Carlos José Jijón
@carlosjijon.bsky.social
Reporter.
Keeps a dairy (carlosjijonwrites.tumblr.com).
Keeps a dairy (carlosjijonwrites.tumblr.com).
I think this might be an internet thing where the platforms reward extreme statements. People say crazy things online but in person they're more reasonable or just uninformed. Since they read news on their feeds, they often don't even know what the "other side" cares about.
January 24, 2026 at 1:43 PM
I think this might be an internet thing where the platforms reward extreme statements. People say crazy things online but in person they're more reasonable or just uninformed. Since they read news on their feeds, they often don't even know what the "other side" cares about.
When a president is respectful of democratic institutions, the press jumps at him/her because they want to show how brave and independent they are. When the president is antidemocratic, they're terrified and hide. It creates this weird thing where being open to criticism kind of ruins your image.
January 22, 2026 at 4:19 AM
When a president is respectful of democratic institutions, the press jumps at him/her because they want to show how brave and independent they are. When the president is antidemocratic, they're terrified and hide. It creates this weird thing where being open to criticism kind of ruins your image.
She's giving up a prize because she cares about democracy in Venezuela, not awards or recognition. How can you not see that? How is this different to Starmer or Zelenski praising Trump in public to get support for Ukraine? Serious question.
January 16, 2026 at 5:42 AM
She's giving up a prize because she cares about democracy in Venezuela, not awards or recognition. How can you not see that? How is this different to Starmer or Zelenski praising Trump in public to get support for Ukraine? Serious question.
Yeah if you're familiar with these types of corrupt regimes they manage to trick people for the first few years but then they lose all support and end up in jail. I've seen it Latin America like six different times in my lifetime.
January 16, 2026 at 5:36 AM
Yeah if you're familiar with these types of corrupt regimes they manage to trick people for the first few years but then they lose all support and end up in jail. I've seen it Latin America like six different times in my lifetime.
That's fair. I would say that Trump's comments on Venezuela always go back to drugs/oil/migrants and not sympathy for the opposition which he seems unconcerned with (he was also furious Machado won the Nobel and he didn't), but your point still stands.
January 3, 2026 at 4:44 PM
That's fair. I would say that Trump's comments on Venezuela always go back to drugs/oil/migrants and not sympathy for the opposition which he seems unconcerned with (he was also furious Machado won the Nobel and he didn't), but your point still stands.
If you see her speak publicly she's clearly making an effort to not offend Trump while not endorsing any of his deranged claims, same as Starmer, Macron and other leaders that rely on the Americans. It's an uneasy alliance based on necessity/desperation, not ideological sympathy.
January 3, 2026 at 4:39 PM
If you see her speak publicly she's clearly making an effort to not offend Trump while not endorsing any of his deranged claims, same as Starmer, Macron and other leaders that rely on the Americans. It's an uneasy alliance based on necessity/desperation, not ideological sympathy.
Isn't that an unbeatable purity test? You're not really fighting for freedom unless you cannot benefit from it in any way? What about the other Venezuelan leaders supporting her (Edmundo Gonzalez, Corina Yoris, etc.).
January 3, 2026 at 4:32 PM
Isn't that an unbeatable purity test? You're not really fighting for freedom unless you cannot benefit from it in any way? What about the other Venezuelan leaders supporting her (Edmundo Gonzalez, Corina Yoris, etc.).
Don't you think it's unfair to characterize Machado as fond of Trump. She worked with Biden back when he was president. This is like accusing Zelenski of being a Trump apologist for receiving aid from the US.
January 3, 2026 at 4:13 PM
Don't you think it's unfair to characterize Machado as fond of Trump. She worked with Biden back when he was president. This is like accusing Zelenski of being a Trump apologist for receiving aid from the US.
Reposted by Carlos José Jijón
There are huge risks the US is walking into around Venezuela that could lead to scenarios I outlined below 5 weeks ago
But as with any dictatorship, Maduro's weak internal legitimacy made him and Venezuela vulnerable to external military intervention
bsky.app/profile/aphc...
But as with any dictatorship, Maduro's weak internal legitimacy made him and Venezuela vulnerable to external military intervention
bsky.app/profile/aphc...
Plausible worst case scenario with Venezuela in four steps:
1. Rubio and Venezuelan exiles sell the idea of decapitation strikes against Maduro to Trump as the one big thing that solves Venezuela, cartels and Cuba for the US.
1. Rubio and Venezuelan exiles sell the idea of decapitation strikes against Maduro to Trump as the one big thing that solves Venezuela, cartels and Cuba for the US.
