Welcome to Week 5 of “The New Monroe Doctrine,” where I give you an update on what’s going on in the Western Hemisphere, south of our border, especially as it relates to the U.S.
I’ll admit that I’m not in a heavy news mood this afternoon, as I spent most of the day writing about starving children in Venezuela and the most disgusting pro-abortion activists you’ll ever encounter. So I’m going to start by dunking on everyone’s favorite presidential cokehead, Colombia’s Gustavo Petro. Because it’s so easy to do.
Seduction and Petro Poetry? Ew. No, Thank You.
If you’ll recall, the Donald Trump administration has accused Petro of having narco ties — given how his country’s leading export is cocaine, he is suddenly cozying up to Nicolás Maduro and Claudia Sheinbaum, and he’s constantly acting like he’s high as a kite, it’s not a hard conclusion to come to.
Back in October, the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned Petro, his wife, his son, and one of his buddies and put him on the “Clinton List.” He’s been crowing about it on X ever since. Seriously, if this guy spent half the time he spends on social media actually doing something productive, he might actually be successful at something. Or maybe it’s best for Colombia that he ignore his own country, which largely hates him.
So in response to the sanctions, he had Colombia’s Unidad de Información y Análisis Financiero (UIAF) release his financial information so that he could prove he’s clean and narco-free. The only thing he proved is that he’s a fan of strippers and Gucci. There were a lot of luxury charges, but the one that really stood out and became meme gold for the haters (which is like 90% of the world) was the $46 USD he spent at Ménage Strip Club in Lisbon while he was there on an official visit.
Petro’s initial response was dismissive: “Well, someday I’ll explain why I spent 40 euros on that site, but for now, I’m interested in making sure that everyone who examines my accounts can see the type of arbitrariness committed against Colombia by decertifying it, and against its president.”
But he came back the next morning with this gem because he just can’t help himself:
There are two things I’ve learned in life: not to go to bed with a woman from whom nothing is born in my heart, and not to buy sex when I’m still capable of seduction and poetry. You always have to combine sexuality with culture; that’s what’s called eroticism. I advise you of that.
Now, if you manage to make your energy and that of the universe flow through every cell of your partner, you achieve, I believe, the maximum vital possibility of the human being—that can’t be bought. So don’t get the wrong idea about me.
After reading that, I want OFAC to sanction his internet access. Just a reminder, this is the oh so sexy Petro in action:
Colombia’s far-left President Gustavo Petro slurring and drooling while giving a speech.
The rumors will only intensify…
— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) November 12, 2025
TL;DR: Sanctions are still in place, credibility is still missing, and now we all have to live with the knowledge that Gustavo Petro considers himself an erotic poet. Someone get me Marco Rubio on the horn — this is an international crime against humanity.
FTO in Venezuela
It’s been another week of rumors, lies, and conjecture from the MSM regarding Venezuela, and if you read my columns, you know I don’t touch any of that. But if you’re curious about what is going on, here’s what I can tell you.
On Sunday, the State Department designated Maduro’s Cartel de los Soles a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO). It will go into effect on November 24, putting even more pressure on Maduro, who is already wobbling under the weight of most of the free world — more pressure than his little regime can handle. Trump has mentioned talking to Maduro this week, but I think those days are over.
Hegseth Says Designating Venezuelan Cartel as Terrorist Org Will Bring ‘New Options’ to Administration: https://t.co/jO6N55mLUo pic.twitter.com/yqt4mlSWh7
— Department of War 🇺🇸 (@DeptofWar) November 21, 2025
With nowhere left to turn — Russia, China, Iran, and Cuba have all sent their warm wishes but nothing concrete — Maduro found religion this week. He claims that only Jesus owns Venezuela — not the damn yanquis in the Trump administration — but it came across as more of an anti-imperialism charade than any actual source of spiritual awakening. Check out all the details here: Maduro’s Backup Plan? Jesus, Apparently.
By the way, Cuba “denounced the lies” of the “corrupt and compulsive liar Secretary of State” this week, claiming that the U.S. needs to leave poor little ol’ Maduro alone. It claims he won his election fair and square and has nothing to do with trafficking and terrorism. First of all, I want to say, keep my Secretary of State’s name out of your mouth. Second of all, the aforementioned Secretary of State handled it just fine with a single clown gif mic drop.
https://t.co/XJel3YZ3VV pic.twitter.com/qUgIV590Yp
— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) November 18, 2025
FAA in Venezuela
As I’m writing this on Friday afternoon, the Federal Aviation Administration has issued a NOTAM warning to pilots flying in Venezuela’s airspace, citing a potentially hazardous situation. It’s basically the strongest possible warning level short of a total ban, and it reads in part (emphasis mine):
OPERATORS ARE ADVISED TO EXERCISE CAUTION WHEN OPERATING IN THE MAIQUETIA FLIGHT INFORMATION REGION (SVZM FIR) AT ALL ALTITUDES DUE TO THE WORSENING SECURITY SITUATION AND HEIGHTENED MILITARY ACTIVITY IN OR AROUND VENEZUELA. THREATS COULD POSE A POTENTIAL RISK TO AIRCRAFT AT ALL ALTITUDES, INCLUDING DURING OVERFLIGHT, THE ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE PHASES OF FLIGHT, AND/OR AIRPORTS AND AIRCRAFT ON THE GROUND.
