Street and oil companies.
The US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, spoke to Rodríguez, who told him “‘we’ll do whatever you need’”, Trump told reporters. “She, I think, was quite gracious, but she really doesn’t have a choice.”
In the capital, Caracas, senior government and military figures demanded the return of Maduro but pledged support for Rodríguez as a stand-in leader and called for a return to normality. » | Patricia Torres in Caracas, Tom Phillips in Bogotá and Rory Carroll | Sunday, January 4, 2026
Sunday, January 04, 2026
What Might the US Do Next after Venezuela? | Inside Story
Jan 4, 2026 | The US capture of Venezuela's president Nicolás Maduro has been sharply criticised by his allies - but not by Western nations, despite questions about its legality. So, does the operation signal a new aggressive US strategy - and what might the global impact be?
Presenter: Adrian Finighan
Guests:
Charles Shapiro - a former US Ambassador to Venezuela under President George W. Bush.
Stefan Wolff - Professor of International Security at the University of Birmingham, UK.
Ernesto Castaneda - Director of the Center for Latin American and Latino Studies at the American University in Washington DC.
Presenter: Adrian Finighan
Guests:
Charles Shapiro - a former US Ambassador to Venezuela under President George W. Bush.
Stefan Wolff - Professor of International Security at the University of Birmingham, UK.
Ernesto Castaneda - Director of the Center for Latin American and Latino Studies at the American University in Washington DC.
US Attack on Venezuela: How We Got Here, What Next and Was It Legal?
Trump’s Venezuela Power Grab: 'He Wants Oil and to Give Deals to His Cronies’ | Sidney Blumenthal
Jan 4, 2026 | “Trump wants money. He wants the oil. He wants to give deals to, his cronies, possibly himself.”
Trump’s Venezuela takeover is driven by greed, not democracy, says Sidney Blumenthal, former advisor to Bill and Hillary Clinton.
Trump couldn’t run a casino without it going bankrupt, so how can he be expected to run America AND Venezuela? The man must be living in Cloud Cuckoo Land! — © Mark Alexander
Trump’s Venezuela takeover is driven by greed, not democracy, says Sidney Blumenthal, former advisor to Bill and Hillary Clinton.
Trump couldn’t run a casino without it going bankrupt, so how can he be expected to run America AND Venezuela? The man must be living in Cloud Cuckoo Land! — © Mark Alexander
There Is No Authority’ for US to Enter Venezuela and Oust Maduro: Schumer
Rubio: Maduro Ouster Is ‘Not about Securing the Oil Fields’
Another politician, another pack of lies! — © Mark Alexander
Trump Has Made the US a ‘Rogue State’, Says International Relations Expert
Jan 4, 2026 | “Even by the record of American imperial interventions in Latin America, this is quite breath-taking.”
Trump’s actions in Venezuela represent a disregard for international law and established norms, making the US a “rogue state”, says Queen Mary University international relations professor Lee Jones.
Trump’s actions in Venezuela represent a disregard for international law and established norms, making the US a “rogue state”, says Queen Mary University international relations professor Lee Jones.
Mexico’s President Condemns US ‘Intervention’ in Venezuela
Le Danemark appelle au «respect» de l'intégrité du Groenland après un tweet polémique de l'épouse d'un conseiller de Trump
LE FIGARO : La femme du directeur de cabinet adjoint à la Maison-Blanche, Stephen Miller, a partagé une carte du Groenland aux couleurs du drapeau américain, assortie d’une courte légende en capitales : «SOON» (bientôt).
Le Danemark et le Groenland ont appelé dimanche au «respect» de l'intégrité territoriale du territoire autonome, après le tweet de la femme du directeur de cabinet adjoint à la Maison-Blanche, Stephen Miller, ayant partagé une carte du Groenland aux couleurs américaines. Katie Miller a publié samedi sur son compte X une carte du Groenland colorée aux couleurs du drapeau américain, assortie d'une courte légende en capitales : «SOON» (bientôt).
Le Groenland est convoité par Donald Trump, au grand dam du Danemark, et les tensions entre les deux pays ont été relancées par l'annonce fin décembre par Donald Trump de la nomination d'un envoyé spécial pour ce vaste territoire autonome danois. » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | dimanche 4 janvier 2026
Le Danemark et le Groenland ont appelé dimanche au «respect» de l'intégrité territoriale du territoire autonome, après le tweet de la femme du directeur de cabinet adjoint à la Maison-Blanche, Stephen Miller, ayant partagé une carte du Groenland aux couleurs américaines. Katie Miller a publié samedi sur son compte X une carte du Groenland colorée aux couleurs du drapeau américain, assortie d'une courte légende en capitales : «SOON» (bientôt).
Le Groenland est convoité par Donald Trump, au grand dam du Danemark, et les tensions entre les deux pays ont été relancées par l'annonce fin décembre par Donald Trump de la nomination d'un envoyé spécial pour ce vaste territoire autonome danois. » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | dimanche 4 janvier 2026
04/01/2026 - Another Cold Night for All - Evening Weather Forecast UK – Met Office Weather
Trump Plunges the U.S. Into a New Era of Risk in Venezuela
THE NEW YORK TIMES: President Trump opened a new chapter in American nation building as he declared that the United States had toppled Venezuela’s leader and would “run” the country for an indefinite period.
President Trump’s declaration on Saturday that the United States planned to “run” Venezuela for an unspecified period, issuing orders to its government and exploiting its vast oil reserves, plunged the United States into a risky new era in which it will seek economic and political dominance over a nation of roughly 30 million people.
Speaking at his Mar-a-Lago private club just hours after Nicolás Maduro, the leader of Venezuela, and his wife were seized from their bedroom by U.S. forces, Mr. Trump told reporters that Delcy Rodríguez, who served as Mr. Maduro’s vice president, would hold power in Venezuela as long as she “does what we want.”
Ms. Rodríguez, however, showed little public interest in doing the Americans’ bidding. In a national address, she accused Washington of invading her country under false pretenses and asserted that Mr. Maduro was still Venezuela’s head of state. “What is being done to Venezuela is a barbarity,” she said.
Mr. Trump and his top national security advisers carefully avoided describing their plans for Venezuela as an occupation, akin to what the United States did after defeating Japan, or toppling Saddam Hussein in Iraq. Instead, they vaguely sketched out an arrangement similar to a guardianship: The United States will provide a vision for how Venezuela should be run and will expect the interim government to carry that out in a transition period, under the threat of further military intervention. » | David E. Sanger and Tyler Pager | David E. Sanger and Tyler Pager are White House correspondents. | Published: Saturday, January 3, 2026. Updated: Sunday, January 4, 2026
Just imagine how much safer and stabler the world would be today had the powers-that-be had the courage to incarcerate Trump when they had a golden opportunity to do so! Many Americans must surely be rueing the lack of courage. Now, we have to ask how many innocent Americans are going to have to lose their lives in the ensuing conflagrations after this extra-judicial kidnapping of a world leader.
