Coffee and a Mike

Paul Craig Roberts and Gary Heavin #1283

Jan 6, 2026
Economist Paul Craig Roberts, a former Treasury official, teams up with entrepreneur Gary Heavin, founder of Curves International, to tackle the big questions of U.S. foreign policy. They dive into U.S. interventions in Venezuela, critiquing motives behind oil and drug trade narratives. Gary argues Trump's actions mirror a new Monroe Doctrine, while Paul warns of elite exploitation post-intervention. The conversation also touches on Cuba's economic fragility, historical U.S. meddling, and the failures of U.S. border policies, all urging critical thinking in a complex world.
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INSIGHT

Venezuela As Geopolitical Cover

  • The Venezuela operation reads as a Pentagon-orchestrated move to eject Russian, Chinese, and Iranian influence from the Western Hemisphere.
  • Gary Heavin highlights oil as a palatable cover story to sell intervention to Trump's base.
INSIGHT

Historical Pattern Of Resource Extraction

  • Paul Craig Roberts rejects the official narrative and condemns stealing Venezuelan assets as a stain on Americans.
  • He stresses historic U.S. patterns of extracting resources from Latin America as continuity, not novelty.
INSIGHT

Regime Change Risks Escalation

  • Trump openly declared intent toward regime change in Cuba, Colombia, and Mexico, signaling aggressive hemispheric policy.
  • Roberts warns such moves risk direct conflict with Russia, China, and Iran and could have grave consequences.
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