Attacks and Unrest in Venezuela
💥 A second explosion/fire occurred in less than a week (the first on Dec 24th) at the Disprolago shrimp company in the San Francisco municipality, Zulia state.
💣 Reports suggest the CIA executed a drone attack on a remote port facility on the Venezuelan coast used by the Tren de Aragua organization to store and traffic drugs.
💸 Bloomberg reports that Venezuela is beginning to shut down oil wells, potentially cutting production by 25% in the Orinoco region due to the blockade on exports and lack of storage space imposed by the Trump administration.

Political Reactions and Distancing
😨 Colombian President Gustavo Petro publicly expressed fear regarding the proximity of the attacks, blaming the ELN and distancing himself from Nicolás Maduro, claiming he is not Maduro's proxy.
❌ Claudia Sheinbaum stated that she disagrees with interventions, especially military ones, and called for the United Nations to take a leading role, actively distancing herself from direct support for Nicolás Maduro.
💵 Nicolás Maduro presented a facade of poverty, claiming his salary is only 2 Petros (approx. \$10), contrasting sharply with intelligence reports detailing vast, stolen fortunes managed by his family in offshore entities.

US Public Opinion and Sanctions
📊 A Harvard CAPS poll showed that 66% of Americans agree that Nicolás Maduro should be removed from power, viewing it as a national interest issue.
🏛️ 83% of Republicans and 58% of Democrats support removing Maduro, indicating broader public alignment with forceful action than previously suggested.
🛡️ The US Treasury (OFAC) sanctioned Iranian-linked entities and Chavista officials for establishing Iranian drone factories in Venezuela, leading to new protests in Iran.

Key Points & Insights
➡️ Maduro's statement about earning only 2 Petros is a thinly veiled "meta-message" suggesting he prioritizes negotiating power and control over financial concessions from the US.
➡️ Both Petro and Maduro coincidentally released messages emphasizing their lack of greed/desire for wealth amidst escalating conflict and sanctions, a likely attempt to deflect criticism regarding corruption.
➡️ Nayib Bukele indicated a personal desire to stay in power for 10 more years due to concerns about the continuation of his security progress if he were to leave office in El Salvador.
➡️ The investigation into former Spanish PM José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero's alleged connections with a detained executive from Plus Ultra is deepening, with the executive now being labelled Zapatero's presumed proxy.

📸 Video summarized with SummaryTube.com on Dec 31, 2025, 03:53 UTC