The USA has lost its lustre as a result of this military operation which has questionable legitimacy. For certain, the world can no longer look up to the USA for leadership for moral clarity.
Donald Trump was re-elected on the promise that he would put an end to the ‘forever wars’. But here Americans are again: up to their necks in military conflict. And Venezuela won’t be the last. In fact, it is almost certainly just the start. We already know that Trump is suffering from megalomania. We also know that he has several countries in his crosshairs. Greenland, Canada, and Panama to name just a few. Cuba had better start preparing for the worst, too.
Not so long ago, many feared that Trump was planning on taking the country back to the 50s. To the previous century would be a more accurate description! — © Mark Alexander
President Trump’s declaration on Saturday that the United States planned to “run” Venezuela for an unspecified period, issuing orders to its government and exploiting its vast oil reserves, plunged the United States into a risky new era in which it will seek economic and political dominance over a nation of roughly 30 million people.
Speaking at his Mar-a-Lago private club just hours after Nicolás Maduro, the leader of Venezuela, and his wife were seized from their bedroom by U.S. forces, Mr. Trump told reporters that Delcy Rodríguez, who served as Mr. Maduro’s vice president, would hold power in Venezuela as long as she “does what we want.”
Ms. Rodríguez, however, showed little public interest in doing the Americans’ bidding. In a national address, she accused Washington of invading her country under false pretenses and asserted that Mr. Maduro was still Venezuela’s head of state. “What is being done to Venezuela is a barbarity,” she said.
Mr. Trump and his top national security advisers carefully avoided describing their plans for Venezuela as an occupation, akin to what the United States did after defeating Japan, or toppling Saddam Hussein in Iraq. Instead, they vaguely sketched out an arrangement similar to a guardianship: The United States will provide a vision for how Venezuela should be run and will expect the interim government to carry that out in a transition period, under the threat of further military intervention. » | David E. Sanger and Tyler Pager | David E. Sanger and Tyler Pager are White House correspondents. | Published: Saturday, January 3, 2026. Updated: Sunday, January 4, 2026
Just imagine how much safer and stabler the world would be today had the powers-that-be had the courage to incarcerate Trump when they had a golden opportunity to do so! Many Americans must surely be rueing the lack of courage. Now, we have to ask how many innocent Americans are going to have to lose their lives in the ensuing conflagrations after this extra-judicial kidnapping of a world leader.
The USA has lost its lustre as a result of this military operation which has questionable legitimacy. For certain, the world can no longer look up to the USA for leadership for moral clarity.
Donald Trump was re-elected on the promise that he would put an end to the ‘forever wars’. But here Americans are again: up to their necks in military conflict. And Venezuela won’t be the last. In fact, it is almost certainly just the start. We already know that Trump is suffering from megalomania. We also know that he has several countries in his crosshairs. Greenland, Canada, and Panama to name just a few. Cuba had better start preparing for the worst, too.
Not so long ago, many feared that Trump was planning on taking the country back to the 50s. To the previous century would be a more accurate description! — © Mark Alexander
Trump Deciding Who Will Run Venezuela Sends 'Strong Signal’ to Putin and Xi Jinping | Ben Wallace
Jan 4, 2026 | “You cannot have the person who removes the head of state suddenly deciding who’s going to run it.”
Trump has said the US will ‘run’ Venezuela, but that move will send ‘a very strong signal’ to Russia and China.
Everyone keeps saying that Nicolás Maduro stole the last election, but did he REALLY? Have these people got definitive PROOF of that? Or is this just a myth that is being put out there because the result of the election didn’t conform to everyone’s wishes?
I am not on anyone’s side here: I am merely asking pertinent questions. And in my long life’s experience, I discovered long ago that politicians say things—whether true or not—to justify their actions. — © Mark Alexander
Trump has said the US will ‘run’ Venezuela, but that move will send ‘a very strong signal’ to Russia and China.
Everyone keeps saying that Nicolás Maduro stole the last election, but did he REALLY? Have these people got definitive PROOF of that? Or is this just a myth that is being put out there because the result of the election didn’t conform to everyone’s wishes?
I am not on anyone’s side here: I am merely asking pertinent questions. And in my long life’s experience, I discovered long ago that politicians say things—whether true or not—to justify their actions. — © Mark Alexander
Europas Ratlosigkeit nach Maduro-Festnahme: Viel Moral, wenig Macht
BERLINER ZEITUNG: Im Globalen Süden wird genau beobachtet, wie Europa reagiert. Nach der Maduro-Festnahme wirkt die EU zerrissen, defensiv und politisch entkernt.
Die Festnahme des venezolanischen Präsidenten Nicolás Maduro durch amerikanische Spezialkräfte hat die Europäische Union kalt erwischt. Während Washington mit militärischer Entschlossenheit „in seinem Hinterhof“ Fakten schafft, herrscht in Brüssel am Tag danach vor allem eines: strategische Orientierungslosigkeit. Die neue amerikanische Sicherheitsstrategie trifft die EU nun besonders ins Mark.
Offiziell reagiert Brüssel mit üblichen diplomatischen Floskeln. Die EU-Außenbeauftragte Kaja Kallas erklärt, man habe Maduros Legitimität seit 2021 nie anerkannt und setze auf einen „friedlichen Übergang“. Zugleich mahnt die Estin, die innerhalb der US-Regierung praktisch keine Verbündeten hat, zu Zurückhaltung sowie zur Einhaltung des Völkerrechts. Es ist die altbekannte europäische Doppelbotschaft, die vor allem eines verrät: Unsicherheit. » | Nicolas Butylin | Sonntag 4 Januar 2026
Die Festnahme des venezolanischen Präsidenten Nicolás Maduro durch amerikanische Spezialkräfte hat die Europäische Union kalt erwischt. Während Washington mit militärischer Entschlossenheit „in seinem Hinterhof“ Fakten schafft, herrscht in Brüssel am Tag danach vor allem eines: strategische Orientierungslosigkeit. Die neue amerikanische Sicherheitsstrategie trifft die EU nun besonders ins Mark.
Offiziell reagiert Brüssel mit üblichen diplomatischen Floskeln. Die EU-Außenbeauftragte Kaja Kallas erklärt, man habe Maduros Legitimität seit 2021 nie anerkannt und setze auf einen „friedlichen Übergang“. Zugleich mahnt die Estin, die innerhalb der US-Regierung praktisch keine Verbündeten hat, zu Zurückhaltung sowie zur Einhaltung des Völkerrechts. Es ist die altbekannte europäische Doppelbotschaft, die vor allem eines verrät: Unsicherheit. » | Nicolas Butylin | Sonntag 4 Januar 2026
À Cuba, après l’attaque américaine au Venezuela, la crainte et l’espoir
LE FIGARO : Si le régime cubain condamne fermement l’intervention militaire au Venezuela, les habitants sont très partagés sur les conséquences à venir pour Cuba.
