West Side Rob
@westsiderob.bsky.social
Gen-X veteran, entrepreneur, intelligence professional, and writer
📍 New York City
🎓 University of Parris Island
—
Blue Independent & LGBT Ally.
Pro-American Dream. Anti-Broligarchy
Allergic to intellectual dishonesty, hypocrisy, & all forms of bigotry.
📍 New York City
🎓 University of Parris Island
—
Blue Independent & LGBT Ally.
Pro-American Dream. Anti-Broligarchy
Allergic to intellectual dishonesty, hypocrisy, & all forms of bigotry.
All this talk about d-pad arrows and video game cheat codes is making me nostalgic IYKYK
September 12, 2025 at 8:32 PM
All this talk about d-pad arrows and video game cheat codes is making me nostalgic IYKYK
The vilification of (human) rights activists continues—and no details on what the agents were wearing or how the stop was carried out.
September 12, 2025 at 6:06 PM
The vilification of (human) rights activists continues—and no details on what the agents were wearing or how the stop was carried out.
Increasing bad, even.
September 12, 2025 at 3:56 PM
Increasing bad, even.
September 12, 2025 at 3:56 PM
Next image or no? /s
September 11, 2025 at 5:13 PM
Next image or no? /s
Yeah, about that.
September 11, 2025 at 4:49 PM
Yeah, about that.
FBI just dropped person of interest photos.
September 11, 2025 at 4:14 PM
FBI just dropped person of interest photos.
Just gonna keep beating this drum. B/c if true, everyone involved should be under oath and sitting in front of a microphone.
September 11, 2025 at 12:09 AM
Just gonna keep beating this drum. B/c if true, everyone involved should be under oath and sitting in front of a microphone.
Crazy world we live in that I'm still not sure if I should take this as confirmation, but nevertheless...
September 10, 2025 at 8:47 PM
Crazy world we live in that I'm still not sure if I should take this as confirmation, but nevertheless...
Highly encourage folks to read up on [hors de combat] in light of this reporting. Just stacking crimes on top of crimes at this point.
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hors_de...
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hors_de...
September 10, 2025 at 3:47 PM
Highly encourage folks to read up on [hors de combat] in light of this reporting. Just stacking crimes on top of crimes at this point.
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hors_de...
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hors_de...
Can we not. Plate’s full.
September 10, 2025 at 4:44 AM
Can we not. Plate’s full.
Meh, looks like we were able to afford a little democracy just fine.
September 10, 2025 at 2:10 AM
Meh, looks like we were able to afford a little democracy just fine.
There was no threat, no big fish on the hook, or massive load racing to the US. We murdered 11 people for the same crime Ross Ulbrecht was just pardoned for—and most of them were just young men grabbing the only work available to them.
As a nation and as a military, we should be ashamed. /end
As a nation and as a military, we should be ashamed. /end
September 10, 2025 at 1:44 AM
There was no threat, no big fish on the hook, or massive load racing to the US. We murdered 11 people for the same crime Ross Ulbrecht was just pardoned for—and most of them were just young men grabbing the only work available to them.
As a nation and as a military, we should be ashamed. /end
As a nation and as a military, we should be ashamed. /end
Only 1 of the 8 has been publicly alleged to have a direct tie to criminal gangs—“El Gato” the alleged son of the boat’s owner, a local San Juan de Unare strongman. 13/x
September 10, 2025 at 1:44 AM
Only 1 of the 8 has been publicly alleged to have a direct tie to criminal gangs—“El Gato” the alleged son of the boat’s owner, a local San Juan de Unare strongman. 13/x
So far we’ve established no threat to the “homeland” and no international waters. But what about the vicious “narco-terrorists” we keep hearing about? Well, of the 11 pax on the boat, 8 are reported to be from San Juan de Unare and are most likely fishermen by trade w/ limited options for work. 12/x
September 10, 2025 at 1:44 AM
So far we’ve established no threat to the “homeland” and no international waters. But what about the vicious “narco-terrorists” we keep hearing about? Well, of the 11 pax on the boat, 8 are reported to be from San Juan de Unare and are most likely fishermen by trade w/ limited options for work. 12/x
Best estimate--and factoring the recent joint US-Trinidadian exercises, as well as the Trinidadian PM’s post-strike comments--I believe the strike occurred in Trinidadian waters, just outside the Venezuelan EEZ (reporting suggests "6mi off the VZ coast"). So again, not international waters. 11/x
September 10, 2025 at 1:44 AM
