Hold These Truths with Dan Crenshaw

Episode Title: The Venezuela Op: What's Next for the Western Hemisphere?
Guest: Daniel Di Martino (Fellow at Manhattan Institute, Founder of the Dissident Project)
Date: January 8, 2026

Overview

In this high-stakes episode, Congressman Dan Crenshaw welcomes Daniel Di Martino for a timely and impassioned discussion following the dramatic U.S.-led extraction of Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro. Together, they explore the implications of the operation on Venezuela, the broader region, and U.S. foreign policy, offering first-hand perspectives, historical context, and candid opinions on what lies ahead for both Venezuela and the Western Hemisphere. The conversation is marked by personal anecdotes, sharp political analysis, and reflections on the lessons for American and Latin American politics.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Capture of Nicolás Maduro: Historic Intervention

• Recap of the Operation:
  Crenshaw recounts the January 3rd U.S. mission to capture Maduro and his wife on charges of narco-terrorism and threats to U.S. national security. Di Martino describes the event as “the happiest day of my life, to be honest. It was incredible.” (02:32)
• Legality of the Action:
  Crenshaw explains the U.S. justification: “We were not going after a head of state ... Neither this administration nor the Biden administration considered him a legitimate head of state.” (09:46)
• Operation Details:
  • DOJ-led action, not a military act of aggression.
  • Maduro was read his Miranda rights on-site and “protected him from all the shots coming in ... as they were going on their exfil to the helicopters.” (10:33)
  • Both hosts express pride that the mission treated Maduro as a criminal, not a martyr.

2. Venezuela’s Descent: Personal and Historical Perspective

• From Prosperity to Collapse:
  Di Martino shares personal memories: “Every day becoming worse than the previous one ... By 2016 ... we were making less money, but like actually we need to tap into our savings to not starve ... We don't have electricity now; we don't have water.” (06:33-07:21)
• Early Warning Signs of Socialism:
  • “If you have a politician that just doesn't respect or believe in fully in private property, that is an easy no.” (08:18)
  • Ideologies “based on resentment and envy ... nothing that comes from sin can end in virtue.” (08:50)
• Election Rigging Timeline:
  • Early elections under Chávez were “fully free and fair,” but rigging and abuses began in the mid-2000s.
  • Under Maduro, “all the elections ... since 2013 have been rigged,” with increasingly blatant fraud. (11:41-12:51)

3. Venezuelan Reaction and Ground Realities

• Popular Sentiment:
  • Di Martino: “Everybody’s very happy and expectant about [the operation]. They would love to celebrate it, but obviously would be too risky ... The regime has deployed police and military in the streets.” (13:26)
  • People are desperate for transition, but must be patient in the face of ongoing repression.
• Transition Hopes and Challenges:
  • Discussion of Vice President Delcy Rodríguez, now interim leader, described as “just as evil as Maduro.” (15:27)
  • Drawing out the transition to outlast President Trump is a known risk: “We need to ensure this happens ... as soon as possible.” (18:34)

4. The U.S. Legacy and Regional Impact

• Policy Shifts:
  • Crenshaw notes President Trump’s boldness: “The politics of an intervention like this... are always difficult. President Trump just went ahead and did it.” (03:57)
  • This may prove “the most successful foreign policy achievement of the US since the end of the Cold War.” (02:46)
• Regional Domino Effects:
  • If Venezuela transitions, expect revelations about regional leaders’ corruption. “It's going to be like the Panama Papers, but times a thousand.” (22:39)
  • Fears among Cuban, Colombian, and Mexican elites.
• Monroe Doctrine Revived:
  Crenshaw remarks: “President Trump has mentioned the Monroe Doctrine... hey, what the heck happened to that?” (24:37)

5. The Opposition, Internal Challenges, and Lessons for America

• Obstacles to Reform:
  • Military remains on the streets—prisoners, repression, fear tactics continue.
  • Rubio (as Secretary of State) credited for actionable transition plan.
  • Continued leverage: embargoes enforced, oil deals monitored.
• What the U.S. Should (and Shouldn’t) Do:
  • Focus efforts on pressuring for elections and release of prisoners.
  • Recognize “practical measures”—sometimes must work with undesirables temporarily.
• U.S. Political Reactions:
  • Di Martino: “There's the knee jerk reaction to whatever Trump does is evil and, you know, therefore he's a dictator and it's ridiculous.” (28:01)
  • Crenshaw: Democrats “deflect from speaking ... about basic border security” but now “we are going after the root cause” in Venezuela. (25:40, 27:58)
  • “If anything, Venezuelans just want to build our own nation. We're not allowed to by their regime in power.” – Di Martino (27:27)
• International Law & Human Rights:
  • “Show me which treaty ... this violates, because that's the only law that applies in the United States.” – Di Martino (28:42)
  • Invokes “Responsibility to Protect” and humanitarian precedent. (29:26)

6. Migration, Returning Diaspora, and Nation-Building

• Migration Crisis:
  • 9 million Venezuelans have fled; largest peacetime refugee crisis in history.
  • Di Martino expects “maybe 2 1/2 million ... will return to Venezuela” if the country stabilizes—citing historical parallels with Yugoslavian returnees. (31:15)
• Role of Diaspora:
  • Venezuelans in the U.S., esp. Houston: “I don’t really know ... I haven’t seen any Venezuelan upset about this [Maduro’s arrest].” (25:17)
  • Millions eager to go back and rebuild their homeland.