« Je suis contente, le Venezuela est libre. J’espère qu’après Caracas, ce sera au tour de Cuba », confie Camila[1], une ancienne restauratrice havanaise, émue du renversement de Nicolás Maduro par les forces spéciales de Donald Trump. L’intervention militaire des États-Unis contre Caracas et l’enlèvement du dictateur Nicolás Maduro et de son épouse Cilia Flores par l’administration américaine a suscité une réaction immédiate de La Havane. «Cuba dénonce et exige d’urgence une réaction de la communauté internationale face à l’attaque criminelle menée par les États-Unis contre le Venezuela», a écrit le président cubain Miguel Diaz-Canel Bermudez, qui s’oppose au «terrorisme d’État contre le courageux peuple vénézuélien et contre notre Amérique» sur son compte X.
Si le premier ministre, Manuel Marrero Cruz, a appelé à une mobilisation de la communauté internationale pour défendre l’Amérique latine et les Caraïbes pour en faire une zone de paix, le ministre des Affaires étrangères, Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla, a souligné que ces «actions militaires contre Caracas et d’autres localités du pays sont des actes lâches contre une nation qui n’a attaqué ni les États-Unis ni aucun autre pays». » | Par Hector Lemieux | samedi 5 janvier 2026
Réservé aux abonnés
« Je suis contente, le Venezuela est libre. J’espère qu’après Caracas, ce sera au tour de Cuba », confie Camila[1], une ancienne restauratrice havanaise, émue du renversement de Nicolás Maduro par les forces spéciales de Donald Trump. L’intervention militaire des États-Unis contre Caracas et l’enlèvement du dictateur Nicolás Maduro et de son épouse Cilia Flores par l’administration américaine a suscité une réaction immédiate de La Havane. «Cuba dénonce et exige d’urgence une réaction de la communauté internationale face à l’attaque criminelle menée par les États-Unis contre le Venezuela», a écrit le président cubain Miguel Diaz-Canel Bermudez, qui s’oppose au «terrorisme d’État contre le courageux peuple vénézuélien et contre notre Amérique» sur son compte X.
Si le premier ministre, Manuel Marrero Cruz, a appelé à une mobilisation de la communauté internationale pour défendre l’Amérique latine et les Caraïbes pour en faire une zone de paix, le ministre des Affaires étrangères, Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla, a souligné que ces «actions militaires contre Caracas et d’autres localités du pays sont des actes lâches contre une nation qui n’a attaqué ni les États-Unis ni aucun autre pays». » | Par Hector Lemieux | samedi 5 janvier 2026
Réservé aux abonnés
Today, Trump’s Target Was Caracas. What Tomorrow?
THE GUARDIAN: He took office promising to annex Greenland and take back the Panama Canal. Now that he has ousted Maduro, other countries could be next
“This is genius,” Donald Trump enthused. It was February 22, 2022. Vladimir Putin had just declared parts of eastern Ukraine to be independent and sent in Russian troops to serve as so-called peacekeepers. The once and future American president was impressed, even inspired. “We could use that on our southern border,” Trump mused.
Trump didn’t know then that he was speaking at the start of a full-scale invasion that has lasted nearly four years and inflicted upwards of 1.5 million casualties and counting. And Trump doesn’t know now what he has unleashed in Venezuela. The South American country is not Ukraine, nor, for that matter, is it Afghanistan, Iraq, or Libya. But by ordering military strikes to seize dictator Nicolás Maduro, Trump has thrown a country of around 28 million people into uncertainty and tossed aside the most obvious, hard-won lesson of decades of US foreign policy failures: regime-change wars are easy to start and hard to win, much less to turn into anything resembling genuine success.
So far, Trump has taken step one, if that. He has yet to bring down Venezuela’s regime, only to decapitate it, scooping up the man at the top. In his speech announcing the war, however, Trump played the conquering hero. The president boasted at length about the “overwhelming military power” he had exhibited, as though the United States did not possess a long record of smashing operational triumphs — recall “shock and awe” in Baghdad — that gave way to strategic disaster. » | Stephen Wertheim* | Sunday, January 4, 2026
* Stephen Wertheim is a senior fellow in the American Statecraft Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and a visiting lecturer at Yale Law School
“This is genius,” Donald Trump enthused. It was February 22, 2022. Vladimir Putin had just declared parts of eastern Ukraine to be independent and sent in Russian troops to serve as so-called peacekeepers. The once and future American president was impressed, even inspired. “We could use that on our southern border,” Trump mused.
Trump didn’t know then that he was speaking at the start of a full-scale invasion that has lasted nearly four years and inflicted upwards of 1.5 million casualties and counting. And Trump doesn’t know now what he has unleashed in Venezuela. The South American country is not Ukraine, nor, for that matter, is it Afghanistan, Iraq, or Libya. But by ordering military strikes to seize dictator Nicolás Maduro, Trump has thrown a country of around 28 million people into uncertainty and tossed aside the most obvious, hard-won lesson of decades of US foreign policy failures: regime-change wars are easy to start and hard to win, much less to turn into anything resembling genuine success.
So far, Trump has taken step one, if that. He has yet to bring down Venezuela’s regime, only to decapitate it, scooping up the man at the top. In his speech announcing the war, however, Trump played the conquering hero. The president boasted at length about the “overwhelming military power” he had exhibited, as though the United States did not possess a long record of smashing operational triumphs — recall “shock and awe” in Baghdad — that gave way to strategic disaster. » | Stephen Wertheim* | Sunday, January 4, 2026
* Stephen Wertheim is a senior fellow in the American Statecraft Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and a visiting lecturer at Yale Law School
Unsealed Indictment Reveals Charges against Nicolás Maduro and His Wife
THE GUARDIAN: Venezuelan president accused of running a ‘corrupt’ government fuelled by a drug-trafficking operation that flooded US with cocaine
A newly unsealed US justice department indictment accuses the captured Venezuelan president, Nicolás Maduro, of running a “corrupt, illegitimate government” fuelled by an extensive drug-trafficking operation that flooded the US with thousands of tons of cocaine.
The arrest of Maduro and his wife in a stunning military operation early on Saturday in Venezuela sets the stage for a major test for US prosecutors as they seek to secure a conviction in a Manhattan courtroom against the longtime leader of the oil-rich South American nation.
The attorney general, Pam Bondi, said in a post on X that Maduro and his wife “will soon face the full wrath of American justice on American soil in American courts”. » | Associated Press | Sunday, January 4, 2026
King Don and his regime have got a nerve to accuse Nicolás Maduro and his wife of corruption! Is Dementia Don trying to say that he and his cronies cannot be accused of the same? Further, as for drug-trafficking, I don’t believe it. And you shouldn’t either. In any case, if King Don cared about drug-trafficking, he wouldn’t have pardoned Juan Orlando Hernández, the former president of Honduras from jail. — © Mark Alexander
A newly unsealed US justice department indictment accuses the captured Venezuelan president, Nicolás Maduro, of running a “corrupt, illegitimate government” fuelled by an extensive drug-trafficking operation that flooded the US with thousands of tons of cocaine.
