That’s a far cry from oil being used to subsidize or enable drug traffickng.
Also, most of the drug profits end up in the pockets of the cartels and military, especially military leaders. One could certainly argue that allowing military leaders lining their pockets with drug money keeps the military happy to be loyal to Maduro and keep him in power, however.
Yes, Venezuela became impoverished thanks to government corruption and mismanagement. Very sad. All the sanctions we’ve placed on Venezuela have had an impact, of course, but the gross mismanagement on the part of the government and corruption are the main culprits (although blaming the sanctions makes for fairly effective domestic PR).
China has been playing empire the smart and profitable way, and yes, making inroads and gaining influence all over, including in Central and South America. We continue to do it the expensive way, which is costing us dearly. Just look at our debt! Between 8 and 12 trillion (depending on the source) was racked up by our wars in Afghanistan and Iran alone.
Throughout history, empires that militarily overextended themselves have come to sad ends, from Rome to to the British Empire to the USSR. It would be interesting to see whether China’s method is more durable — but humans don’t live that long, so I guess I’ll never know.
That is undoubtedly true that the profits end up in the pockets of the leaders. After all, they aren’t cost centers that are defined.
My outlook on this is derived from the specific work of F.A. Hayek “The Road To Serfdom” which argues that socialism cannot work, and is in any form a version of tyranny by definition. (I don’t view the political spectrum as Fascists/Republicans on the right side of the spectrum, and Socialists/Communists on the Left side.
I view the spectrum as no government (anarchy) as the terminus point at one side, and Socialists/Fascists/Communists clustered and somewhat indistinguishable on the opposite side of that same spectrum with total Orwell-like iron fist of government at the terminus of that side.
That is, I see a progression from no government to things like Greek-style “Democracy/Constitutional Republics somewhere in the middle, then socialistic oligarchies/Fascism/Communism all clustered at the other end, and those things can be somewhat indistinguishable in many ways. (In the middle of the 20th Century, Communists and Fascists both recognized the other ideology (Communists vs Fascists) was a fertile ground for new recruits for each of them, because even they understood that they weren’t that different in the end.
That is why I tend to lump Venezuela in with Cuba, China, Russia, et al because even though they are self-described as socialist, anyone who pays attention knows that the Venn diagram of socialism/communism/fascism all share common territory.
And I agree-blaming the sanctions on others is always an effective internal PR tactic. Germany did it quite effectively in the first half of the 20th Century, and Cuba did it quite effectively in the second half...and still doing it.
Where I would part ways with your analysis is any consideration of whether Communist China’s intentionally hybridized form of Communism/Capitalism has long legs or not-in the end, when they have control, the velvet glove of the Capitalist world trade partner will be removed, and Orwell’s “1984” will be the result.
Communist China would do that openly now if they thought they could still manage the “capitalist trade partner and friend to the world of commerce” but they know they have to be patient. They have managed to hollow out the industrial capacity of their enemies to an unprecedented degree, but...they aren’t there yet.
I see that you view this endeavor in Venezuela as an overextension of military force. I see it differently. For example, I see any involvement in Ukraine, any at all, as both a military and political overextension, and part of that is that I still view Ukraine and Russia through a historical prism where Ukraine was sharing the power with Russia in the Soviet Union, and had plenty of Ukrainians in the top levels of industry and government. Neither is part of the now defunct Soviet Union, but I still view this as an internecine fight in which we have zero strategic interest.
I do not see the events in Venezuela in that same light. We DO have a vested interest there, just as we do with respect to the Panama Canal.
With Communist China it may be more durable than the Constitutional Republic of The United States, but I have to throw my lot in with the ideology that values the individual over the collective, so I am compelled to support the one (US) over the other (CCP). My tagline makes my sentiment clear in that respect.