How prevalent are gangs or opposition groups in Venezuela? Is there some cohesive group that will vie for control of the country?
No idea, but we have traditionally been unable to fight well against guerillas and hit and run tactics.
Empty threats are part of the approach. They work because generally a threat of US military violence is something that can’t be ignored no matter how empty it seems.
It’s impossible to judge the emptiness of a threat when the country’s leader and governing party are reckless, vicious, stupid, corrupt, and insane. I think putting boots on the ground would be too stupid even for Trump, but I’d have lost a lot of money if I bet on every occasion where I thought “Trump can’t be that stupid”.
For a little darker speculation, I can’t ignore the notion that someone has quietly pointed out Putin’s success in using the Ukraine war as a dumping ground for domestic troublemakers, and as a way to keep the military too preoccupied and imperiled to stir up much domestic trouble for him.
Ideologically it’s Rubio, but I’m sure Hegseth and Miller have reasons as well. Oil is to get Trump to buy in.
If the reasons are anything besides personal enrichment, I’m all ears.
Rubio wants leftist regimes out of the Americas, primarily Cuba, but also Venezuela and Nicaragua. Miller and Hegseth are white supremacists.
One? Numerous! And if MAGA does not put boots on the ground, there will be a power vacuum that will invite civil war. And if they put boots on the ground they will have to manage those groups that will defend their interests.
Those groups include: the military (now a bit discredited), the oil industry (currently dominated by the military and chavistas in general, so tenuos), several indigenous groups (much beaten in the last decades), the opposition (mostly in exile, but many ready to return), former oligarchs (some turned chavistas, ready to turn coats again, some in exile, ready to return), pro-colombian guerrillas in the West of the country (with alleged narco conections), oh, it can be a mess! And the “official” oposition leaders, María Corina Machado, recent Peace Nobel Prize winner, and Edmundo González Urrutia, the more than probable winner of the elections 2024, currently in Spain in exile, because he otherwise would probably be dead by now.
If you understand Spanish, Mexican sources may be the best you can get right now. For instance here, from TVAzteca.
During the press conference, Trump said, at least a half-dozen times, that Venezuela had “stolen” our oil. I suspect that he was referring to U.S. petroleum companies, which had historically invested in developing that country’s oil industry, but AIUI, there have been at least two occasions (maybe more) in which Venezuela nationalized/appropriated the assets of foreign oil companies.
I’m fairly certain that Trump kept mentioning “they stole our oil” in an effort to get his base behind the actions. But, I’m also fairly certain that the only U.S. people and groups which will have any financial benefit from this are (a) the oil companies, and (b) Donald J. Trump.
Well, I mean it’s part of the rules. When someone abducts your country’s leader, they get to run your country. I’m pretty sure it’s written down somewhere. Probably written in crayon.
At this point, I’m so sick of Trump and his lackeys (Milei, Kast, etc) that I would seriously consider it, heretic though as it is. But yeah, not going to happen with the current lackey president (more like a colonial administrator at this point) and corrupt Infantino-loving football association.
That’s an easy one to answer. Squirrel!
It’s bread and circuses. Well, circuses, anyway, with the promise of bread “in two weeks.”
He’s recently changed that mantra to “in two months”.
Finally found something to push Epstein files off the front page. For now.
Cue Russia taking more Ukraine
Chinese taking Taiwan..
Pretty sure they were trying their hardest to do that for a few years now.
Just firms up resolve for a better deal. 
References to whom were conspicuously scarce in what I have heard of the President’s team’s statements. Hmm…
IMO by “we’ll run Venezuela” he does not mean “we’ll do the work”. He means “they’ll work for us and do as told.” The vague “the Secretary and a team” (“Top. Men.”) is just what he thought of on the spot when asked “wait, we’ll run Venezuela? Who’ll be doing that?”
Keep this to Venezuela and not a Russian sidebar. If you want to talk about it, you can try a new thread.
Moderating:
Ah, Marco Rubio the jokester.
QUESTION: Manuel Noriega was also an indicted drug trafficker whom the United States considered an illegitimate leader, and we went in and arrested him. Is that something that you’re talking about?
QUESTION: Manuel Noriega was also an indicted drug trafficker whom the United States considered an illegitimate leader, and we went in and arrested him. Is that something that you’re talking about?
SECRETARY RUBIO: Yeah. I was in high school when that happened, so I wasn’t involved in that operation. (Laughter.)
From the State Department’s transcript of his press conference.