Millennials Are Killing Capitalism The “New” US Assassination Program & the Hybrid War on Venezuela with Joe Emersberger
Sep 30, 2025
In this engaging discussion, Joe Emersberger, a journalist and co-author of "Extraordinary Threat," dives into the U.S. military's recent escalation in Venezuela. He connects the normalization of aerial assassinations to the post-9/11 era and explores how drug war rhetoric has merged with counterterrorism strategies. Joe reveals the troubling history of U.S. interventions, from the 2002 coup to the recent bombing of boats. He also shares insights on leftist movements in Ecuador, the complexities of political betrayal, and the urgent need for reforms to support Global South development.
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Assassination Tactics Migrated From The War On Terror
- Joe Emersberger traces U.S. extrajudicial strikes to the post-9/11 “war on terror” and Obama's drone expansion.
- Trump expanded those tactics into the Americas, normalizing lethal operations like bombing boats off Venezuela.
Drug Narrative Is A Recent Propaganda Shift
- The U.S. frames Venezuela as a narcotics threat only recently, shifting propaganda lines under Trump in 2020.
- Before that, U.S. attacks focused on dictatorial and human-rights narratives, not drug claims.
Two Decades Of Coordinated Anti‑Chavista Propaganda
- Emersberger and Justin Podur documented two decades of coordinated propaganda from U.S. institutions and NGOs against Chavismo.
- Western media, State Department and major human-rights NGOs consistently framed Chávez and Maduro as dictators.