January 3, 2026 at 10:54 AM
There are huge risks the US is walking into around Venezuela that could lead to scenarios I outlined below 5 weeks ago
But as with any dictatorship, Maduro's weak internal legitimacy made him and Venezuela vulnerable to external military intervention
bsky.app/profile/aphc...
But as with any dictatorship, Maduro's weak internal legitimacy made him and Venezuela vulnerable to external military intervention
bsky.app/profile/aphc...
If that were true, don't you think Trump would collaborate with right-wing ethno-nationalists instead of the same opposition forces that the US supported during the Biden years? Also the same presidential candidate that most of Latin America recognizes as legitimate.
December 18, 2025 at 3:18 AM
If that were true, don't you think Trump would collaborate with right-wing ethno-nationalists instead of the same opposition forces that the US supported during the Biden years? Also the same presidential candidate that most of Latin America recognizes as legitimate.
How could it possibly be worse?
December 18, 2025 at 3:04 AM
How could it possibly be worse?
Trump lacks ideological coherence. He can support positive causes if he believes he'll get something in return. He's not the ally I would choose, but these are desperate times and anyone saying the contrary is just obviously not aware of how serious the crisis in Venezuela is.
December 18, 2025 at 12:18 AM
Trump lacks ideological coherence. He can support positive causes if he believes he'll get something in return. He's not the ally I would choose, but these are desperate times and anyone saying the contrary is just obviously not aware of how serious the crisis in Venezuela is.
I guess you're seeing from an American POV. Speaking as a Latin American, it feels more like desperate local actors taking advantage of Trump's hatred of migrants (and the real fact that more democracy would be a net positive for everyone) and hoping it leads to freedom.
December 18, 2025 at 12:12 AM
I guess you're seeing from an American POV. Speaking as a Latin American, it feels more like desperate local actors taking advantage of Trump's hatred of migrants (and the real fact that more democracy would be a net positive for everyone) and hoping it leads to freedom.
Bush and Cheney were liars and manipulators, but the lesson to learn from 2002 is surely not that the US should never ever try to take actual measures against literal tyrants.
December 17, 2025 at 11:55 PM
Bush and Cheney were liars and manipulators, but the lesson to learn from 2002 is surely not that the US should never ever try to take actual measures against literal tyrants.
Trump's main goal is still winning the Nobel Peace Prize, which was given to Maria Corina Machado for promoting democracy in Venezuela. Don't you think what he's really after is the recognition that would come from getting rid of a notably anti-American regime in the region?
December 17, 2025 at 11:12 PM
Trump's main goal is still winning the Nobel Peace Prize, which was given to Maria Corina Machado for promoting democracy in Venezuela. Don't you think what he's really after is the recognition that would come from getting rid of a notably anti-American regime in the region?
Again, I understand the cynicism, but do we really have reasons to believe that is the case? Two of Trump's biggest goals are getting rid of Venezuelan migrants and "fighting" drug trafficking gangs, which could be achieved if Venezuela became a democratic nation.
December 17, 2025 at 11:12 PM
Again, I understand the cynicism, but do we really have reasons to believe that is the case? Two of Trump's biggest goals are getting rid of Venezuelan migrants and "fighting" drug trafficking gangs, which could be achieved if Venezuela became a democratic nation.
I understand the concerns but acting like any effort to restore democracy in the region is doomed to fail is unhelpful and also exactly the type of thinking illiberal actors want to promote. If one good thing can come from the Trump administration, why oppose it so vigorously?
December 17, 2025 at 10:48 PM
I understand the concerns but acting like any effort to restore democracy in the region is doomed to fail is unhelpful and also exactly the type of thinking illiberal actors want to promote. If one good thing can come from the Trump administration, why oppose it so vigorously?
Also, there's a very real possibility that if current efforts to get rid of Maduro fail, the only logical option left for Venezuelas will be an armed uprising, which would be devastating for the region as well. We cannot let our fear of what unreasonable actors might say prevent us from acting.
December 17, 2025 at 10:28 PM
Also, there's a very real possibility that if current efforts to get rid of Maduro fail, the only logical option left for Venezuelas will be an armed uprising, which would be devastating for the region as well. We cannot let our fear of what unreasonable actors might say prevent us from acting.
What's wrong with local opposition asking for foreign support on the basis that the illiberal regime they're opposing is causing harm to the whole continent?
December 17, 2025 at 10:28 PM
What's wrong with local opposition asking for foreign support on the basis that the illiberal regime they're opposing is causing harm to the whole continent?