Joyce's No Restraint Podcast Ep. 328- In-depth look at the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, Midterm elections in America,

This is the Joyce Kaufman podcast, honest, straight and unapologelic, with your host, Joyce Kaufman. Welcome to this edition of the No Restraint Podcast. I'm your host, Joyce Kaufman, and I hope that you enjoy, well, kind of a sideways glance at everything that's gone on. And oh, what a weekend it was. I could probably write a book, and I'm sure many books will be written about President Donald Trump's operation to arrest Maduro in Venezuela. But I think it's important to break it down in a simple, easy-to-understand way. So that's what I'm going to attempt to do along with the help of some brilliant minds all over the Internet. First and foremost, I'm going to discuss why it happened and I'm going to at least cover some of the viewpoints that the fake news isn't talking about. President Trump's sanctioning a Venezuelan oil, his destroying the drugboats and seizing or blockading the tanker ghost fleet, was having stupendous repercussions in not only Venezuela, but their allies in Cuba, Iran, Russia, and communist China. It's a severe weakening of the Maduro cartel regime. It's a severe weakening of the Cuban communist regime. And it's choking off the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, which took Venezuelan oil to sell for cash. And it leaves the Chinese Communist Party without reliable oil from Venezuela and Iran. Trump's embargo in Venezuela was also likely the final straw to neuter the Iranian Revolutionary Guard and start the Iranian Revolution and economic collapse that's going on right now in Iran. And I'll talk about later in this podcast. It's all connected. Trump knows that if communist Venezuela falls, so does communist Brazil and communist Cuba and so do their ties to their allies in communist China. Russia and Iran, Hamas and Hezbollah, and other communist and socialist leaders, Antifa and the Muslim Brotherhood, all around the world. That also means the communists, the cartels, and their funders lose their ability to threaten North, Central, and South America. If Maduro... is overthrown and the mullahs in Iran fall, well then the global drop in gas prices is going to be incredible. Both nations are major oil producers whose instability currently constrains the supply. And Iran collapse and a Venezuela collapse would be the best case scenario for the United States and world security since the end of World War II. Keep that in mind. Communist China has sought for more than a decade to secure

a supply of oil that would be immune from Western sanctions should they choose to invade or blockade Taiwan. Venezuela and Iran are a key part of this strategy. Maduro's demise could very well ensure that the communist regime in Cuba falls next. Maduro trained in Cuba, and Cuba relies on him for cheap oil to cheap their weak economy afloat. If Cuba is something we end up talking about, President Trump said that, and Marco Rubio said, suffice to say that Cuba is a disaster, it has no economy, and is in total collapse. All of the guards that helped protect Maduro, their whole spy agency was full of Cubans. It's amazing this poor island took over Venezuela in some cases, and one of the biggest problems that Venezuela has is they have to declare independence from Cuba. If I lived in Havana and I was in the government, I'd be... concerned at least a little bit. Thank you Marco Rubio for such words. That also confirms what Lara Logan said about the election fraud. It was ordered by communist Castro of Cuba and executed out of Venezuela. There are at least a dozen people in Venezuela that have more money in power than the CIA and money to spend on operations. The 2020 election was stolen. It was stolen. We know it was stolen. We watched in real time as they stole it. It's a system that originated in Venezuela in the early 2000s. It was a computer system that was originally designed to help Hugo Chavez win the referendum in 2004. He was in trouble. Chavez was the president of Venezuela and he was told that he had to hold a referendum according to the Constitution and he knew he was going to lose. The Cubans were very close to Hugo Chavez and Castro acted as his father. He was an illegitimate son. Castro took advantage of this. He saw that Hugo Chavez was needy psychologically and developed this very close relationship with him. Of course, he had ulterior motives because Venezuela is most... one of the richest countries in the world. It has the highest oil reserves in the world and tremendous wealth and natural resources. And Castro saw this as an opportunity to be able to fund a lot of the activities that he wanted to spread his communist ideology throughout Latin America and throughout the world. And he wanted to dominate Latin America. In 2004, Castro told Chavez, you're going to lose. You're going to lose. the referendum unless you do something. And Chavez is like, you know, well, what do I do? And they came up with this idea. Well, there's a new technology. It's called electronic voting. And if you can develop software that can be used to manipulate the results of electronic voting, you know, maybe we have something. So they go out and they find three Venezuelan computer engineers, graduates of Simone Bolivar University, which is their equivalent of MIT, and they put them to work and they come up. with this election fraud software and they install it in Olivetti touch machines. What machines? Lottery machines. They went to Italy.