The arrest of Maduro and his wife in a stunning military operation early on Saturday in Venezuela sets the stage for a major test for US prosecutors as they seek to secure a conviction in a Manhattan courtroom against the longtime leader of the oil-rich South American nation.
The attorney general, Pam Bondi, said in a post on X that Maduro and his wife “will soon face the full wrath of American justice on American soil in American courts”. » | Associated Press | Sunday, January 4, 2026
King Don and his regime have got a nerve to accuse Nicolás Maduro and his wife of corruption! Is Dementia Don trying to say that he and his cronies cannot be accused of the same? Further, as for drug-trafficking, I don’t believe it. And you shouldn’t either. In any case, if King Don cared about drug-trafficking, he wouldn’t have pardoned Juan Orlando Hernández, the former president of Honduras from jail. — © Mark Alexander
Brexit Shock: 62% Now Want to Re-join EU
I, for one, would welcome getting rid of the pound! Long-term, the value of the pound has gone down and down. In fact, since the end of World War One, the pound has approximately halved in value every ten years! Yes, its value goes up for a while now and then, but the long-term trend is DOWN! Not wanting to relinquish the pound sterling is no argument for not re-joining the European Union. — © Mark Alexander
Crans-Montana: Wie es zum Brand kam
Trump Attacks Venezuela and Kidnaps Their President
Strong language alert!
Saturday, January 03, 2026
The ‘Putinization’ of US Foreign Policy Has Arrived in Venezuela
THE GUARDIAN: Trump is no longer bending the rules – he is demolishing them, with consequences far beyond Caracas
Hardly anyone expected 2026 to be a year of peace, and it was barely two days old when the worst fears were confirmed.
The overnight strikes on Venezuela, the abduction of its leader, Nicolás Maduro, and his wife, and Donald Trump’s declaration that the US would “run” the country and sell its oil, have driven another truck through international law and global norms. But that is not even the most concerning thing about it.
Donald Trump has been driving convoys of bulldozers through that increasingly fragile edifice since taking office nearly a year ago, and now it is mostly wreckage. The events overnight were preceded by airstrikes on small boats in the seas off Central America and the killing of their crews based on unproven allegations of drug trafficking, and the armed seizure of Venezuelan oil tankers on the high seas. It is not yet known how many people were killed in the capture of Maduro in the early hours of Saturday.
In terms of global stability, the worst thing about the Maduro rendition is that it worked. » | Julian Borger, Senior international correspondent | Saturday, January 3, 2026
Hardly anyone expected 2026 to be a year of peace, and it was barely two days old when the worst fears were confirmed.
The overnight strikes on Venezuela, the abduction of its leader, Nicolás Maduro, and his wife, and Donald Trump’s declaration that the US would “run” the country and sell its oil, have driven another truck through international law and global norms. But that is not even the most concerning thing about it.
Donald Trump has been driving convoys of bulldozers through that increasingly fragile edifice since taking office nearly a year ago, and now it is mostly wreckage. The events overnight were preceded by airstrikes on small boats in the seas off Central America and the killing of their crews based on unproven allegations of drug trafficking, and the armed seizure of Venezuelan oil tankers on the high seas. It is not yet known how many people were killed in the capture of Maduro in the early hours of Saturday.
In terms of global stability, the worst thing about the Maduro rendition is that it worked. » | Julian Borger, Senior international correspondent | Saturday, January 3, 2026
Bonus Episode: How Is Trump Planning to ‘Run’ Venezuela? (With Anne Applebaum) | The David Frum Show
US Airstrikes on Venezuela, Capture of Maduro, Breach of International Law
ANTHONY DAVIS can be supported on Patreon here.
Warmongering Trump is so full of bullshit. Marco Rubio is untrustworthy. He couldn’t be trusted further than anyone could throw him! One hears little of him. But if I am not greatly mistaken, he is a man busy in the background stirring strife. — © Mark Alexander
What Are the Implications of the US Capture of Nicolás Maduro? | Inside Story
Jan 3, 2026 | US special forces captured Venezuela's president Nicolás Maduro in a daring attack that's taken the country and the world by surprise.
He'd denied accusations by President Donald Trump of heading a narcotics cartel. So, what are the implications of Washington's actions?
Presenter: James Bays
Guests:
Phil Gunson - senior analyst for the Andes Project at the International Crisis Group.
Richard Weitz - U.S. security analyst, Senior Fellow at the NATO Defense College.
Temir Porras - former Foreign Policy Advisor to President Hugo Chavez and the former Chief of Staff for President Nicolas Maduro.
He'd denied accusations by President Donald Trump of heading a narcotics cartel. So, what are the implications of Washington's actions?
Presenter: James Bays
Guests:
Phil Gunson - senior analyst for the Andes Project at the International Crisis Group.
Richard Weitz - U.S. security analyst, Senior Fellow at the NATO Defense College.
Temir Porras - former Foreign Policy Advisor to President Hugo Chavez and the former Chief of Staff for President Nicolas Maduro.
US Airstrikes Hit Venezuela - President Maduro Is ‘Captured’ and Charged in NY
Jan 3, 2026 | It was an audacious operation - setting a dangerous precedent and dispensing with America's constitutional requirement to seek congressional approval for an act of war. With Nicolás Maduro and his wife shipped off to New York to face drug and weapons charges, Venezuela's opposition leader Maria Corina Machado declared that the hour of freedom has arrived. But President Trump said she doesn't command enough respect in the country, and the US will run Venezuela and its oil industry for now. The attack itself lasted less than 30 minutes.
According to Colombia's President, US targets in Caracas included La Carlota air base, the main military base at Fuerte Tee-una, a private airport, and the National Assembly building.
According to Colombia's President, US targets in Caracas included La Carlota air base, the main military base at Fuerte Tee-una, a private airport, and the National Assembly building.
Trump Says U.S. Will ‘Run the Country’ After Capture of Maduro
THE NEW YORK TIMES: President Trump offered few details about how the United States would oversee Venezuela and for how long, but said its oil industry would “make a lot of money” under U.S. leadership. President Nicolás Maduro and his wife were being taken to New York to stand trial on drug and weapons charges.
President Trump said on Saturday that the United States had captured the Venezuelan president, Nicolás Maduro, and was taking him to New York to face criminal charges, the stunning culmination of a monthslong campaign by his administration to oust the authoritarian leader. The United States would “run” the country until a proper transition of power could be arranged, the president said hours later, raising the prospect of an open-ended commitment.
Mr. Trump offered few details about how the United States would oversee Venezuela, saying only that an unspecified “group” would do so. It was not clear whether that would involve an occupying military force, although Mr. Trump said he was not afraid of “boots on the ground.”
Venezuela’s vice president, Delcy Rodríguez, had spoken to Secretary of State Marco Rubio and told him she was “essentially willing to do what we think is necessary,” Mr. Trump told reporters during a news conference at Mar-a-Lago, his private club in Florida. But Ms. Rodríguez earlier denounced the U.S. operation on state television, calling it a “brutal attack.”
