The Fifth Column #524 - BTW, Venezuela is a Dictatorial Commie Narcostate (w/ Thor Halvorssen)
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Sep 18, 2025 Thor Halvorsson, founder of the Human Rights Foundation and Venezuelan activist whose mother was shot during protests, shares his insights on Venezuela's troubling transformation into a narco-state under Hugo Chavez. He delves into the complexities of US responses to corruption and drug trafficking, questioning the effectiveness of international interventions. Halvorsson also highlights the Venezuelan exodus, the risks dissidents face, and the failures of the UN's approach to human rights, painting a stark picture of resilience in the midst of chaos.
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Chavez Engineered Military Capture
- Chavez built the cartel by co-opting and corrupting the armed forces and removing institutional opposition.
- He promoted loyal but incompetent officers who then tied military power to regime survival.
State-Controlled Production Hides Drug Trade
- When the state runs counter-narcotics, drug production can flourish unseen inside official structures.
- Thor points to PDVSA and state facilities as covert storage/production hubs for drugs.
Make Staying In Power Costly
- Raise the cost of regime survival to force negotiation by making staying in power more painful than stepping down.
- Use targeted pressure on cartel-linked military leaders to create fractures within the regime.
