EL TIPO DE CAMBIO DE HOY ES DE: How President Trump is Opening the Door for Venezuela to Become America’s Strongest Ally
President Donald Trump has placed freedom in the Western Hemisphere back on the table. In doing so, he is pointing to a reality that could transform Latin America and strengthen the United States: a free Venezuela, governed by a legitimate democratic leadership, aligned as Washington’s strongest ally.
For decades, Venezuela was the richest nation in Latin America. It had vast oil reserves—the largest proven crude reserves in the world—a privileged location in the Caribbean, and a highly educated population. But Chavismo’s so-called “21st-century socialism,” implemented by Hugo Chávez and later Nicolás Maduro, devastated the country. Under this model, the state expropriated private industries, imposed strict currency and price controls, politicized the military, and used oil revenues to buy political loyalty instead of investing in infrastructure or development. The result was catastrophic: a collapsed economy, more than 8 million people forced to migrate, and nearly 95% of those who stayed plunged into poverty.
Beyond the economic ruin, the Maduro regime represents a direct threat to U.S. national security. The “Cartel of the Suns”—a network of Venezuelan military officials turned drug lords—moves an estimated 200 to 250 metric tons of cocaine annually toward American and European markets. At the same time, criminal organizations such as the Tren de Aragua, Venezuela’s most powerful transnational gang, have expanded into at least 12 countries in the Americas, exporting violence and instability.
Venezuela has also become a safe haven for U.S. adversaries, including Hezbollah operatives and Wagner mercenaries—the Russian paramilitary force that has operated in Ukraine, Africa, and the Middle East—now present in Venezuelan territory just a short distance from U.S. shores. This proximity turns Venezuela’s collapse from a regional tragedy into a pressing security concern for Washington.
Now, for the first time in a generation, there is a path forward. María Corina Machado, backed by more than 70% of Venezuelans in the last stolen election by the regime, achieved this support despite the fact that roughly 8 million Venezuelans living abroad—overwhelmingly anti-regime—were prevented from voting, and despite widespread electoral manipulation, pressures, and repression inside the country. In a fully free and fair election, her backing would likely approach 90%.
The False Comparison: Venezuela Is Not Haiti or the Middle East
Opponents of U.S. involvement often warn that Venezuela could become “another Haiti” or “another Middle East.” But these comparisons ignore reality.
Unlike Haiti, Venezuela built one of the most stable democratic systems in Latin America from the mid-20th century onward. For four decades, the country held competitive elections, alternated governments peacefully, and developed strong institutions that, although hijacked by Chavismo, remain deeply rooted in the national identity. Venezuelans are also among the most educated in the region, with an adult literacy rate of over 97% before the crisis, and a strong culture of civic engagement rooted in Catholic values and family ties.
This strength is visible even in the United States: 55% of Venezuelan adults in the U.S. hold at least a bachelor’s degree, compared to 37.9% of all Americans and only about 20% of other Hispanics. In fact, according to Pew Research Center, 19% of Venezuelans in the U.S. have postgraduate degrees—the highest share of any Latino immigrant group, nearly triple the Latino average of 7% and above the U.S. non-Hispanic average of 14%.
And unlike Iraq or Afghanistan, Venezuela is not divided by centuries of sectarian or ethnic conflict. Even under a brutal regime, Venezuelans have consistently chosen ballots over bullets, pressing for electoral solutions even as Chavismo shut down democratic paths.
The Leadership of María Corina Machado
This is where María Corina Machado stands out. She is not offering vague promises—she has laid out a clear program, called “Venezuela, Land of Grace,” to rebuild the nation. Her plan rests on three pillars:
- Rule of law: restoring private property and legal certainty.
- Security: reclaiming national territory and dismantling criminal groups and foreign forces.
- Economic relaunch: liberalizing the economy, dismantling restrictive regulations, reducing the size of the state, offering incentives for foreign investment, and privatizing Venezuela’s subsurface resources.
The plan projects tripling Venezuela’s economy in fifteen years, from $120 billion today to more than $400 billion by 2040, unlocking the country’s full economic potential while creating opportunities for domestic and international investors.
The Economic Opportunity for the United States
Machado’s roadmap identifies twelve strategic sectors—oil, gas, mining, energy, transportation, financial services, technology, tourism, real estate, agriculture, healthcare, and education—that together represent a $1.7 trillion opportunity over the next fifteen years.
The numbers are striking:
- Oil: $120 billion by 2040.
- Gas: $26 billion, with 18% annual growth.
- Technology and services: $61 billion.
- Real estate: $38 billion, with nearly 30% growth.
- Agriculture, healthcare, tourism, and transport: over $70 billion combined.
For U.S. companies, this is not just about investment—it is about entering a market that can anchor American influence in South America. For Washington, it means diversifying energy supply away from hostile regimes and cementing a partnership with a stable democracy at the heart of the Caribbean.
A Natural Alliance Under Trump
Venezuela’s path to freedom perfectly aligns with America’s strategic needs. The U.S. needs stable allies, reliable energy, and open markets. Venezuela needs investment, technology, and the protection of liberty.
President Trump gets it. He grasps not just the geopolitical landscape but also the pulse of Hispanic communities across the United States. At a press conference, he acknowledged that an impressive 92% of Venezuelan-Americans supported him in the last presidential election. Together with Cubans and Nicaraguans, Venezuelan voters have formed a formidable bloc, united in their view of Trump as the steadfast leader opposing socialism throughout the hemisphere.
With María Corina Machado at the helm, and with President Trump’s willingness to back Venezuela’s liberation, the country is ready to become America’s strongest ally in the Western Hemisphere—an alliance built on freedom, prosperity, and shared destiny.