While Mr. Trump said little about how the United States would be “running” Venezuela, he insisted it “won’t cost us anything” because American oil companies would rebuild the energy infrastructure in Venezuela, which holds vast reserves of oil. » | Anatoly Kurmanaev and Tyler Pager | Anatoly Kurmanaev reported from Venezuela, and Tyler Pager from West Palm Beach, Fla. | Saturday, Jan 3, 2026
So America is going to run Venezuela, eh? What a sick joke! America can't run its own country yet, still less run Venezuela as well. If Trump could run America properly, there wouldn't be millions upon millions of Americans homeless, and there wouldn't be millions upon millions of Americans unable to afford healthcare or, in many cases, enough groceries for adequate nutrition without having to go to foodbanks. It would be better for Trump to learn how to run his own country first, before embarking on these imperialist, colonising adventures. — © Mark Alexander
President Trump said on Saturday that the United States had captured the Venezuelan president, Nicolás Maduro, and was taking him to New York to face criminal charges, the stunning culmination of a monthslong campaign by his administration to oust the authoritarian leader. The United States would “run” the country until a proper transition of power could be arranged, the president said hours later, raising the prospect of an open-ended commitment.
Mr. Trump offered few details about how the United States would oversee Venezuela, saying only that an unspecified “group” would do so. It was not clear whether that would involve an occupying military force, although Mr. Trump said he was not afraid of “boots on the ground.”
Venezuela’s vice president, Delcy Rodríguez, had spoken to Secretary of State Marco Rubio and told him she was “essentially willing to do what we think is necessary,” Mr. Trump told reporters during a news conference at Mar-a-Lago, his private club in Florida. But Ms. Rodríguez earlier denounced the U.S. operation on state television, calling it a “brutal attack.”
While Mr. Trump said little about how the United States would be “running” Venezuela, he insisted it “won’t cost us anything” because American oil companies would rebuild the energy infrastructure in Venezuela, which holds vast reserves of oil. » | Anatoly Kurmanaev and Tyler Pager | Anatoly Kurmanaev reported from Venezuela, and Tyler Pager from West Palm Beach, Fla. | Saturday, Jan 3, 2026
So America is going to run Venezuela, eh? What a sick joke! America can't run its own country yet, still less run Venezuela as well. If Trump could run America properly, there wouldn't be millions upon millions of Americans homeless, and there wouldn't be millions upon millions of Americans unable to afford healthcare or, in many cases, enough groceries for adequate nutrition without having to go to foodbanks. It would be better for Trump to learn how to run his own country first, before embarking on these imperialist, colonising adventures. — © Mark Alexander
Russia Issues Shock NUCLEAR Warning To U.S. After Maduro Capture from Caracas? 'Long Live Nukes'
Managers of Swiss Bar Are Suspected of Negligence in Deadly Fire, Police Say
THE NEW YORK TIMES: Swiss authorities say the fire was probably sparked by small fireworks on champagne bottles that ignited foam insulation on the bar’s basement ceiling.
The two managers of a bar in the Swiss Alps where at least 40 people died in a sudden fire this week have been placed under criminal investigation because of allegations of negligence, Swiss police said on Saturday[.]
The investigation was opened on Friday night over suspicions of negligent homicide, negligent bodily harm, and causing a fire by negligence, according to a statement from the police in the Valais canton, the area of Switzerland where the bar is located.
The police statement did not detail what evidence had led to the criminal investigation, nor did it name the managers of the bar, an establishment called Le Constellation in the center of Crans-Montana, a popular ski resort town in southern Switzerland.
Public business records identify the owners of the bar as a French couple, Jacques and Jessica Moretti, who opened it in 2015. As of Saturday, the Morettis had not responded to earlier requests for comment from The New York Times. In brief interviews with the Swiss media this week, they said they were fully cooperating with investigators and denied any wrongdoing. » | Aurelien Breeden | Reporting from Crans-Montana, Switzerland | Saturday, January 3, 2026
The two managers of a bar in the Swiss Alps where at least 40 people died in a sudden fire this week have been placed under criminal investigation because of allegations of negligence, Swiss police said on Saturday[.]
The investigation was opened on Friday night over suspicions of negligent homicide, negligent bodily harm, and causing a fire by negligence, according to a statement from the police in the Valais canton, the area of Switzerland where the bar is located.
The police statement did not detail what evidence had led to the criminal investigation, nor did it name the managers of the bar, an establishment called Le Constellation in the center of Crans-Montana, a popular ski resort town in southern Switzerland.
Public business records identify the owners of the bar as a French couple, Jacques and Jessica Moretti, who opened it in 2015. As of Saturday, the Morettis had not responded to earlier requests for comment from The New York Times. In brief interviews with the Swiss media this week, they said they were fully cooperating with investigators and denied any wrongdoing. » | Aurelien Breeden | Reporting from Crans-Montana, Switzerland | Saturday, January 3, 2026
„Trump nimmt Venezuela, und wir die Ukraine“: So blickt Russland auf den Angriff auf Venezuela
BERLINER ZEITUNG: Moskau verurteilt die US-Operation in Venezuela, doch Militäranalysten und Blogger loben ihre Effizienz und ziehen unbequeme Vergleiche zur Ukraine.
Nach der nächtlichen Militäroperation gegen Venezuelas Staatschef Nicolás Maduro reagiert das offizielle Moskau bekannt kühl. Das russische Außenministerium verurteilte den amerikanischen Einsatz als „Akt bewaffneter Aggression“ und sprach von „tiefer Besorgnis“. Wichtig sei nun, so die diplomatische Formel im Außenministerium, eine weitere Eskalation zu verhindern und einen Ausweg „durch Dialog“ zu finden.
Lateinamerika müsse eine „Zone des Friedens“ bleiben, Venezuela das Recht haben, sein Schicksal selbst zu bestimmen. „Wir bekräftigen unsere Solidarität mit dem venezolanischen Volk und unsere Unterstützung für den Kurs seiner bolivarischen Führung, der darauf abzielt, die nationalen Interessen und die Souveränität des Landes zu schützen“, zitiert die staatliche Nachrichtenagentur Tass das russische Außenamt. Moskau unterstütze die Erklärung der venezolanischen Behörden und der Staats- und Regierungschefs der lateinamerikanischen Länder, die eine sofortige Sitzung des UN-Sicherheitsrates fordern. Russland, heißt es weiter in Moskau, sei bereit, Vermittlungsbemühungen zwischen Caracas und Washington zu unterstützen. » | Nicolas Butylin | Samstag, 3. Januar 2026
Was für ein Zeitalter! Es ist ein Zeitalter des Überflusses in vielerlei Hinsicht. Gier ohne Ende, ganz sicher. Und auch ein Zeitalter der Gesetzlosigkeit. Heutzutage greift man sich einfach, was man will! Wenn man es greifen kann, gehört es einem! Wir kehren zu einer Welt zurück, die dem Wilden Westen unweigerlich ähnelt! Putin wollte die Ukraine, also schnappte er sich alles, was er kriegen konnte, und versucht immer noch mehr zu schnappen. Jetzt schnappt sich Trump Venezuela. Warum? Ganz einfach, weil er es will, wegen seines Ölreichtums. Als Nächstes werden Grönland, Kuba, Kanada und Kolumbien in sein Visier geraten. Das Gesetz des Dschungels hat die Oberhand schon gewonnen! — © Mark Alexander
Nach der nächtlichen Militäroperation gegen Venezuelas Staatschef Nicolás Maduro reagiert das offizielle Moskau bekannt kühl. Das russische Außenministerium verurteilte den amerikanischen Einsatz als „Akt bewaffneter Aggression“ und sprach von „tiefer Besorgnis“. Wichtig sei nun, so die diplomatische Formel im Außenministerium, eine weitere Eskalation zu verhindern und einen Ausweg „durch Dialog“ zu finden.
