Houston Voices: A Divided City Reflects on teh U.S. Intervention in Venezuela
A month after U.S. forces seized Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, the reverberations are felt in Houston, a city deeply connected to both the oil industry and the Venezuelan diaspora. While some residents express relief and hope, others voice concerns about the intervention’s motives and potential consequences, revealing a complex tapestry of opinions.
The U.S. military operation to remove Maduro has dramatically altered the political landscape of Venezuela, and its effects are keenly felt in Houston, home to major petroleum companies and a significant Venezuelan community. The intervention has sparked a range of reactions,from cautious optimism to outright skepticism.
In the suburb of Katy, Freddy Pereira, a 42-year-old Venezuelan immigrant, finds reason for hope. he recalls fleeing Venezuela two years ago after facing extortion from local mafia groups with no police assistance. Now delivering food for a living, Pereira expressed his gratitude for the intervention while shopping for treats for his 9-year-old daughter at Mi Querencia Latin Market. “I am very grateful to President Trump for everything he has done,” Pereira said, sporting a “Lone Star State” cap. “I finally see a light in Venezuela.”
However, not everyone shares Pereira’s optimism. U.S. Representative dan Duncan, a Republican from Texas, warns other countries against challenging the U.S.stance. “Also a warning to other countries when you push the governance, when you push the American people to a certain point, we’re going to take action,” he asserted. Duncan also believes removing Maduro will help curb the flow of drugs into the U.S., despite reports from the U.S. Drug enforcement Administration indicating Venezuela does not play a role in fentanyl smuggling and that most cocaine originates in Colombia.
The potential for revitalizing Venezuela’s oil industry is another key consideration for some. Duncan expressed hope that the U.S. could assist in rebuilding the sector and improving the lives of Venezuelans.”We’re not an imperialistic country,” he stated. “That’s not what this is. I think if we help set them up on their own feet so that they can get their sea legs and run the country, that’s what’s best for them.”
However, skepticism persists. Gwen McMurrey, an interior designer, questioned the true motives behind the intervention. “It just seems like such an obvious oil grab,” McMurrey remarked while writng thank-you notes at a café called Brazil. “Trump is risky and…stupid, which is fine, a lot of people are stupid, but he’s just got too much power for that to be safe.”
Shanna Berry, a retired Air Force munitions specialist, voiced support for the intervention but expressed concern about a potential large-scale U.S. troop deployment. having served in Kuwait during the first Gulf War, Berry fears a repeat of the long-term consequences and trauma experienced by service members. “So many men went over there to defend our country, and they’ve come back with things like severe PTSD and really bad injuries. And my fear is that it once again will be for nothing,” she said.
the prospect of U.S. companies reinvesting in Venezuela’s oil industry is met with caution,given past experiences of contract renegotiations on unfavorable terms.Furthermore, the unique challenges posed by Venezuela’s “dirty crude”-its thick, peanut butter-like consistency-add to the complexity. However, retired oil worker John Rodriguez sees potential benefits. “I believe it would have a huge impact on the ability for us to produce and create jobs for the industry,” Rodriguez stated, noting that local refineries are equipped to handle the challenging crude. He also cautioned against repeating historical patterns of U.S. intervention in Latin America, which have often yielded negative outcomes. “If we’re going to take over a country like that we need to be able to support it,” Rodriguez said. “We need to be able to help the people.”
The diverse perspectives in Houston underscore the complexities of the U.S. intervention in venezuela, a situation with far-reaching implications for both nations and the broader geopolitical landscape. The long-term effects remain to be seen, but the initial reactions reveal a city grappling with the moral, economic, and political ramifications of a bold and controversial action.
