Larry C. Johnson: Maduro’s Kidnapping Could Trigger a Massive US Backlash
Quick Read
Summary
Takeaways
- ❖The public narrative of Maduro's capture is false; it was an elaborate deal, possibly involving Qatar, with Maduro appearing cooperative in photos.
- ❖The operation was executed by Delta Force and Task Force 160, with 32+ Cuban guards killed, but no Venezuelan air defense opposition, similar to the Bin Laden raid.
- ❖The primary motive for seizing Venezuelan oil is to secure an alternative supply in anticipation of Iran shutting down the Persian Gulf during a planned Israeli/US attack.
- ❖The US indictment against Maduro for drug trafficking lacks specific evidence and is primarily a political document.
- ❖Trump's administration is pursuing regime change in Venezuela despite his past criticisms of such policies, exhibiting a 'Hollywood mentality' of creating villains.
- ❖The US misinterprets the Monroe Doctrine to justify controlling Latin American countries' foreign relations, particularly targeting Brazil's ties with China and Russia.
- ❖Recent protests in Iran are viewed as potentially orchestrated by foreign influences (e.g., MEK, a former US-designated terrorist group turned CIA asset) to create a narrative for intervention.
- ❖Europe is in a state of decline, losing its leadership in industry, science, and military power, becoming largely irrelevant in global economic and geopolitical affairs.
- ❖Russia and China perceive US actions as clinically insane and destructive, leading to a fundamental shift in their approach to US relations and a potential confrontation.
Insights
1Maduro's Capture: A Staged Oil Grab for Iran Conflict
Larry C. Johnson asserts that the 'kidnapping' of Venezuelan President Maduro was an elaborate, pre-negotiated deal, not a hostile military operation. He suggests Qatar played a go-between role, and Maduro's seemingly calm demeanor in post-capture photos supports this. The true objective is US control over Venezuela's oil, anticipating that Iran will shut down the Persian Gulf in response to an impending Israeli attack, supported by the US. This ensures an alternative oil supply for the US and its allies.
Maduro's smiling photos post-capture; lack of Venezuelan air defense response to US helicopters; the new acting president, Deli Rodriguez, having ties to Qatar and being the former oil minister; the timing coinciding with discussions of an Iran attack.
2Politically Motivated Indictment Against Maduro
Johnson argues that the US indictment against Maduro, accusing him of drug trafficking with the Sinaloa cartel and FARC, is a political document rather than a litany of specific crimes. He notes the indictment lacks concrete details like dates, locations, and specific actions, relying instead on 'guilt by association.'
The indictment's lack of specific details (e.g., 'on December 15th, Maduro met with X at Y location to discuss Z'); the implausibility of the Sinaloa cartel traveling to Venezuela for drug imports.
3US Foreign Policy: Hypocrisy and 'Little Brown People Approach'
Despite past criticisms of regime change, the Trump administration is now actively pursuing it in Venezuela. Johnson highlights a historical 'attitude of superiority' within the CIA towards Latin American countries, which he terms the 'little brown people approach,' leading to patronizing and often manipulated interventions.
Trump's past statements against regime change contrasted with current actions; historical CIA operations in Central America (e.g., against Sandinistas) led by officers with Middle East backgrounds and an 'attitude of superiority.'
4Monroe Doctrine Misinterpretation and Global Financial Dominance
The US is misinterpreting the original Monroe Doctrine (which advocated non-interference in existing European colonies unless they declared independence) to justify controlling which foreign countries Latin American nations can associate with. This is part of a broader effort to preserve the US-dominated financial system against the rise of BRICS and other alternative economic blocs.
Monroe's 1823 address focused on restricting European colonial powers; current US policy targets Brazil's relationships with China and Russia through BRICS; the US desire to retain control over international finance.
