What Venezuela Teaches Americans About Democracy with with the last U.S. Ambassador to Venezuela

Well, that was very diplomatic.

I appreciate [laughs] you know, the, uh, the cautious optimism.

That's good.

I know folks, uh, including myself, I guess armchair, uh, observers of the situation would like to see progress towards the things that we worked on.

But, um, uh, good to stay cautiously optimistic.

Ambassador, you have been very generous with your time.

One final thought.

You know, we like to, um, to, to bring this all back.

So we've talked a lot about how important this is, and I hope our audience kind of, uh, feels that, uh, a- as palpably as we do.

But what are three reasons why, um, American citizens should care about what's happening in Venezuela and, and what happens there?

We should, we should care about any place where illegal armed groups run free, uh, because they can have a direct impact on the, on the United States, um, either through drugs or, or through human trafficking, or you kind of, you, you, you kind of name it.

I think, I think it's really important.

I think fundamentally we should care because of who we are as a nation, right? I think it's important for us to recognize, I mean, my, my faith tradition is, "Do what you can with what you have where you are." I think it's really important.

Um, uh, and then, and then obviously, y- you know, on the trade front and everything else, a democratic Venezuela that has institutions is going to be an economic powerhouse, a, a pow- uh, of, of oil and critical minerals and all the things that are gonna fuel the 21st century economy.

Massive opportunities for us, but only if they have the institutions in place that matter.

And finally, you didn't really ask this, but I'll say it.

I think Venezuela is an example of the fragility of democracy, and that our need to weed the garden every day- Uh, you have to imagine that it rains every day, weeds grow every day, and you have to weed that garden every day.

And I always suggest to people when I give these talks, get engaged in your local, uh, uh, democratic actors, uh, actions, right? Uh, it matters who's on the school board.

It matters, uh, heck, who the dog catcher is.

It matters who your member of Congress is.

It certainly matters as well across the board for president and what have you.

And I think people need to be more engaged.

I'd like to see, um, I'd like to see it easier to vote in the United States.

I think it should be as easy to vote in the United States as it is to file your taxes online or do anything else.

Um, and I think people should be more engaged, because if you don't, that institutionality piece is what concerns me, you know, the strength of institutions.

Well, that was very diplomatic.

I appreciate [laughs] you know, the, uh, the cautious optimism.

That's good.

I know folks, uh, including myself, I guess armchair, uh, observers of the situation would like to see progress towards the things that we worked on.

But, um, uh, good to stay cautiously optimistic.

Ambassador, you have been very generous with your time.

One final thought.

You know, we like to, um, to, to bring this all back.

So we've talked a lot about how important this is, and I hope our audience kind of, uh, feels that, uh, a- as palpably as we do.

But what are three reasons why, um, American citizens should care about what's happening in Venezuela and, and what happens there?

We should, we should care about any place where illegal armed groups run free, uh, because they can have a direct impact on the, on the United States, um, either through drugs or, or through human trafficking, or you kind of, you, you, you kind of name it.

I think, I think it's really important.

I think fundamentally we should care because of who we are as a nation, right? I think it's important for us to recognize, I mean, my, my faith tradition is, "Do what you can with what you have where you are." I think it's really important.

Um, uh, and then, and then obviously, y- you know, on the trade front and everything else, a democratic Venezuela that has institutions is going to be an economic powerhouse, a, a pow- uh, of, of oil and critical minerals and all the things that are gonna fuel the 21st century economy.

Massive opportunities for us, but only if they have the institutions in place that matter.

And finally, you didn't really ask this, but I'll say it.

I think Venezuela is an example of the fragility of democracy, and that our need to weed the garden every day- Uh, you have to imagine that it rains every day, weeds grow every day, and you have to weed that garden every day.

And I always suggest to people when I give these talks, get engaged in your local, uh, uh, democratic actors, uh, actions, right? Uh, it matters who's on the school board.

It matters, uh, heck, who the dog catcher is.

It matters who your member of Congress is.

It certainly matters as well across the board for president and what have you.

And I think people need to be more engaged.

I'd like to see, um, I'd like to see it easier to vote in the United States.

I think it should be as easy to vote in the United States as it is to file your taxes online or do anything else.

Um, and I think people should be more engaged, because if you don't, that institutionality piece is what concerns me, you know, the strength of institutions.