They flew to Italy and got thousands of those machines and inserted the source code and the software inside those machines. Hugo Chavez wins the election, the referendum, by a slim margin. And Castro is thrilled. So they give these engineers $200 million and they say, okay, perfect this system. And then let's try to apply it to some elections in Latin America and around the world. That is the same system that the Islam communist used to steal. the White House from President Trump in 2020. The bottom line is that If the Islamo-communist governments of Iran and Venezuela fall, then communist China won't have enough oil to wage war. And if oil prices fall too far, Russia can't make enough money to wage war either. That means they're terrorists. Hamas, Hezbollah, Antifa, TDS, cartels won't have the means to terrorize the world. Not only that, but a weakened Iran, a nation run by religious Nazis, would pave the way for the demise of Hamas and Hezbollah in 2026 and the Abraham Accords would normalize relations between a reformed Saudi Arabia and Israel. This would be the biggest change in the Middle East in thousands of years and make the world a safer place for Israel in the Middle East. All the boxes are checked. This time, there is no Obama Biden to get in the way. Did you notice President Trump started dropping lots of election fraud videos after Maduro's arrest? President Trump announced recently that his team was going to show America documented proof of election in the November 2020 election by the end of February 2026. My guess is he's timing the release to force the Senate GOP to turn terminate the filibuster and fix election fraud before the 2026 midterm elections. As far back as 2006, Lou Dobbs was reporting that smartmatic voting machines were managed by Venezuela. Mike Lindell, Rudy Giuliani, and Sidney Jerome Powell have been saying since 2020, this is how they stole the election, along with Tina Peters, who found the evidence herself. A Venezuelan military intelligence whistleblower confirmed the election rigging technology came from Venezuela. So... Notice who was in the room with President Trump watching Maduro's arrest live. CIA director John Ratcliffe and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Attorney General Pam Bondi also just unsealed the indictment against Maduro and his wife. Aren't these the same people that the rhino influencers say need to be fired? That's why you should not listen to the Coke libertarian rhinos like Thomas Massie, Rand Paul, Marjorie Taylor Greene, and their influencers.

Congress was not informed of this arrest because they are notorious for leaking to the media, and Maduro was not the president of Venezuela. The Islamo-communists around the world have stolen trillions from America, and now they're doing the same within our own country. Finally, we have a president who says, enough. We are taking back what is rightly ours, and you are no longer allowed to bully us in our own backyard. What's clear now, based on all the reactions from our enemies around the world is that the Islamo communists hoped to use Venezuela to launch a nuclear weapon against America, and Trump stopped them. Just to be clear, Venezuela was a joint operation with U.S. law enforcement and the military. Who is the chief U.S. law enforcement officer, A.Pam Bondi, meaning that none of what you just witnessed could have happened if Pam Bondi was compromised. So quit pitching about Pam Bondi, and for that matter, the entirety of Trump's cabinet. Trump knows what he's doing. If someone is not doing their job up to standard, Trump will know about it. it long before you do. So for you armchair quarterbacks complaining and whining all day, you are just wasting your breath and making a fool of yourselves like I've been telling you the entire time. Imagine witnessing the last 24 hours, well actually 72 hours now, and believing that nothing is happening. Shut up and let Trump cook. Thank you for your attention to this matter. Hear, hear. You know, the last time Congress declared war was in 1942, so don't even start with the lies that he needed to inform Congress. Those who are angry about Venezuela just hate the daring, successful mission because it was Trump and his cabinet, and they're not a part of it. Maduro hosted the international conferences for communist mercenaries in Venezuela and was the keynote speaker. Watch closely. Across Europe, Antifa is moving toward designation as a terrorist organization, while in Central and South America, the cartel of the Suns, faces the same. These are not isolated developments. Globalist networks, Soros, the UN, and authoritarian regimes like Venezuela, Iran, China, are ideological enemies on paper, but both share a common goal, undermining American sovereignty. They draw on the same. infrastructure, the same street-level operatives, the same channels of disruption. The Trump administration is assembling evidence of a multinational structure. Foreign governments and actors link together in ways that are undeniable. Once they have fully mapped the connections and Venezuela is contained, the final step will be striking at the heads of the Hydra with Rico. Soros and the foundations. It will deprive the cartels of a transit hub for shipments to the United States, and it will deprive our enemies of a valued ally. If that's how things play out, not a bad start to 2026. The brilliantly executed U.S. operation to snatch Venezuelan dictator Nicholas Maduro benefits American citizens in many different ways.