5Integrated Strategy: Venezuela, Iran, and Russia
Johnson posits that US actions in Venezuela, the alleged orchestration of protests in Iran, and attempts on Russian leadership (like the failed attempt to kill Putin and target nuclear command centers) are not isolated incidents but an 'integrated strategy.' This strategy aims to retain US dominant position in the world, particularly in international finance, by destabilizing adversaries and securing resources.
The timing of Maduro's capture, protests in Iran, and Netanyahu's meeting with Trump; the alleged use of MEK as a CIA asset to destabilize Iran; the third reported CIA targeting of Russia's strategic nuclear force elements.
Bottom Line
The US military operation to 'kidnap' Maduro was conducted under a full moon, which is 'extraordinarily risky' for special operations forces who typically prefer no moonlight for night vision advantage. This suggests the operation was either highly confident in its pre-negotiated success or deliberately designed to appear more daring than it was.
This detail reinforces the argument that the operation was staged or pre-arranged, minimizing actual risk despite the seemingly dangerous conditions. It implies a deeper level of coordination and control than publicly acknowledged.
Analysts should scrutinize the operational details of similar high-profile 'surgical strikes' for anomalies that might indicate pre-negotiated outcomes or covert agreements, rather than accepting official narratives at face value.
The US is seen by Russia and China as 'clinically insane' and driven by a destructive agenda, leading to a fundamental shift in their approach to dealing with the US. This perception is fueled by actions like alleged assassination attempts on Putin and targeting Russian nuclear command centers.
This perception significantly increases the risk of direct confrontation, as Russia and China may no longer attempt to avoid conflict but instead prepare for it, seeing the US as an irrational actor.
Policymakers and international relations experts should re-evaluate the impact of aggressive US foreign policy on the strategic calculus of major powers, considering that such actions may be accelerating, rather than deterring, a multi-polar world order and potential conflict.
Key Concepts
Hollywood Mentality of Foreign Affairs
The tendency of US foreign policy to simplify complex geopolitical situations by creating clear 'villains' (e.g., Maduro, Putin) to justify military intervention and regime change, often without achieving long-term stability or positive outcomes.
Sacrificial Lamb Strategy
The concept that certain leaders or nations are targeted and removed not for their inherent 'evil' but as a strategic pawn in a larger geopolitical game, serving as a 'sacrificial lamb' to achieve broader objectives like resource control or maintaining financial dominance.
Integrated Global Strategy
The idea that seemingly disparate international events (e.g., actions in Venezuela, protests in Iran, attempts on Russian leadership) are not isolated incidents but components of a single, coordinated, albeit shortsighted, geopolitical strategy by a dominant power.
Lessons
- Question official narratives surrounding international incidents, especially those involving regime change or resource control, looking for evidence of pre-negotiated deals or hidden agendas.
- Monitor the global energy market and geopolitical developments in Venezuela and the Persian Gulf for signs of an impending conflict or significant shifts in oil supply chains.
- Analyze the rhetoric and actions of major global powers (US, Russia, China, BRICS) to identify patterns of an 'integrated strategy' rather than viewing events in isolation.
Quotes
"The story we're being told publicly is not what actually happened. Um what we what we know for certain is that Maduro is in custody. He's he was kidnapped but apparently there was a very elaborate deal negotiated with uh that involved Qatar playing a sort of a go-between."
"This is a play by the United States to get control of the oil in Venezuela. And then that brings the question, why? Uh, this isn't just for the US economic uh, situation. uh this is a you know I believe it's a prelude to an attack on Iran."
"The problem with that indictment is it doesn't have specifics. So, you know, I've been involved with writing indictments or criminal complaints or complaints against uh, you know, money launderers. And so one of the things you'd put in there are details... You don't have that in this indictment. you have what I call guilt by association."
"This was all about restricting and limiting uh the influence of European colonial powers in the western hemisphere. Uh and and it was specifically Monroe laid out non-inference. The United States was not going to interfere."
"I think this is part of an integrated strategy uh albeit shortsighted uh to uh put put Russia on notice, put China on notice uh to where the United States is trying to retain its dominant position in in the world of international finance."
Q&A
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