PGMN Anchor Orion Perez D presented an account of Venezuela’s political and economic collapse under President Nicolás Maduro, including the claim that Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were removed from Caracas through a covert U.S. military operation and are now in U.S. custody on drug trafficking charges.
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Perez said the alleged operation involved a U.S. Delta Force exfiltration from Venezuela to New York. No official confirmation has been issued by U.S. authorities, the Venezuelan government, or international organizations.
He traced the origins of Venezuela’s crisis to the presidency of Hugo Chávez, who rose to power after a failed coup attempt in 1992 and was elected president in 1998. Chávez used oil revenues from the state-owned firm PDVSA to fund expansive social programs while consolidating state control over key industries and restricting private enterprise.
The account detailed how thousands of experienced PDVSA engineers, managers, and technical staff were dismissed and replaced with political loyalists, while oil revenues were diverted away from reinvestment, maintenance, and safety upgrades. Although high global oil prices initially sustained government spending, Venezuela’s oil production capacity steadily declined, leaving the economy increasingly dependent on a single sector.
Following Chávez’s death in 2013, Maduro assumed office after a closely contested election and continued the same economic direction. Perez linked hyperinflation and widespread shortages to unchecked money printing, price controls, and aggressive state intervention in private businesses, including the takeover of retail chains and the public encouragement of mass looting.
Disputed presidential elections in 2013 and 2024 were also discussed, citing opposition polling and exit surveys that showed strong support for opposition candidates despite official results declaring Maduro the winner. Delays in vote counting and temporary communications blackouts during critical phases of the tally were described as recurring features.
As oil revenues declined due to falling global prices and weakened production, Perez alleged that senior military and police officials were allowed to profit from large-scale drug trafficking operations known as the “Cartel of the Suns.” These operations were described as being linked to Colombian armed groups involved in cocaine production and as serving as an alternative source of income for regime loyalists.
The episode also referenced claims of internal discussions involving Venezuelan officials and foreign intermediaries regarding a political transition without Maduro, suggesting growing dissatisfaction within the military and political leadership. These claims remain unverified.
Perez closed the episode by stating that, if proven, the alleged removal of Maduro would constitute a violation of Venezuelan sovereignty under international law. He framed the claims as the result of prolonged economic mismanagement, declining oil revenues, and institutional deterioration that contributed to mass migration and widespread hardship in Venezuela.