Lateinamerika müsse eine „Zone des Friedens“ bleiben, Venezuela das Recht haben, sein Schicksal selbst zu bestimmen. „Wir bekräftigen unsere Solidarität mit dem venezolanischen Volk und unsere Unterstützung für den Kurs seiner bolivarischen Führung, der darauf abzielt, die nationalen Interessen und die Souveränität des Landes zu schützen“, zitiert die staatliche Nachrichtenagentur Tass das russische Außenamt. Moskau unterstütze die Erklärung der venezolanischen Behörden und der Staats- und Regierungschefs der lateinamerikanischen Länder, die eine sofortige Sitzung des UN-Sicherheitsrates fordern. Russland, heißt es weiter in Moskau, sei bereit, Vermittlungsbemühungen zwischen Caracas und Washington zu unterstützen. » | Nicolas Butylin | Samstag, 3. Januar 2026
Was für ein Zeitalter! Es ist ein Zeitalter des Überflusses in vielerlei Hinsicht. Gier ohne Ende, ganz sicher. Und auch ein Zeitalter der Gesetzlosigkeit. Heutzutage greift man sich einfach, was man will! Wenn man es greifen kann, gehört es einem! Wir kehren zu einer Welt zurück, die dem Wilden Westen unweigerlich ähnelt! Putin wollte die Ukraine, also schnappte er sich alles, was er kriegen konnte, und versucht immer noch mehr zu schnappen. Jetzt schnappt sich Trump Venezuela. Warum? Ganz einfach, weil er es will, wegen seines Ölreichtums. Als Nächstes werden Grönland, Kuba, Kanada und Kolumbien in sein Visier geraten. Das Gesetz des Dschungels hat die Oberhand schon gewonnen! — © Mark Alexander
Venezuela : premiers à réagir en France, les Insoumis vitupèrent la capture de Maduro par Trump
LE FIGARO : Jean-Luc Mélenchon a notamment condamné samedi matin «une intervention militaire d’un autre âge et l’enlèvement odieux du président Maduro et de son épouse». Un rassemblement de «soutien au peuple vénézuélien» est prévu à 18h à Paris.
Historiquement proches du régime chaviste au Venezuela et souvent critiqués par leurs adversaires pour leur soutien au président Nicolás Maduro, les responsables de la France insoumise ont été les premiers à réagir en France après l’annonce de sa capture par les États-Unis, condamnant unanimement cette opération américaine.
«Les USA de Trump s’emparent du pétrole du Venezuela en violant sa souveraineté avec une intervention militaire d’un autre âge et l’enlèvement odieux du président Maduro et de son épouse. Le narcotrafic est désormais le prétexte de l’empire et de ses agents politiques et médiatiques pour détruire ce qu’il reste d’ordre international libre de la loi du plus fort», a notamment posté sur X le chef de file de la France insoumise, Jean-Luc Mélenchon. » | Par Paul Sugy | samedi 3 janvier 2026
Je désapprouve formellement la capture de Nicolás Maduro. Cela crée un précédent très dangereux. Trump s'ingère dans les affaires intérieures d'autres pays. Le Groenland pourrait bien être la prochaine cible. Il n'existe absolument aucune preuve de l'implication de Maduro dans le trafic de drogue. Toute cette opération vise à voler le pétrole vénézuélien et surtout à enrichir les Trump. — © Mark Alexander
Historiquement proches du régime chaviste au Venezuela et souvent critiqués par leurs adversaires pour leur soutien au président Nicolás Maduro, les responsables de la France insoumise ont été les premiers à réagir en France après l’annonce de sa capture par les États-Unis, condamnant unanimement cette opération américaine.
«Les USA de Trump s’emparent du pétrole du Venezuela en violant sa souveraineté avec une intervention militaire d’un autre âge et l’enlèvement odieux du président Maduro et de son épouse. Le narcotrafic est désormais le prétexte de l’empire et de ses agents politiques et médiatiques pour détruire ce qu’il reste d’ordre international libre de la loi du plus fort», a notamment posté sur X le chef de file de la France insoumise, Jean-Luc Mélenchon. » | Par Paul Sugy | samedi 3 janvier 2026
Je désapprouve formellement la capture de Nicolás Maduro. Cela crée un précédent très dangereux. Trump s'ingère dans les affaires intérieures d'autres pays. Le Groenland pourrait bien être la prochaine cible. Il n'existe absolument aucune preuve de l'implication de Maduro dans le trafic de drogue. Toute cette opération vise à voler le pétrole vénézuélien et surtout à enrichir les Trump. — © Mark Alexander
Trump Would Have Had Help on the Inside to Capture Maduro | Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges
Jan 3, 2026 | “People can speculate that very well trained and equipped special operators were part of this but I believe there was help on the inside.”
Venezuelan military would’ve realised time was running out for President Maduro and helped Trump in capturing him, says former Commanding General of US Army in Europe Lieutenant General Ben Hodges.
Venezuelan military would’ve realised time was running out for President Maduro and helped Trump in capturing him, says former Commanding General of US Army in Europe Lieutenant General Ben Hodges.
Donald Trump’s Attack on Venezuela Is Illegal and Unwise
THE NEW YORK TIMES — OPINION: Over the past few months, President Trump has deployed an imposing military force in the Caribbean to threaten Venezuela. Until now, the president used that force — an aircraft carrier, at least seven other warships, scores of aircraft and 15,000 U.S. troops — for illegal attacks on small boats that he claimed were ferrying drugs. This weekend, Mr. Trump dramatically escalated his campaign by capturing Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro as part of what he called ”a large scale strike” against the country.
Few people will feel any sympathy for Mr. Maduro. He is undemocratic and repressive, and has destabilized the Western Hemisphere in recent years. The United Nations recently issued a report detailing more than a decade of killings, torture, sexual violence and arbitrary detention by henchmen against his political opponents. He stole Venezuela’s presidential election last year. He has fueled economic and political disruption throughout the region by instigating an exodus of nearly eight million migrants.
