After four years of the Biden/Harris administration‘s feeble foreign policy, the redefining of the United States’ redlines should begin in our own backyard: Latin America and the Caribbean. After all, the value of renovating one's house is limited if the neighborhood is in shambles.

To create a healthy neighborhood, it helps if neighbors share similar values, such as democracy, fair elections, and civil liberties. Fortunately, many of America's neighboring nations do.

But there is one country whose owner is ruining the neighborhood, even though its people do value those ideals: Venezuela.

Nicolas Maduro's stranglehold on his country has been a blight on the Western Hemisphere for far too long. His regime has multiple negative effects on the United States, including massive illegal immigration, drug smuggling and human trafficking.

In fact, Maduro has been charged with narco-terrorism by the U.S. government. According to the Department of Justice, “ Maduro deliberately deployed cocaine as a weapon... in order to undermine the health and well-being of our nation. ”

In addition, over the last 25 years Maduro and his mentor, Hugo Chavez, have partnered with Cuba, whose agents assist “ in intelligence collection and sharpening the repressive state apparatus, ” to bring America’s top global antagonists to our doorstep -- Russia, China, and Iran.

This is the same axis of evil that have now joined forces to undermine global U.S. leadership since the current administration’s disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Their economic and military aid allow Maduro to cling to power as 90% of his countrymen sink into poverty. Venezuelan women are trafficked and forced into prostitution to survive. Young men join gangs, many of which are now active in the U.S., terrorizing Americans.

Almost eight million Venezuelans have fled their country since 2014, of whom 615,000 have entered the U.S. in the past two years alone. The Biden/Harris administration flew 100,000 of them directly to American territory.

Along with Iranian proxies such as Hezb’allah, these global challengers collaborate with local Latin American terrorist groups harbored by Maduro, such as Colombia’s FARC and ELN, which in turn join forces with shady transnational criminal organizations.

Together they not only undermine democracy in neighboring countries, such as Colombia and Ecuador, but run arms, drug, and human trafficking cartels through the Mexican border -- a border that has become all but nonexistent thanks to failure of Joe Biden's border czar -- presidential candidate Kamala Harris.

Another Stolen Election

Venezuelans, a freedom-seeking people, have just been robbed of another election on July 28th.  This time, the opposition, led by the charismatic Maria Corina Machado, has substantial proof of Nicolas Maduro's theft.

As a result, the tyrant has stepped up repression with the aid of his Cuban and Russian cronies -- murder, massive arrests, torture, and a siege of the Argentinian embassy where six opposition leaders have taken refuge.

The 75-year-old president-elect, Edmundo González, who stood in for Machado after she was disqualified by the regime, has fled to Spain after a warrant was issued for his arrest.

Maria Corina Machado, a truly valiant feminine leader, has been forced into hiding after being charged with insurrection. An inspiring speaker, the Yale-educated firebrand emerged to fire up crowds at mass protests in August before being whisked away on a motorcycle. She continues to orchestrate worldwide demonstrations from her hideaway.

In 2012, she confronted the late strongman Hugo Chavez in the National Assembly calling him “a thief” for expropriating businesses, adding that:

A decent Venezuela wants a profound transformation: it wants respect for property, a Venezuela of solidarity, a Venezuela of justice, a Venezuela of progress… and it is time to face this historic challenge that lies ahead with seriousness and responsibility.

Chavez died of cancer the following year, but his hand-picked successor Nicolas Maduro has made things worse.

The stakes are high for Latin America and the United States.

Emigration is projected to increase by 17% due to the fraudulent election.

Russia has sent Wagner mercenaries to aid in the repression. If there are no repercussions, the axis of evil will conclude that they have a free hand in the Western Hemisphere.

How Donald Trump Should Address Foreign Policy in 2024

Donald Trump should consider giving another focused foreign policy speech like the one he gave as a candidate in April of 2016. One that will strengthen his credentials as a defender of democracy and help him win the Hispanic vote.

Trump should explain why his foreign policy will focus first on America’s backyard: how we got here, his solution, strategy and why the reconstruction of Venezuela will not be a burden on American taxpayers.

The Problem

The Biden/Harris weakness in both domestic and foreign policy has undermined the security of Americans in an unprecedented way.

Their policy of easing oil sanctions on Venezuela without any concrete progress towards democratic order has allowed the Maduro regime and its criminal network aligned with Russia, Iran, Cuba, and others to continue intervening in our hemisphere.

By abandoning our southern border, the current administration has allowed gangs like Tren de Aragua, whose origin is in Venezuela, to expand throughout the U.S., putting Americans at risk.

The solution

Upon election, Trump will close the border and expel dangerous illegal immigrants.

Beyond that, it is an America First priority to secure the Western Hemisphere -- particularly Latin American and the Caribbean. Bad players, whether nations, terror organizations, or transnational criminal syndicates must understand that they have no place in the Western Hemisphere if they continue to undermine the United States.

That means backing Maria Corina Machado, whose valor and tenacity demonstrate what true feminine leadership is, and the democratic forces in Venezuela.

Strategy

In stark contrast to Biden/Harris policies, Donald Trump needs to use tough tactics with the Venezuelan strongman. Just as the Iranians released the U.S. embassy hostages on January 20th, 1981, minutes after Ronald Reagan was inaugurated. Trump, the candidate, should let Nicolas Maduro know that his time is up.

Officially, Maduro’s current presidential term ends January 10th, 2025, just ten days before Donald Trump, if elected, will be sworn into office. January 10th would be a propitious time for the dictator to give up power and go into exile.

If he clings to power after January 20th, candidate Trump should make clear that not only will he restore oil sanctions, but very forceful methods will be brought to bear.

The toppling of the Maduro dictatorship, if negotiations and sanctions fail, won’t require U.S. troops. Miami-based journalist Jaime Bayly recently reported that defense subcontractor Eric Prince of Blackwater is prepared to use his hired soldiers to bring the leaders of the regime to justice, adding that Prince is contact with Donald Trump.

The message is clear: Democratic presidents like Carter and Biden are weak. Republicans like Reagan and Trump are not afraid to stand up to terrorism and tyranny.

Reconstruction

Trump should make it clear that the U.S. is no longer in the nation-building business. Unlike Iraq and Afghanistan, Venezuela was once a democracy. The country also has the world’s largest oil reserves. Its democratic leadership, along with wealthy Venezuelan exiles and business leaders, will begin to rebuild the country.

Finally, Donald Trump should announce that when elected, he will appoint Marco Rubio as secretary of state, a man with great foreign policy credentials who as a son of Cuban exiles that fled communism understands our hemisphere better than anyone else.

Image: Kremlin.ru