Why Rebuilding PDVSA Is Hard

On this episode of Always at War, Courtney and Alex are joined by Lee Schlenker, research associate with the Global South program at the Quincy Institute, to unpack the fallout from the Trump administration’s attack on Venezuela and kidnapping of Nicolás Maduro — what it means for Venezuelans, for Trump's foreign policy, and for Americans who are sick and tired of paying for these endless military adventures all over the world. 

First, they discuss the mechanics of military escalation and why the administration chose a violent raid over ongoing diplomatic channels. 

Next, they examine the pretexts used to justify the intervention—from fabricated claims about fentanyl production to good old-fashioned anti-communism. They dive into the history of Venezuelan oil nationalization and explain why the U.S. foreign policy establishment remains obsessed with a "trillion-dollar" windfall, even if it comes at the expense of regional stability and Venezuelan sovereignty.

Finally, the group looks toward what's next for Venezuelans and what this intervention tells us about the administration's broader plans in Latin America, analyzing why the administration’s "kinetic" success in Venezuela might not be so easily replicated 90 miles off the coast of Florida. 

00:00 - Introduction 
03:58 - Introducing Lee! 
10:04 - Why the U.S. kept the Maduro government but kidnapped Maduro
15:28 - Extraction vs. Democracy
25:15 - Debunking the pretexts for war, from "Narco-terrorism" to the battle for hearts and minds 
35:44 - The Oil War: A history of Chevron, Exxon, and the fight for profits. 51:08 - How is this being received in Venezuela? 
1:08:28 - Lee on why the US is Always at War 

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Why is America seemingly always at war? Join the Quincy Institute’s Courtney Rawlings and Alex Jordan as they expose the monied interests, outdated ideologies, and entrenched powers that have driven the U.S. to wage nearly 400 wars and interventions. 

They’ll be joined by journalists, advocates, and experts to uncover who profits from America’s endless conflicts, and to imagine how we can build a better, more peaceful U.S. foreign policy.

Learn more about the Quincy Institute: quincyinst.org
Contact the show: alwaysatwar@quincyinst.org

Show art by Justin Hantz

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