Episode
Venezuela Edition – "What the heck's going on down there?"
- Podcast
- Breaking Battlegrounds
- Published
- Jan 8, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 3660
- Processing state
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Summary
On today's special, we turn our full attention to Venezuela, exploring the need for intervention with four guests who offer varied firsthand experiences and perspectives on the country and President Trump's role. Our first guest is Santiago Vidal Calvo, a cities policy analyst focused on government accountability and transparency through the Manhattan Institute's Freedom of Information Law initiatives. Born in Caracas, Venezuela, Vidal Calvo immigrated to the United States in 2021. He explains why President Trump's actions were lawful under Article II of the U.S. Constitution and justified by national security concerns, noting that more than a century of precedent supports the president's authority to act in this manner. He also challenges claims of international law violations, questioning who defines and enforces international law—and where those protections were during the 27 years Venezuelans were killed, tortured, and kidnapped. Next we speak with Carrie Filipetti who currently serves as Executive Director of the Vandenberg Coalition. Previously, she held senior roles at the U.S. Department of State, including Deputy Assistant Secretary for Cuba and Venezuela in the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs and Deputy Special Representative for Venezuela—earning a Superior Honor Award for her service. Venezuela's collapse is a stark riches-to-rags story: once the wealthiest nation in Latin America, its decline began with the rise of socialism. In just the past few years, roughly 25 percent of the population has been forced to flee. Families have been torn apart, torture and human rights abuses are widespread, and nearly every Venezuelan has been affected—fueling strong domestic support for what is unfolding now. Carrie also examines what this moment means for Cuba, and…