If there is an overriding lesson of American foreign affairs in the past century, however, it is that attempting to oust even the most deplorable regime can make matters worse. The United States spent 20 years failing to create a stable government in Afghanistan and it replaced a dictatorship in Libya with a fractured state. The tragic consequences of the 2003 war in Iraq continue to beset America and the Middle East. Perhaps most relevant, the United States has sporadically destabilized Latin American countries, including Chile, Cuba, Guatemala and Nicaragua, by trying to oust a government through force.
Mr. Trump has not yet offered a coherent explanation for his actions in Venezuela. He is pushing our country toward an international crisis without valid reasons. If Mr. Trump wants to argue otherwise, the Constitution spells out what he must do: Go to Congress. Without congressional approval, his actions violate United States law. » | The Editorial Board | Saturday, January 3, 2026
Donald Trump was thoroughly irresponsible to launch this attack. This sets a precedent for other authoritarian leaders to follow suit. Further, for Trump to assert that Nicolás Maduro was corrupt is just plain silly and hypocritical. Who is more corrupt than Trump? This is a textbook example of the pot calling the kettle black!
But the most disturbing aspect of this for me is Trump’s proclivity to interfere in the internal affairs of other nations. He has stated that he wants to change the politics of Europe, of the European Union.
If Trump really wanted to do something useful, he should have shown strength, not weakness, in dealing with his buddy in Russia, to stop the killing in Ukraine.
Moreover, as for Maduro treating his citizens badly… That’s exactly what Trump is doing with many American citizens when he disappears them and sends unknown numbers to concentration camps.
My guess is that Trump has his eyes firmly on the oil wealth of Venezuela. In this illegal move, he sees billions of dollars for himself, his family, and his cronies. But that oil wealth belongs to Venezuelans, not Americans. And it certainly does not belong to the Trumps! — © Mark Alexander
Few people will feel any sympathy for Mr. Maduro. He is undemocratic and repressive, and has destabilized the Western Hemisphere in recent years. The United Nations recently issued a report detailing more than a decade of killings, torture, sexual violence and arbitrary detention by henchmen against his political opponents. He stole Venezuela’s presidential election last year. He has fueled economic and political disruption throughout the region by instigating an exodus of nearly eight million migrants.
If there is an overriding lesson of American foreign affairs in the past century, however, it is that attempting to oust even the most deplorable regime can make matters worse. The United States spent 20 years failing to create a stable government in Afghanistan and it replaced a dictatorship in Libya with a fractured state. The tragic consequences of the 2003 war in Iraq continue to beset America and the Middle East. Perhaps most relevant, the United States has sporadically destabilized Latin American countries, including Chile, Cuba, Guatemala and Nicaragua, by trying to oust a government through force.
Mr. Trump has not yet offered a coherent explanation for his actions in Venezuela. He is pushing our country toward an international crisis without valid reasons. If Mr. Trump wants to argue otherwise, the Constitution spells out what he must do: Go to Congress. Without congressional approval, his actions violate United States law. » | The Editorial Board | Saturday, January 3, 2026
Donald Trump was thoroughly irresponsible to launch this attack. This sets a precedent for other authoritarian leaders to follow suit. Further, for Trump to assert that Nicolás Maduro was corrupt is just plain silly and hypocritical. Who is more corrupt than Trump? This is a textbook example of the pot calling the kettle black!
But the most disturbing aspect of this for me is Trump’s proclivity to interfere in the internal affairs of other nations. He has stated that he wants to change the politics of Europe, of the European Union.
If Trump really wanted to do something useful, he should have shown strength, not weakness, in dealing with his buddy in Russia, to stop the killing in Ukraine.
Moreover, as for Maduro treating his citizens badly… That’s exactly what Trump is doing with many American citizens when he disappears them and sends unknown numbers to concentration camps.
My guess is that Trump has his eyes firmly on the oil wealth of Venezuela. In this illegal move, he sees billions of dollars for himself, his family, and his cronies. But that oil wealth belongs to Venezuelans, not Americans. And it certainly does not belong to the Trumps! — © Mark Alexander
Trump’s Strikes on Venezuela Should Raise Alarms for the West | Military Strategist
Jan 3, 2026 | “What we’ve seen overnight certainly has implications for both Europe and Asia.”
Trump’s strikes on Venezuela emphases that his national security strategy should be taken seriously by the West, says military strategist Franz-Stefan Gady.
WIKIPEDIA: Franz-Stefan Gady »
Trump’s strikes on Venezuela emphases that his national security strategy should be taken seriously by the West, says military strategist Franz-Stefan Gady.
WIKIPEDIA: Franz-Stefan Gady »
Trump's Reported Strike on Venezuela Causes 'Headache' for the West
Jan 3, 2026n | “People will see parallels with what’s happening with Ukraine…Russia is absolutely the aggressor and to be condemned so what do you do about this particular policy?”
Trump’s orders to strike Venezuela will cause a "headache" for Starmer, says Adam Boulton.
Trump’s orders to strike Venezuela will cause a "headache" for Starmer, says Adam Boulton.
Michael Lambert: Starmer, Trump & AI - My Predictions for 2026
Jan 3, 2026 | It seems certain that the next 12 months are going to be extraordinarily important and potentially very dangerous.
In this video I talk about:
• The liklihood that Keir Starmer will be replaced as Prime Minister and leader of the Labour party after the May council elections
• The worrying rise of Farage and what a Reform government could look like
• Why Britain still hasn’t faced the reality of Brexit
• How I believe that Donald Trump will not serve his full term and that he will soon be gone. This is because he appears to have health issues including possible cognitive decline. There may even be another impeachment in which case his support would be far from certain.
• I also talk about why AI is going to change our lives far more quickly — and more profoundly — than most people realise. I’m not making firm predictions, but I am joining the dots.
I was particularly interested in Michael Lambert’s assessment of Sir Ed Davey, because his assessment of him mirrors my own. I think he is the best politician around, and I also think that he is a thoroughly decent man. And decency is hard to find among politicians these days. I would love to see Ed Davey becoming our prime minister. But naturally, I am not holding my breath. — © Mark Alexander
In this video I talk about:
• The liklihood that Keir Starmer will be replaced as Prime Minister and leader of the Labour party after the May council elections
• The worrying rise of Farage and what a Reform government could look like
• Why Britain still hasn’t faced the reality of Brexit
• How I believe that Donald Trump will not serve his full term and that he will soon be gone. This is because he appears to have health issues including possible cognitive decline. There may even be another impeachment in which case his support would be far from certain.
• I also talk about why AI is going to change our lives far more quickly — and more profoundly — than most people realise. I’m not making firm predictions, but I am joining the dots.
I was particularly interested in Michael Lambert’s assessment of Sir Ed Davey, because his assessment of him mirrors my own. I think he is the best politician around, and I also think that he is a thoroughly decent man. And decency is hard to find among politicians these days. I would love to see Ed Davey becoming our prime minister. But naturally, I am not holding my breath. — © Mark Alexander
U.S. Captures Venezuelan Leader, Trump Says
THE NEW YORK TIMES: President Trump announced that U.S. forces had carried out “a large scale strike against Venezuela” and were flying President Nicolás Maduro and his wife out of the country. The Trump administration had been building pressure on Mr. Maduro for months.