It took ahead of a major international organized crime cartel out. The cartel, which the U.S. has labeled the Cartel de los Soles, or Cartel of the Sons, is responsible for cocaine trafficking into the United States. Maduro has turned the upper levels of the Venezuelan government, military, and security services into a huge organized crime entity. The Department of Justice is prosecuting Maduro and others for running what a federal grand jury indictment calls a corrupt and dangerous narco-terrorism conspiracy. with no evidence indicating that Maduro, a cartel directly trafficked fentanyl into the U.S., the Treasury Department sanctioned the Cartel of the Suns last July for providing material support to the Sinaloa Cartel of Mexico, which the DOJ described as flooding the United States with fentanyl. It took out the leader who flooded the U.S. with hardened criminals, organized terrorist gangs like and millions of refugees. Once a new leadership is established in Venezuela, the country can take back its criminals and terrorists and its refugees can return home and rebuild. It took out the leader of an international terrorist organization. Maduro's Cartel of the Sons is a federally designated foreign terrorist organization, or FTO, which the State Department said is responsible for terrorist violence throughout our hemisphere. It took out the sponsor of Hezbollah and other jihadists on our southern maritime border. For more than a decade, the Maduro regime has hosted, sheltered, armed, and provided training for Hezbollah terrorists and other jihadists under its protection just a three-hour flight from Florida. Hezbollah is responsible for killing hundreds of Americans since the 1980s. It took out the sponsor of Iranian surveillance and drones on our southern maritime border. The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, responsible for supporting Hezbollah and other terrorists, outsourced its drone production to Venezuela, where the weapons were seen stationed at a Venezuelan air base. It took out a major supply of cash to the Iranian force responsible for killing hundreds of Americans in Iraq and Afghanistan. Maduro ran a scheme with Iran to exchange fuel and gold. to fund the IRGC and its terrorist Quds Force. The IRGC and its Quds Force designed, developed, manufactured, and deployed key improvised explosive devices, IED components, as well as training to wound and kill hundreds of American and allied men and women in Iraq and Afghanistan. These components included explosively formed penetrators, the EFP, improvised rocket-assisted munitions, and other devices. The IRGC-C-C-Cuds force, which also provided training, was responsible for 17% of American casualties in Iraq, according to the State Department and the Pentagon. It deprived communist China of plans to deploy its navy around Florida, Alabama, Mississippi,

did something about it, Marco Rubio said. Marco Rubio has really stepped up, and I think he is the heir apparent. That's my opinion in the next presidential election, 2028. And now you look at Iran. What initially started as a reaction to economic distress amid sanctions. and the tanking of the Iranian Riyal has turned into mass demonstrations against the ruling regime with calls for the overthrow of the government of the Islamic Republic. In the span of about a week, the protests evolved into one of the longest and most persistent episodes of unrest Iran has seen in recent months. That's according to human rights monitors. At least 119 people have been arrested, while at least eight individuals have been killed, and 33 others injured since demonstrations began. The immediate trigger for the unrest was a sharp decline in the value of Iran's foreign exchange market. In late December of 2025, the U.S. dollar climbed on the open market from below $1 million to about $1.45 million, fueling inflation, unsettling markets, and deepening cost of living pressure for Iranians. Rising rents, lack of basic goods, and fluctuating wages have increased frustration amidst the daily difficulties of living under the Islamic regime's authoritarian rule. Merchants in Tehran's historic bazaar, which is often seen as a sign of economic confidence, said they struggled to set prices from one morning to the next as currency swings made sales risky. In several cities, shops closed and strikes spread along with street protests, attracting students, workers, and small business owners. Security forces reacted with crowd suppression tactics, including the use of tear gas and in some cases shooting directly at protesters based on eyewitness reports and videos shared online. As the protests grew, economic complaints slowly turned into political slogans. Even though the mood on the streets has changed, the government has so far framed the situation as an economic issue. Authorities have replaced some top financial officials and promised policy changes. As part of these steps, President Massoud Pazizhkin named Abduanir Hematee as head of the central bank. Hematee is linked to earlier reform efforts but was previously removed from his post after lawmakers accused him of causing problems with the exchange rate. His return has raised new political tensions and criticism from hardline members of parliament. Several analysts say that only making some leadership changes