Whose military action is the question. Maduro has been on state TV bragging about his “heavy weaponry and missiles,” military exercises, and GPS jammers. And, of course, we all know that the USS Gerald R. Ford was officially on station in the Caribbean Sea as of Sunday.
Here’s something else interesting that happened on Friday. For those who don’t watch the skies, a SAM call sign on a plane means a very important person is on board — think cabinet members, military VIPs, a congressional delegation, etc. — and the fact that this plane flew from Washington, D.C. to Grenada, which is a very pro-U.S. island nation just off the coast of Venezuela, tells me something new is cooking. The Trump administration continues its chess game.
USAF C-40 Clipper 02-0042 #AE11F8 as SAM178 departed Terceira, landing at Grenada. Flight originated at JB Andrews. @sipjack1776 @LadyAstroJet @FlconEYES @Arr3ch0 pic.twitter.com/nPdckgp22I
— Johnny Gemini (@Borrowed7Time) November 21, 2025
When it comes to Venezuela, this is the kind of stuff I chase. Not MSM headlines from anonymous sources with an agenda. I was planning to take most of the weekend off, but I’ll be monitoring this and jump back in if needed… unless it happens during the Georgia game tomorrow. Kidding, kidding. Not to toot my own horn, but I was on this long before the MSM, and I’m going to see it through until Venezuela is free.
A Few More Things
1. I was planning to write about the elections in Honduras until that FAA warning popped up, so I’m going to stop here for the sake of my wrists and my editors’ eyes. But I do want to remind y’all that Honduras goes to the polls at the end of the month, and the eyes of the world are upon them. There’s a decent chance it could swing to the right, but a lot of people are afraid that the current far-left president, Xiomara Castro, will pull a Maduro and steal the election. I’ll keep you updated on that, too.
2. On Sunday, Chile went to the polls, and the conservative Trump-like candidate and the Communist Party candidate will now face a run-off in December. The Trump guy is a shoe-in unless something crazy happens: They’re Dropping Like Flies: Yet Another Country Rejects Communism.
3. One thing I’ve felt called to do lately is emphasize humanitarian crises in the Western Hemisphere. These stories aren’t always sexy in conservative media, or the MSM for that matter, and I want to do what I can to change that. I want to tell the stories of the oppressed. Even if my voice only reaches a few people. That doesn’t mean I think the government should get involved — that’s not why I’m writing them — but I do hope it will implore others to do so. I also hope it will highlight what it’s really like for those who live under communism and tyranny. A cautionary tale, I suppose. And bonus: It makes the Democrats parading around, crying about Donald Trump look like imbeciles.
This week, I started with two stories from Venezuela.
The first is the tale of one of many political prisoners, an elderly doctor with a heart condition, who was locked up for telling her neighbors to vote against Maduro last summer because there was no food or medicine in their community. This Is What Dictatorship Looks Like: The Story of Marggie Orozco.
The second is about what it’s like for a child living in Venezuela: The Children Starve While the Emperor Wears $1,000 Shoes.
4. Speaking of humanitarian crises, Cuba is facing a huge one right now. I’ve been following it pretty closely, but I haven’t had a chance to write about it — it’s hard to cover the whole hemisphere with so much going on. I’d like to change that soon. The ongoing energy collapse is at its worst, with most provinces facing 20-plus-hour blackouts and even Havana spending half a day without power. Hospitals are on generators. People are cooking on wood. Food is spoiling. If Maduro goes down, Castro’s legacy in Cuba may very well go next, which I wrote about a few months ago: If Venezuela Falls, Do Cuba and Nicaragua Go With It?
5. When Javier Milei was elected president of Argentina, he cut the use of state funds to prop up the media. Many outlets are going under because of it, including CNN: The Wonderful Reason Why CNN Is Leaving Argentina.
6. I also wrote this week about how the Chinese Communist Party is using educational opportunities to influence young people in Latin America to become pro-China: Tracking China in the Americas: Indoctrinating an Entire Generation
Funnily enough, as I was writing it, the State Department released some information on how it was taking over the Department of Education’s foreign programs because “State is best positioned to tailor foreign education programs with the national security and foreign policy priorities of the United States.” Sounded like the anecdote to what I was writing or, at least, an attempt. As I say, Rubio’s not handing me exclusives… yet, but this week, it felt like we were on the same wavelength.
Have a good weekend, y’all!
Help us report the stories the MSM won’t tell you by becoming a PJ Media VIP member. Right now, memberships are 60% off or less than $20 for the entire year. In addition to supporting us, you gain access to exclusive stories and podcasts, the comments section where you can interact with our team and other readers, an ad-free experience, and much more. Click here to get started. We can’t wait to have you.
