# TLPP: Escaping the Bernie Sandtrap w/ Germania Rodriguez Poleo

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/lions-of-liberty-network-169417/tlpp-escaping-the-bernie-sandtrap-w-germania-rodriguez-poleo
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/lions-of-liberty-network-169417/tlpp-escaping-the-bernie-sandtrap-w-germania-rodriguez-poleo.md
Podcast: [Lions of Liberty Network](https://stenobird.com/podcast/lions-of-liberty-network-169417)
Published: 2026-07-07T17:02:00+00:00
Episode link: https://traffic.megaphone.fm/ENTSL6164926099.mp3
Audio file: https://traffic.megaphone.fm/ENTSL6164926099.mp3
Processing state: not_requested
JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/lions-of-liberty-network-169417/episodes/tlpp-escaping-the-bernie-sandtrap-w-germania-rodriguez-poleo
Duration seconds: 3771

## Resource

Germania Rodriguez Poleo — journalist, writer, and Venezuelan exile — escaped her country at age 11 after the Chavez regime accused her mother of terrorism, tortured their bodyguard to death, shot at their car, and raided their home. She arrived in Miami as a refugee. Then she went to NYU and voted for Bernie Sanders in the primary. Her Reason magazine article "My Family Fled Socialism. Then I Voted for Bernie Sanders." tells the story of how that happened — and how she found her way back out. She's also the narrator of the documentary Escaping Venezuela. We covered: her mother's escape on a boat to Curacao and what Interpol red notices actually do to dissidents; the Pinochet whataboutism that follows every conversation about left-wing atrocities; what NYU taught (and didn't teach) about communism, socialism, and US foreign policy; why the pipeline from wealth and privilege to socialism is real and why it matters who makes the culture; the DSA's old platform calling for nationalization of media — and what that looks like in practice in Venezuela; the 32 Cuban soldiers killed protecting Maduro when the US captured him; the 2024 Venezuelan election that was stolen in plain sight; the recent earthquake with 40,000 missing while the dictatorship reports 3,000 dead; why she believes the US should be the policeman of the world; and the tragedy of exile — what it means to have your entire family legacy erased. Follow Germania on social media → @iamGermania TIMESTAMPS: 0:00 — Intro — who is Germania Rodriguez Poleo? 0:31 — The Reason article: "My Family Fled Socialism. Then I Voted for Bernie Sanders" 1:43 — Her mom: the #1 journalist exposing Chavez — accused of terrorism 3:30 — House raids, shot at their car, bodyguard tortured to death 4:59 — How democracy is lost — and why…

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## Transcript

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