Tightening…Maduro’s noose

Well, well, well…on Wednesday, Pres Trump confirmed he’d authorised the CIA to conduct covert operations inside Venezuela and said he was weighing following up with “land operations”!! Now, it’s the most open “secret” in the world that the CIA – “The Agency” – has operatives or “field agents” in almost every country of the world!! They’re typically under “cover” in their embassies pretending to be doing quite innocuous jobs – while they’re really gathering “information”. This would then be processed by their analysts to become “intelligence” – “intel” for short – for them to take whatever action their higher-ups decide are necessary!! So for instance, if the US suspects some Guyanese smart alecks are smuggling gold to, say, Miami, their local field agents would’ve investigated and passed on the “intel” upwards! This could then lead to OFAC sanctions or visa cancellations. The intel MIGHT be shared with the local law enforcement units.
So who does the actual interventions – like we saw when Bin Laden was taken out in his hideout in Pakisan – and hopefully in this instance, Mad Maduro?!! This is the job of the “Special Activities Division” (SAD), of the CIA. Their role is to lead the covert military operations, behind enemy lines – which the President orders – as President Trump just announced he did for Venezuela. They’re usually supported by special forces units such as Navy Seals, and Delta Force. So, in the case of Bin Laden, it was really the CIA that led the mission. Seal Team 6 was their backup!!
If the operation is likely to trigger significant military reprisals, then larger forces might be called in!! Like when Drug smuggling President of Panama Noriega was arrested in 1989 – almost 20,000 US troops eventually were involved!! And it’s for this reason, most analysts believe that the US$50 million bounty was placed on Mad Maduro’s head. The CIA/SAD team woulda been sent into the country, undercover, months ago. Working undercover, they would’ve been recruiting officials at different levels in the govt apparatus who have access to the madman with the incentive of the bounty.
They would’ve scouted out the locations that Mad Maduro frequented, gathered intelligence and planned the mission. Now all that would be needed will be Commander-in-Chief Donald Trump’s go-ahead and send in the necessary military support!! Just as Obama did for Bin Laden!! But in the case of Venezuela – with its decades-long experience in dealing with US regime-change missions – we know Mad Maduro’s prepared to go down fighting!! He can count on the support of the generals at the top – who he’s rewarded with control of the economy – and at the bottom, the People’s Militia – fiercely loyal to Chavisa!!
The US ain’t risking too many body bags!!

…gold controls
Now that gold’s broken the US$4000 per ounce barrier, as your Eyewitness said, it’s a sign that “money as a store of value” – especially since the US dollar played that after WWII– ain’t generating the confidence it once did. And when that happens, folks turn to gold – hence the phrase “gold standard”! And of course, with increased demand, its price goes up – DOUBLING in the last five years – so the process is accelerating!!
Now, as a gold producing country – since the 1890s! — we’re therefore in the fortunate situation of having two natural resources that the world will beat a path to our door just to get a piece of our (hot) action!! Since we know we were screwed royally on the Exxon oil contract – but has learnt from that humiliation in writing the terms of our new oil contracts – your Eyewitness hopes we’ll also be tightening the screws on the gold mining contracts pouring in!!
Screw us once, shame on you…screw us twice, shame on us!!

…Surinamese belts
When Suriname signed their oil contract, critics of our Exxon contract pointed out they were getting 6.5% royalty to our measly 2%. They’d promised to dole out that royalty to citizens as cash grants!!
That’s now scrapped for infrastructure!!