7. Broader Implications: Latin America, Fake Narratives, and U.S. Populism

• Unmasking Regional Corruption:
  • Anticipated revelations about leftist leaders, illicit financing, and entanglements.
  • Crenshaw: “We'll see some pretty positive changes. It's good to see Venezuelans happy for a change.” (42:57)
• Anti-American Sentiment & U.S. Policy:
  • “CIA coups and this and that ... You're just looking for somebody to blame.” (43:14)
  • “It's so easy to confront [criticism] with some simple logic.” (28:22)
• Populism, Socialism, and Political Lessons:
  • Concerns over rise of left-wing populists in the U.S. (e.g., Mamdani’s NYC win).
  • “Most elections are decided [by] the charisma of the candidates, not even the policies.” – Di Martino (49:43)
  • Both warn about “Blame America first” attitudes crossing into right-wing populism.
• The Dissident Project:
  • Di Martino highlights his New York-based activism, direct engagement with young socialists, and educational outreach. (47:57)
  • Crenshaw affirms the importance of education on the dangers of socialism.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• [02:32] Daniel Di Martino: “The happiest day of my life, to be honest. It was incredible. I couldn't believe it, the videos … this is going to prove a very popular action because it was a very successful action and people like success.”

• [09:46] Dan Crenshaw: “We were not going after a head of state ... Neither this administration nor the Biden administration considered him a legitimate head of state.”

• [13:26] Daniel Di Martino: “Everybody's very happy and expectant about it. They would love to celebrate it, but obviously would be too risky for them.”

• [15:27] Daniel Di Martino: “Delcy [Rodríguez] is just as evil as Maduro. She, in fact, I would say she was raised to be evil and a Marxist ... they're really psychopaths.”

• [22:39] Daniel Di Martino: “It's going to be like the Panama Papers, but times a thousand ... The scandals of thieves, of drug traffickers. It's going to be glorious … that's going to benefit us here a lot.”

• [27:27] Daniel Di Martino: “If anything, Venezuelans just want to build our own nation. We're not allowed to by their regime in power.”

• [28:42] Daniel Di Martino: “Point to me, which treaty the Congress ratified this violates, because that's the only law that applies in the United States.”

• [31:15] Daniel Di Martino: “Maybe 2 1/2 million people ... will return to Venezuela out of the world. Most of those people I expect to be the ones who are in Colombia because it's next door.”

• [44:49] Daniel Di Martino: “You need to advance your interest ... as the United States. That's rational. Like also, people are allowed to have opinions.”

• [49:43] Daniel Di Martino: “Most elections are decided [by] the charisma of the candidates, not even the policies.”

• [52:00] Daniel Di Martino: “She called them the Blame America first. Because everything is America's fault. Everything is our fault.”

• [52:29] Dan Crenshaw: “But at least Trump is, is very much the opposite of that. And absolutely like he's showed it in this intervention. I mean he's the one who's, who's made the slogan great again. So he gets to define it.”

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [00:24] – [02:46]: Crenshaw & Di Martino react to Maduro’s capture, U.S. operation details, personal reactions.
• [04:58] – [07:21]: Di Martino on growing up during Venezuela’s decline; first-hand hardship.
• [08:18] – [09:23]: Discussion of early warning signs and ideological pitfalls leading to collapse.
• [11:08] – [12:51]: Timeline of election fraud and rigging in Venezuela.
• [13:26] – [15:21]: Reaction inside Venezuela: Joy, fear, expectation. Transition and regime behavior.
• [17:24] – [18:45]: Regime’s internal politics and risk of stalling for time; U.S. leverage.
• [20:01] – [21:19]: Maduro’s crimes, American legal strategies, and symbolic victory.
• [22:06] – [23:47]: Regional shockwaves and expectations for future revelations of corruption.
• [27:27] – [30:21]: U.S. left’s reaction, root causes of migration, humanitarian law.
• [31:15] – [32:13]: Likelihood of Venezuelan diaspora returning.
• [39:05] – [41:39]: U.S. media, foreign influence, and the dangers of infiltration.
• [43:14] – [45:38]: Anti-U.S. sentiment in Latin America and lessons for U.S. policy.
• [47:57] – [49:43]: The Dissident Project and engagement with young American socialists.
• [52:00] – [53:54]: “Blame America first” politics and closing reflections.

Conclusion

This episode blends timely analysis, personal experience, and policy debate to frame the Venezuelan operation as a watershed moment for U.S. foreign policy and Latin America’s future. Crenshaw and Di Martino are optimistic yet clear-eyed about the complexity of transitions, warning Americans against complacency and ideological naïveté. The ultimate message: leadership, strength, and the pursuit of freedom—both in Venezuela and at home—are both possible and necessary.