Posted on 12/07/2023 3:44:46 AM PST by srmanuel
A number of us on FreeRepublic have been talking about this situation recently as something to keep your eye on. It appears Venezuela and Maduro are serious about annexing a large portion of Guyana, the territory is home to huge oil deposits. Haven't seen much if anything in the MSM about this new conflict, which could cause a spike in oil prices and send a huge number of refugees toward our open border.
Doesn’t Veneuela have enough oil? Why have their exports plummeted since Chavez took power?
Of all media outlets, here is a report from Al Jazeera on the US throwing their full support behind Guyana.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/12/7/us-throws-weight-behind-guyana-in-territorial-dispute
Look at who is backing Venezuela and their potential need for cheap oil.
The allies of Venezuela are China, Russia, and Iran.
Guyana oil is described as ‘sweet/light’....different grade from what Venezuela has. Also, this Guyana plus-up includes natural gas.
Anyone’s belief that Brazil would come to defend Guyana as a ‘friend’...might be reading off the wrong page. They’d be acting on the part of some Brazilian fuel company recommendations.
Right, it’s not just a small province, it’s basically a takeover of the whole country.
“Haven’t seen much if anything in the MSM about this new conflict,...”
Unless and until it benefits democrats, you won’t...
Comes 6 weeks after Biden incompetents lift sanctions on Venezuelan oil …part of the deal is they supply us
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/oct/16/venezuela-us-sanctions-deal-elections
From 2022 Rooters cannot be linked
U.S. ties easing of Venezuela sanctions to direct oil supply
By Marianna Parraga and Matt Spetalnick
March 9, 20225:00 AM ESTUpdated 2 years ago
Venezuela held a referendum to make this move ( hmmm, where have we seen referendums lead to annexation?)
So Is the incompetent Biden-Sullivan-Blinken trifecta going to treat Maduro like Putin and Venezuela like Russia?
6 weeks after they lifted sanctions on him in return for a promise of democratic elections….and oil for us, as a sweetener.
Dont know whether to smh or lol.
Venezuela has onshore oil of low quality. It needs to be mixed with lighter oils for most refineries. Essequibo offshore oil is high grade oil.
Maduro doesn’t have the resources to extract Guyana’s offshore oil so he would lease it out and take a cut of production. It’s more profitable when the leases are owned/claimed.
This is how socialism builds wealth -by stealing. If you can grab it and defend it it’s yours.
Monroe doctrine. We should stop meddling in European affairs and pay attention to what’s happening in our own hemisphere. Hell, we should maybe secure our own damned border!
Does that mean they would act as mercs in exchange for drilling rights from Guyana? I would love to see Brazil's army unleashed on Maduro, but admit I am not up on Brazilian military's strength.
Brazil vs. Venezuela at War: Air Superiority and the Struggle for South American Primacy
American weakness = a more dangerous world
Send US troops to Guyana. It doesn’t have to be many. Dare Maduro to invade.
This time unlike Africa or Ukraine or Syria, it actually would be in America’s national interest.
Georgetown. Did they admire Washington?
Send troops and dare them to invade? Might work. Wouldn’t need to under Trump.
Where is the OAS under this?
Bush ‘41 would have gathered them together and send contingents to show solidarity. We’d find who therinos are amongst them. Would Javier Melei join in? He could lead from behind on this one. If Trump’s in charge we get the oil. Maduro needs to be cut down a notch in a way that embarrasses them.
What Brazil claims is a active force of 213k troops and maybe a million in reserves.
I’d give them plus-grades on helicopter support, and they do have a special operations command (mostly known for anti-drug operations). They have over 400 M-60 tanks, although the value in this jungle setting would be a question-mark.
They have spent some money and maintained an appearance. I don’t think Venezuela can say that for their military. On Brazil’s appearance....I doubt if you can find anyone who denies they have a pretty corrupted political and industrial complex. It would be ill-advised for the US to pick sides on this matter.
The Monroe Doctrine did a huge belly flop under obama.
Russia, China, now Iran….all have inroads into trade and military cooperation in South America.
Russian-Venezuelan strategic ties go back over a decade
https://www.russia-briefing.com/news/russia-and-venezuela-the-2023-24-trade-and-investment-dynamics.html/
“ In 2010, Chavez signed a deal to build Venezuela’s first nuclear power plant and bought US$1.6 billion worth of oil assets during his visit to Russia. By 2011, Venezuela had become the top customer for Russia’s arms for ground forces with Venezuela buying more than US$4 billion worth of military equipment from Russia.
The death of Hugo Chávez in 2013 introduced new dynamics into the Russia-Venezuela relationship. Despite international controversies surrounding Maduro’s election, Russia continued its support, which included Russia’s veto of a United Nations Security Council resolution calling for new presidential elections in Venezuela in 2019 and Maduro’s support for Russia as concerns the Ukraine conflict.
The geopolitical implications of this partnership are profound. Russia’s engagement with Venezuela is part of its broader strategy to establish a multipolar world order and challenge Western dominance. Both nations, through their alliance, advocate for a global landscape where power is more diffusely distributed, reflecting their shared goals, economic interests, and political ideologies.”
“ In the oil sector Venezuela, home to the world’s largest proven oil reserves, has partnered with Russia for both the development of oil production as well as refining. This partnership is crucial given the heavy nature of Venezuelan crude oil, which requires specialized processing. Joint ventures which have been established to enhance oil production and refining operations underline the energy sector’s significance in bilateral trade.”
And theres China, Maduro has sought Chinese support to join BRICS
Now that Lula is running Brazil, look at who the common allies of Maduro and Lula are, Russia, China, and Iran.
Brazil will do nothing to step in, in fact they would probably help and want a piece of the action of all the oil in Guyana.
Like someone else said in this thread, socialism acquires wealth by stealing, Maduro and Lula are one in the same.
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