Best estimate--and factoring the recent joint US-Trinidadian exercises, as well as the Trinidadian PM’s post-strike comments--I believe the strike occurred in Trinidadian waters, just outside the Venezuelan EEZ (reporting suggests "6mi off the VZ coast"). So again, not international waters. 11/x
The White House claimed the strike occurred in international waters, but with this craft & its load, it would be next to impossible—the nearest legally defined international waters are 275 mi east of T&T in the Atlantic. But pay attention to this line in the WH notification to congress. 10/x
September 10, 2025 at 1:44 AM
The White House claimed the strike occurred in international waters, but with this craft & its load, it would be next to impossible—the nearest legally defined international waters are 275 mi east of T&T in the Atlantic. But pay attention to this line in the WH notification to congress. 10/x
Between the size of the craft, weight of the load, & number of outboards (4), it would’ve required well over 500 gal of fuel to make the approx. 75-100mi trip to T&T and back. Factoring the weight of the 11 pax, fuel, and sizable drug load, it would’ve only been cruising at ~35-40 knots. 8/x
September 10, 2025 at 1:44 AM
Between the size of the craft, weight of the load, & number of outboards (4), it would’ve required well over 500 gal of fuel to make the approx. 75-100mi trip to T&T and back. Factoring the weight of the 11 pax, fuel, and sizable drug load, it would’ve only been cruising at ~35-40 knots. 8/x
Details vary on timing, but the peñero is believed to have been the last in a 3-boat smuggling run—the first 2 either test loads or decoys to survey the route. After the first 2 made it to T&T without issue, the shipment’s owner gave the green light for the 3rd, heavier load. 7/x
(pic for example)
(pic for example)
September 10, 2025 at 1:44 AM
Details vary on timing, but the peñero is believed to have been the last in a 3-boat smuggling run—the first 2 either test loads or decoys to survey the route. After the first 2 made it to T&T without issue, the shipment’s owner gave the green light for the 3rd, heavier load. 7/x
(pic for example)
(pic for example)
Late Monday night (9/1) in a small village on the NE coast of Venezuela, 11 men boarded a 40ft peñero-style boat bound for Trinidad & Tobago. San Juan de Unare used to be known for its fishing & tourism, but it has long since succumbed to the dismal economic & security conditions in the country. 6/x
September 10, 2025 at 1:44 AM
Late Monday night (9/1) in a small village on the NE coast of Venezuela, 11 men boarded a 40ft peñero-style boat bound for Trinidad & Tobago. San Juan de Unare used to be known for its fishing & tourism, but it has long since succumbed to the dismal economic & security conditions in the country. 6/x
Sebastiana Barraez - an investigative journalist specializing in military affairs who writes for Punto de Corte and Infobae, and has been targeted by the Venezuelan government for her reporting. 5/x
September 10, 2025 at 1:44 AM
Sebastiana Barraez - an investigative journalist specializing in military affairs who writes for Punto de Corte and Infobae, and has been targeted by the Venezuelan government for her reporting. 5/x
Ronna Risquez - an investigative journalist known for her work at El Nacional and Runrunes, where she founded the data journalism platform Monitor de Víctimas. She contributed to the Panama Papers investigation and in 2023 published the book El Tren de Aragua. 4/x
September 10, 2025 at 1:44 AM
Ronna Risquez - an investigative journalist known for her work at El Nacional and Runrunes, where she founded the data journalism platform Monitor de Víctimas. She contributed to the Panama Papers investigation and in 2023 published the book El Tren de Aragua. 4/x
Cesar Batiz - an investigative journalist and director of El Pitazo, which he co-founded in 2014 to provide independent journalism to underserved communities, and has been recognized for courageous work under censorship & authoritarian pressure. 3/x
September 10, 2025 at 1:44 AM
Cesar Batiz - an investigative journalist and director of El Pitazo, which he co-founded in 2014 to provide independent journalism to underserved communities, and has been recognized for courageous work under censorship & authoritarian pressure. 3/x
If, like me, you were appalled by the Caribbean strike last week, this lengthy 🧵 is for you. If you were *further* appalled by a lack of any real information or justification coming from our government, then it's especially for you. 1/x
September 10, 2025 at 1:44 AM
If, like me, you were appalled by the Caribbean strike last week, this lengthy 🧵 is for you. If you were *further* appalled by a lack of any real information or justification coming from our government, then it's especially for you. 1/x