WITH Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro in U.S. custody, socialists, leftists and most Democrats are predictably outraged. Their reflexive opposition to the President of the United States has fueled wild-eyed claims of violating international law and accusations of an imperialistic grab. Already, well-organized socialists are demonstrating, waving their signs and chanting their slogans.
Right on cue, New Hampshire’s likely Democratic U.S. Senate candidate, Rep. Chris Pappas, is joining in, accusing President Donald Trump of setting a “dangerous precedent.”
Sadly, a quick listen to the rhetoric of anti-Trump forces at home mirrors hostile foreign actors like Russia, China, Iran and Cuba.
It’s unfortunate that an obsessive and unrelenting focus on our president colors the views of so many, especially regarding a situation as nuanced as Venezuela.
The facts are clear: Maduro is not only an evil dictator, but a wanted criminal. Facing serious drug trafficking charges, the first Trump administration put a $15 million bounty on Maduro, a number later increased to $25 million by President Joe Biden.
Unlike Biden, President Trump took further action. The Maduro snatch-and-grab was a legitimate law enforcement action. No U.S. boots remain on Venezuelan soil. In an unscripted moment, President Trump said we would “run” Venezuela until things there were straightened out, a point seized on by his critics, who ignore Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s frequent explanation: Venezuela does not need us to run the country. They just need to get their best people back to reestablish their successful democracy.
Contrast the response of Democrats to those of exiled Venezuelans. During the quarter century of socialist regimes of Maduro and Hugo Chavez before him, an estimated 8 million people, or 25% of that nation’s population, fled. Many were educated professionals, exactly the people a modern nation needs to flourish.
South Florida is home to the largest Venezuelan community in our country. Many of these people are literally dancing in the streets. The Nobel Peace Prize winner and Venezuelan opposition leader, Maria Corina Machado, has thanked President Trump and predicted these loyal and productive citizens can return home to rebuild their nation.
Other opponents of the plan cite the role of oil, another claim undermined by the facts. The United States is the largest oil and gas producer in the world. Our industry is cutting edge and highly efficient after years of technological innovation and high-quality management. Simply stated, we don’t need to steal their oil; thanks to the Trump administration, we can now produce our own.
Yes, Venezuela has the largest proven oil reserves in the world. But decades of socialist mismanagement have taken a terrible toll. This treasure was tragically exploited, the regime stole much of the critical infrastructure while skilled engineers, technicians and managers were forced out. Now it’s in a terrible state of disrepair, equipment rusting away while the money propped up a corrupt regime.
Since the turn of the century, Venezuelan oil output fell by close to 80%. Energy experts estimate it will cost at least $100 billion to rebuild the industry. No one is eager to invest that kind of public money, which is where America’s private sector industry leaders enter the picture. One thing is clear: without the expert know-how required to turn this around, the state of the industry will worsen, and Venezuelans will not benefit.
What does the fate of a country more than 2,000 miles away have to do with New Hampshire? First is an understanding of the reality of socialism. It’s no romantic notion, rather it’s a disaster, and Venezuela is a classic example of the damage done to a flourishing economy when unskilled ideologues take over. A socialist regime has allowed one of the most resourced countries in the world to languish in extreme poverty. It’s a form of government we must never embrace here.
Second is the damage to our country when every issue is seen through an anti-Trump prism. Despite his “moderate” image, Chris Pappas stands with the extremists denouncing the White House. His worldview is one that anything that happens from a Republican administration must be immediately rejected, regardless of its practicality. A shockingly large number of Trump opponents see the world this way, trying to deny any positive policies and outcomes. Independent minded people stay quiet for fear of condemnation. Constructive dialogue is impossible, and the country lurches from one crisis to another.
To move forward meaningfully, we must be willing to consider common sense ideas on their merits not their political party. Let’s start by giving the bold action in Venezuela time to unfold before rushing to our partisan corners.
A resident of Rye, Scott Brown is a former U.S. Senator and ambassador to New Zealand and Samoa. He is a Republican candidate for U.S. Senate in New Hampshire