cannot resolve Iran's crisis. Political commentator Saeed Bashirtash said that expectations surrounding the replacement of economic officials are misplaced. The idea that changing the central bank governor can solve Iran's economic problems is an illusion. The Islamic Republic is fundamentally at odds with the modern world. Its bankruptcy is rooted in its ideology and constitutional framework. According to Bashritash, public sentiment in Iran has shifted toward the belief that reform from within the existing system is no longer possible. Even if the president wanted to pursue real reforms, the system itself would not permit them. Addressing Iran's economic and political challenges would require a comprehensive transformation, including re-engagement with the international community, combating systemic corruption, establishing an independent judiciary, separating religion from the state, and ensuring respect for citizens' rights. Some analysts link the economic crisis fueling the protest to recent regional and international developments. For years, the Islamic Republic relied on two main pillars, its nuclear program, and its next of proxy forces. According to Kangaloo, these proxy forces, including the Hezbollah and Hamas terrorist groups, the Bashar al-Assad regime in Syria, Houthi terrorists in Yemen, and Iraqi militias were created to put pressure on Israel through coordinated attacks on several fronts. He said that by weakening these groups, Israel removed one of the Islamic regime's main strategic tools. He added that Israel strikes inside Iran, together with direct U.S. strikes on three Iranian nuclear sites marked a major change. He added that these actions broke the regime's image as a regional power and left it in a weak strategic position. He also mentioned recent moves by European countries to activate the so-called snapback mechanism, which would bring back international limits on economic ties with Iran. when the real loses almost eight per cent of its value in just one day normal business cannot continue the bazaar is the biggest center of trade in iran and when merchants are no longer able to do business they reach their limit As the demonstrations continued throughout the week, the slogans clearly moved beyond economic demands. Videos shared online showed protesters shouting chants such as death to the dictator, and Sayyad Ali will be toppled this year, directly challenging the foundations of the Islamic regime. Sayad Ali refers to Iran's supreme leader Sayyad Ali Khamenei.

At the same time, many protesters have turned to Iran's pre-revolutionary past. In cities across the country, crowds were heard chanting phrases such as, this is the final battle. Reza Pahlavi will return, and Reza Pahlavi Shan, may God bless your soul. The return of these slogans has once again focused attention on Iranian crown prince Reza Pahlavi, who has spent most of his life in exile, but still carries strong, symbolic meaning for many in the country. Reza Pahlavi was born in Tehran in October of 1960. He's the eldest son of Muhammad Reza Pahlavi Shah Reza Pahlavi, Iran's last monarch, and the grandson of Reza Pahlavi Shah Reza Pahlavi, the founder of the Reza Pahlavi dynasty. He was named crown prince at his father's coronation in 1967 and spent his early childhood within the royal court. In 1978, amid mounting unrest, he left Iran to train as a fighter pilot in the U.S. later, the 1979 revolution erupted over through the monarchy and forced the royal family into exile. And let me tell you something. What's happening over there is directly tied to what's happening in Venezuela, to what's happening in Russia slash Ukraine, to what's happening with China and Taiwan. It's all one big global mess. And we have a president who's not afraid to deal. with big things. He is the consummate dealmaker. He's also the only man with the guts to take on the pundits, the press, and even the morons, and I call them morons deliberately, inside of Congress, who rather than make the world a better place, really continue to worry about their images and just how much money they have in their bank accounts. The gravy train is almost over for American political dynasties like the Bushes and the Clintons. So let me tell you something, the Trump dynasty doesn't need America's dollars. They've got plenty of their own. I hope you enjoyed this edition of the No Restraint podcast. If you did, make sure to share it with a friend. And of course, I'll be back soon with another podcast. But in the meantime, as I always say, may God bless you. May God bless Israel. And may God bless the USA. See you next time. This has been the Joyce Kaufman podcast. Available everywhere you get your podcasts.