The Grant Williams Podcast The Hundred Year Pivot Ep. 11 – Brian Winter
25 snips
Jan 15, 2026 
Brian Winter, editor-in-chief of Americas Quarterly and a seasoned journalist on Latin American politics, joins to discuss the shifting political landscape in Venezuela. He offers insights into Maduro's recent extraction, the complexities of Venezuelan power dynamics, and the rightward shift across Latin America. Winter explains how organized crime and economic collapse drive conservative gains, and he warns of potential security and civil liberty trade-offs. He also highlights key future flashpoints, including Colombia and Mexico, as critical areas to watch.
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Writing With Pelé And Presidents
- Brian ghostwrote books for Fernando Henrique Cardoso, Álvaro Uribe, and Pelé, earning trust slowly.
- He found Pelé emotionally intelligent and deeply religious, committed to making people happy.
Daring Operation, Uncertain Outcome
- The Maduro extraction was a daring, unconventional U.S. operation that succeeded but could have gone very wrong.
- Brian Winter warns success so far doesn't guarantee political change inside Venezuela.
No Clean Deal, Real Resistance
- There was real resistance during the operation and about 70 people died, though no U.S. soldiers were killed.
- Some Venezuelan military elements likely communicated with the U.S., but no clear pre-arranged deal is proven.
