The walls are closing in on Venezuela's socialist dictator Nicolás Maduro as his longtime ally Vladimir Putin appears to be abandoning the crumbling regime just as internal civil war threatens to tear the country apart.
For decades, Maduro's brutal Chavista government has terrorized its own people while engaging in narco-terrorism and threatening American interests, all while counting on Russia's backing to keep his illegitimate regime afloat. But now, as opposition forces gain momentum and the Venezuelan people rise up against decades of socialist oppression, Putin is nowhere to be found.
This stunning development comes at a critical moment for the Americas, as President Trump's second-term foreign policy doctrine of "America First" appears to be reshaping global power dynamics. Unlike the weak Biden administration that allowed dictators to run wild across Latin America, Trump's strong leadership is forcing bad actors to recalculate their strategies.
Socialist Paradise Collapses
Venezuela's economic catastrophe serves as yet another damning indictment of socialist policies. What was once one of South America's wealthiest nations has been reduced to a failed state under Maduro's Marxist rule, with millions of Venezuelans fleeing the country to escape poverty, violence, and political persecution.
The brewing civil war represents the Venezuelan people's final rejection of the socialist nightmare that has destroyed their homeland. And with Russia apparently cutting its losses, Maduro's days may finally be numbered.
"This is what happens when America shows strength on the world stage - our enemies' allies start abandoning them," said one foreign policy expert.
The implications for American national security are enormous. A free Venezuela would eliminate a major source of narco-terrorism in our hemisphere and remove a key staging ground for anti-American activities just miles from our shores.
As Trump continues to restore American strength and leadership globally, dictators like Maduro are finding themselves increasingly isolated. The question now is whether the Venezuelan people can finally throw off the chains of socialism once and for all.