Multipolarity The Day After The Revolution: Venezuela’s Coming Chaos
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Jan 8, 2026 This discussion dives headfirst into the recent U.S. kidnapping of Nicolás Maduro, exposing the chaos and geopolitical shifts in play. The hosts explore criticisms of intervention and the risky balancing act of regime change, questioning the motives centered around oil and U.S. dominance. They highlight the potential backlash from coercive policies and the elusive search for a credible alternative to Maduro. The episode wraps with crucial implications for U.S. standing in the region and the complicated dynamics involving China and Russia.
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U.S. Kidnapping Signals A New Bold Move
- The U.S. kidnapped Venezuela's mostly recognized head of state, Nicolás Maduro, and flew him to New York for trial.
- This action signals a bold shift in U.S. behavior toward direct coercion in its hemisphere.
Aggression Often Strengthens The Target
- Philip Pilkington warns that aggressive interventions usually provoke popular backlash and rally support for targeted leaders.
- He argues that forceful meddling often strengthens the very regimes it aims to weaken.
You Can't Get Half Pregnant In Regime Change
- Half-measures in regime change risk either a return to equilibrium or full-scale chaos and civil war.
- Pilkington says you either fully replace a regime or you destabilize a country with grave regional spillovers.