President Trump said on Saturday that the United States had captured the Venezuelan president, Nicolás Maduro, and was flying him out of Venezuela, in what would be a stunning culmination to a monthslong campaign by Mr. Trump’s administration to oust the authoritarian leader.
Mr. Trump made the announcement on Truth Social, his social media platform, and said that the United States had carried out “a large scale strike against Venezuela” in an operation that was conducted “in conjunction with U.S. law enforcement.” He said that Mr. Maduro’s wife had also been captured.
In a brief phone interview with The New York Times after the announcement, Mr. Trump celebrated the success of the mission to capture the Venezuelan president. “A lot of good planning and lot of great, great troops and great people,” he said. “It was a brilliant operation, actually.”
When asked if he had sought congressional authority for the operation or what is next for Venezuela, Mr. Trump said he would address those matters during a news conference at 11 a.m. at Mar-a-Lago, his private club and residence in Palm Beach, Fla.
.
Venezuela’s vice president, Delcy Rodríguez, speaking on a state-run television station after Mr. Trump’s announcement, said that Mr. Maduro’s location was unknown and asked Mr. Trump for proof of life.
Earlier on Saturday, the government of Venezuela accused the United States of carrying out military attacks in the capital, Caracas, and other parts of the country after large explosions were reported at a military base in the city.
The Venezuelan government declared a state of emergency in response to the attacks and said they had occurred in Caracas and in the states of Miranda, Aragua and La Guaira, according to a statement from the Venezuelan communications ministry.
Venezuela “rejects, repudiates and denounces” U.S. military aggression, the statement said. It also called on “on all social and political forces in the country to activate mobilization plans and repudiate this imperialist attack.” Live Updates » | Anatoly Kurmanaev and Tyler Pager | Anatoly Kurmanaev reported from Venezuela, and Tyler Pager from West Palm Beach, Fla. | Saturday, January 3, 2026
President Trump said on Saturday that the United States had captured the Venezuelan president, Nicolás Maduro, and was flying him out of Venezuela, in what would be a stunning culmination to a monthslong campaign by Mr. Trump’s administration to oust the authoritarian leader.
Mr. Trump made the announcement on Truth Social, his social media platform, and said that the United States had carried out “a large scale strike against Venezuela” in an operation that was conducted “in conjunction with U.S. law enforcement.” He said that Mr. Maduro’s wife had also been captured.
In a brief phone interview with The New York Times after the announcement, Mr. Trump celebrated the success of the mission to capture the Venezuelan president. “A lot of good planning and lot of great, great troops and great people,” he said. “It was a brilliant operation, actually.”
When asked if he had sought congressional authority for the operation or what is next for Venezuela, Mr. Trump said he would address those matters during a news conference at 11 a.m. at Mar-a-Lago, his private club and residence in Palm Beach, Fla.
.
Venezuela’s vice president, Delcy Rodríguez, speaking on a state-run television station after Mr. Trump’s announcement, said that Mr. Maduro’s location was unknown and asked Mr. Trump for proof of life.
Earlier on Saturday, the government of Venezuela accused the United States of carrying out military attacks in the capital, Caracas, and other parts of the country after large explosions were reported at a military base in the city.
The Venezuelan government declared a state of emergency in response to the attacks and said they had occurred in Caracas and in the states of Miranda, Aragua and La Guaira, according to a statement from the Venezuelan communications ministry.
Venezuela “rejects, repudiates and denounces” U.S. military aggression, the statement said. It also called on “on all social and political forces in the country to activate mobilization plans and repudiate this imperialist attack.” Live Updates » | Anatoly Kurmanaev and Tyler Pager | Anatoly Kurmanaev reported from Venezuela, and Tyler Pager from West Palm Beach, Fla. | Saturday, January 3, 2026
Friday, January 02, 2026
Trump’s Team ‘Deliberately Vague’ about His Health
Jan 2, 2026 | “He doesn’t hear as well as he used to. His staff says he doesn’t have the same attention span.”
Trump’s team is keep reports around the President’s health “deliberately vague”, says The New York Times’s Steven Erlanger.
Trump’s team is keep reports around the President’s health “deliberately vague”, says The New York Times’s Steven Erlanger.
Swiss Ski Resort Fire: Champagne Sparklers Likely Caused Deadly Tragedy, Officials Say
Iran Officials Warn Trump of Red Line after His Threat to ‘Rescue’ Protesters
THE GUARDIAN: Foreign minister says Iranian military is on standby after US president said he would act if demonstrators were killed
Donald Trump has threatened to intervene in Iran if its government kills demonstrators, prompting warnings from senior Iranian officials that any American interference would cross a “red line”.
In a social media post on Friday, Trump said that if Iran were to shoot and kill protesters, the US would “come to their rescue”. He added: “We are locked and loaded, and ready to go,” without explaining what that might mean in practice.
Protests in Iran are in their sixth day, and are the largest since 2022, when the death in police custody of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini triggered demonstrations across the country. The current unrest was triggered by an unprecedented decline in the value of the national currency on Sunday. The Iranian rial dropped to about 1.4m to the US dollar, further harming an already beleaguered economy.
Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, called Trump’s statement “reckless and dangerous”, and said the country’s military was on standby. He also said the protests had been mostly peaceful, but that attacks on public property would not be tolerated.
“Given President Trump’s deployment of the National Guard within US borders, he of all people should know that criminal attacks on public property cannot be tolerated,” he said. » | William Christou | Friday, January 2, 2026
Donald Trump has threatened to intervene in Iran if its government kills demonstrators, prompting warnings from senior Iranian officials that any American interference would cross a “red line”.
In a social media post on Friday, Trump said that if Iran were to shoot and kill protesters, the US would “come to their rescue”. He added: “We are locked and loaded, and ready to go,” without explaining what that might mean in practice.
Protests in Iran are in their sixth day, and are the largest since 2022, when the death in police custody of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini triggered demonstrations across the country. The current unrest was triggered by an unprecedented decline in the value of the national currency on Sunday. The Iranian rial dropped to about 1.4m to the US dollar, further harming an already beleaguered economy.
Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, called Trump’s statement “reckless and dangerous”, and said the country’s military was on standby. He also said the protests had been mostly peaceful, but that attacks on public property would not be tolerated.
“Given President Trump’s deployment of the National Guard within US borders, he of all people should know that criminal attacks on public property cannot be tolerated,” he said. » | William Christou | Friday, January 2, 2026
Ludwig II of Bavaria and the Photographer in the Service of the King of Beauty and Romance
Um mehr über König Ludwig II. von Bayern (1845 – 1886) und seine Homosexualität und seine Schwäche für Schönheit zu lernen, klicken Sie hier. [Quelle: Google KI]
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)