How President Trump is Opening the Door for Venezuela to Become America’s Strongest Ally
President Donald Trump has placed freedom in the Western Hemisphere back on the table. In doing so, he is pointing to a reality that could transform Latin America and strengthen the United States: a free Venezuela, governed by a legitimate democratic leadership, aligned as Washington’s strongest ally.
For decades, Venezuela was the richest nation in Latin America. It had vast oil reserves—the largest proven crude reserves in the world—a privileged location in the Caribbean, and a highly educated population. But Chavismo’s so-called “21st-century socialism,” implemented by Hugo Chávez and later Nicolás Maduro, devastated the country. Under this model, the state expropriated private industries, imposed strict currency and price controls, politicized the military, and used oil revenues to buy political loyalty instead of investing in infrastructure or development. The result was catastrophic: a collapsed economy, more than 8 million people forced to migrate, and nearly 95% of those who stayed plunged into poverty.
Beyond the economic ruin, the Maduro regime represents a direct threat to U.S. national security. The “Cartel of the Suns”—a network of Venezuelan military officials turned drug lords—moves an estimated 200 to 250 metric tons of cocaine annually toward American and European markets. At the same time, criminal organizations such as the Tren de Aragua, Venezuela’s most powerful transnational gang, have expanded into at least 12 countries in the Americas, exporting violence and instability.
Venezuela has also become a safe haven for U.S. adversaries, including Hezbollah operatives and Wagner mercenaries—the Russian paramilitary force that has operated in Ukraine, Africa, and the Middle East—now present in Venezuelan territory just a short distance from U.S. shores. This proximity turns Venezuela’s collapse from a regional tragedy into a pressing security concern for Washington.
Now, for the first time in a generation, there is a path forward. María Corina Machado, backed by more than 70% of Venezuelans in the last stolen election by the regime, achieved this support despite the fact that roughly 8 million Venezuelans living abroad—overwhelmingly anti-regime—were prevented from voting, and despite widespread electoral manipulation, pressures, and repression inside the country. In a fully free and fair election, her backing would likely approach 90%.
The False Comparison: Venezuela Is Not Haiti or the Middle East
Opponents of U.S. involvement often warn that Venezuela could become “another Haiti” or “another Middle East.” But these comparisons ignore reality.
Unlike Haiti, Venezuela built one of the most stable democratic systems in Latin America from the mid-20th century onward. For four decades, the country held competitive elections, alternated governments peacefully, and developed strong institutions that, although hijacked by Chavismo, remain deeply rooted in the national identity. Venezuelans are also among the most educated in the region, with an adult literacy rate of over 97% before the crisis, and a strong culture of civic engagement rooted in Catholic values and family ties.
This strength is visible even in the United States: 55% of Venezuelan adults in the U.S. hold at least a bachelor’s degree, compared to 37.9% of all Americans and only about 20% of other Hispanics. In fact, according to Pew Research Center, 19% of Venezuelans in the U.S. have postgraduate degrees—the highest share of any Latino immigrant group, nearly triple the Latino average of 7% and above the U.S. non-Hispanic average of 14%.
And unlike Iraq or Afghanistan, Venezuela is not divided by centuries of sectarian or ethnic conflict. Even under a brutal regime, Venezuelans have consistently chosen ballots over bullets, pressing for electoral solutions even as Chavismo shut down democratic paths.
The Leadership of María Corina Machado
This is where María Corina Machado stands out. She is not offering vague promises—she has laid out a clear program, called “Venezuela, Land of Grace,” to rebuild the nation. Her plan rests on three pillars:
- Rule of law: restoring private property and legal certainty.
- Security: reclaiming national territory and dismantling criminal groups and foreign forces.
- Economic relaunch: liberalizing the economy, dismantling restrictive regulations, reducing the size of the state, offering incentives for foreign investment, and privatizing Venezuela’s subsurface resources.
The plan projects tripling Venezuela’s economy in fifteen years, from $120 billion today to more than $400 billion by 2040, unlocking the country’s full economic potential while creating opportunities for domestic and international investors.
The Economic Opportunity for the United States
Machado’s roadmap identifies twelve strategic sectors—oil, gas, mining, energy, transportation, financial services, technology, tourism, real estate, agriculture, healthcare, and education—that together represent a $1.7 trillion opportunity over the next fifteen years.
The numbers are striking:
- Oil: $120 billion by 2040.
- Gas: $26 billion, with 18% annual growth.
- Technology and services: $61 billion.
- Real estate: $38 billion, with nearly 30% growth.
- Agriculture, healthcare, tourism, and transport: over $70 billion combined.
For U.S. companies, this is not just about investment—it is about entering a market that can anchor American influence in South America. For Washington, it means diversifying energy supply away from hostile regimes and cementing a partnership with a stable democracy at the heart of the Caribbean.
A Natural Alliance Under Trump
Venezuela’s path to freedom perfectly aligns with America’s strategic needs. The U.S. needs stable allies, reliable energy, and open markets. Venezuela needs investment, technology, and the protection of liberty.
President Trump gets it. He grasps not just the geopolitical landscape but also the pulse of Hispanic communities across the United States. At a press conference, he acknowledged that an impressive 92% of Venezuelan-Americans supported him in the last presidential election. Together with Cubans and Nicaraguans, Venezuelan voters have formed a formidable bloc, united in their view of Trump as the steadfast leader opposing socialism throughout the hemisphere.
With María Corina Machado at the helm, and with President Trump’s willingness to back Venezuela’s liberation, the country is ready to become America’s strongest ally in the Western Hemisphere—an alliance built on freedom, prosperity, and shared destiny.
