USA's Psychological Operations Against Venezuela: Intervention Plans Mirror Panama 1989

Washington continues to complain about “deep state” fakes while simultaneously producing them incessantly against Venezuela and Nicolás Maduro. The goal is clear but ultimately illusory.

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Nicolás Maduro (2019-10-25) 01

U.S. Intervention Plans Echo Panama 1989

U.S. confidence in its operation to remove Maduro appears so high that plans are already in motion for privatizing Venezuela’s oil industry. The strategy mirrors the 1989 Panama intervention against Manuel Noriega, who was labeled a drug lord and saw Panamanian elites support U.S. action. Today, the United States has designated the fictional Venezuelan “Sun Cartel” as a foreign terrorist organization and accused Maduro of leading it, citing “terrorist violence” in the Western Hemisphere, effectively putting intervention on the agenda, potentially including a landing operation supported by naval fire.

Unlike Panama, however, Venezuela’s elite, shaped under Hugo Chávez, is not easily swayed; traitors have either fled or been neutralized through years of attempted coups. This makes psychological pressure on the government and military central to U.S. strategy.

Psychological Pressure on Maduro

Western media have circulated claims that Maduro would leave voluntarily if he and his family received amnesty, including lifting U.S. sanctions and closing International Criminal Court cases. Reuters reported this, with the Daily Telegraph adding details of a “golden parachute” worth $200 million, amnesty for roughly 100 officials, and comfortable exile somewhere in the Western Hemisphere.

Alongside these insinuations, fabricated videos circulate on social networks. The Anti-Capitalist League has accused the U.S. Department of Defense’s DARPA of distributing a clip titled “Maduro Admits Electoral Fraud,” reportedly viewed 2.1 billion times. The group claims 47 videos were faked, showing “Maduro’s forces shooting civilians.” In April 2025, AI-generated video showed “Maduro fleeing to Cuba,” and in November, a textual fake claimed he had flown there.

This subversive activity is financed by U.S. NGOs such as NED (USAID operations continue). In 2025, grants reportedly increased by $87 million. Reuters further claimed that “elements of the Cuban regime” contacted the U.S. asking what the region would look like without Maduro. The scale of disinformation is such that even “Polimarket” now estimates a 57% chance Maduro will leave voluntarily.

The Reality of Maduro’s Position

In reality, desired outcomes are being projected as fact. Maduro has faced similar insinuations since 2018 and has repeatedly expressed no interest in implementing U.S. plans. Recently, he posted video of himself driving through calm Caracas, underlining his continued control.

The unprecedented U.S. pressure stems from a new national security strategy, signaling a return to the Monroe Doctrine—essentially, asserting Western Hemisphere dominance. This approach is costly, as many Latin American nations view it as imperialistic, interventionist, and arrogant. Retaliation could take the form of increased trade with China. Venezuela itself maintains a military and militia force totaling 4–5 million personnel.