Loading summary
Ryan Reynolds
This podcast is sponsored by Made in Cookware. Made in partners with multi generational artisans and some of the world's best chefs to create professional quality cookware knives and kitchen tools. Their products are trusted in Michelin starred restaurants worldwide and designed to perform just as well in your kitchen. From five ply stainless clad to carbon steel, every piece is built to last and made to actually make you a better cook. Discover award winning cookware@madeincookware.com hey, it's Ryan
Mint Mobile Advertiser
Reynolds here from Mint Mobile.
Podcast Host
Now I was looking for fun ways to tell you that Mint's offer of
Mint Mobile Advertiser
unlimited Premium Wireless for $15 a month is back.
Podcast Host
So I thought it would be fun if we made $15 bills, but it turns out that's very illegal. So there goes my big idea for the commercial. Give it a try@mintmobile.com Switch upfront payment
Shannon Maldonado
of $45 for three months, $90 for
Podcast Host
six months or $180 for a 12 month plan required $15 per month equivalent to extra initial plan term only greater
Ryan Reynolds
than 50 gigabytes me slow when network
Shannon Maldonado
is busy See Terms My name is Shannon Maldonado. I'm the founder of Yaoi, a gift shop from the lens of artists and handmade objects. I chose Shopify because when I was testing other platforms it was definitely one of the most user friendly. It was important to me to think about where we would be in the future. All of the tools for reading your sales, like planning inventory, they're just right there on your dashboard. For anyone starting a small business, the biggest thing I can tell you is it doesn't have to be perfect. Shopify can help you build upon it. Start your free trial on shopify.com if
Odoo Advertiser
your business runs on five different apps, 12 browser tabs, and one spreadsheet that everyone's afraid to touch, it's probably time for Odoo. Odoo is an all in one business management software that connects every part of your business into one powerful, easy to use platform. So instead of wasting time switching between disconnected systems, your entire business works together in real time. Your team moves faster, data stays accurate, and you can actually focus on growing your business. Let one unified system run your entire business. From the first opportunity to the final payment, everything works together in one place. Whether you're a small business or managing a large operation, Odoo gives you the flexible platform built to grow with you. Try today for free@odoo.com that's o d
Mint Mobile Advertiser
o o.com I started Ornod in 2013 and we make bike apparel. The best part of Shopify for me is our ability to run the business as essentially non technical people. We're able to admin everything on the back end, front end and sell things online easily. If Shopify were a bike accessory, I think it would actually be the bicycle. It's the thing that you do the thing on. We run the business on Shopify. Start your free trial on shopify.com all
Podcast Host
hell is breaking loose in Venezuela following the catastrophic earthquakes on June 24, resulting in approximately 2,000 confirmed deaths, tens of thousands of people still missing and likely dead, and over 10,000 people injured. Compounding this catastrophe is that Donald Trump continues to support the authoritarian leader of Venezuela, Delsey Rodriguez and her right hand, Diestado Cabellos, the enforcer. And their regime continues to loot and pillage from the people of Venezuela, blocking critical aid, blocking the rescue efforts in Venezuela. And Donald Trump is blocking Maria Corino Machado, the duly elected leader of Venezuela who was forced to give her Nobel Peace Prize to Donald Trump. Trump is blocking Machado from returning to Venezuela. She wants to be with her people who are suffering there in Venezuela. The people beyond fed up with this Delsey Rodriguez authoritarian regime, which is basically just the Maduro regime. They need aid, they need support. The Trump regime is pretending that's taking place, but they're supporting Delsey. Maria Corinna Machado is trying to get there. She flew to Curacao and the Trump regime refused to acknowledge her diplomatic status, so she was forced to return to the United States. She doesn't have a Venezuelan passport. The Trump regime continues to attack Machado. Remember, she was forced to give Donald Trump her Nobel Peace Prize, and now Donald Trump just says she's out. I'm still supporting Delsey Rodriguez because Donald Trump wants all of that oil money from Venezuela. Donald Trump wants to be applauded because he claims he's given $100 million in aid and support to Venezuela while looting over $5 billion in oil money from the people of Venezuela. And in any event, that money is going to Diestado Cabellos and to Del C. Rodriguez, and it's not reaching the people right now. The absolutely livid. This is what happens when you get into bed with authoritarians and you start to do joint ventures with the bad guys. But then, wait a minute. Donald Trump is one of the worst. No, let me change that. He's the worst authoritarian of them all right now, let's just go through the facts, receipt by receipt, right now. You know, on June 24th of this year, a magnitude 7.2 quake hit north central Venezuela. 39 seconds later, a larger magnitude 7.5 ruptured at almost the same spot. We saw all the buildings get destroyed over there. 58,000 buildings that were likely destroyed. The death count right now is at about 2,000. Over 10,000 injured. Tens of thousands of people remain missing. The body bags that we're seeing there in Venezuela look to be in the tens of thousands. And one story that is now getting more attention, and it certainly deserves this, is that the Trump regime deported about 148 people from the United States right before the earthquake took place on June 24. And the Trump regime deported these people, took away their temporary protected status, put them in Simon Boulevard Airport, then transferred them to a nearby hotel and the earthquake struck. This was hotel sanctuary, like a sanctuary hotel hotel. And then the hotel collapsed. About 140 people who were deported by ICE are likely dead right now and they're missing as a direct result of the Trump regime's cruel behavior. You know, this past week the United States Supreme Court ruled that basically there's no such thing as temporary protected status anymore as long as Donald Trump says I don't want tps. So there's actually more people right now who, who are set to be deported to Venezuela. The cruel and unusual behavior by the Trump regimes just compounding the suffering right now. We'll just go through this step by step. As the New York Times reports as well. US Undercuts Venezuela Opposition leader as she tries to return Maria Carino Machada is like, I want to be with my people. She's like, I won the last election. I want to be with my people. Enough Donald Trump and the Trump regime. You've told me, be patient, be patient. We'll do elections in the future. It's clear that the Trump regime is just going to do whatever Delsey wants. Cuz Donald Trump wants that oil money from Delsey Rodriguez and d' Estado Cabellos. And so Machado's like, let me try to get there. She tried to go to Curacao, Trump blocked her there. She doesn't have a passport. And Trump is refusing to allow the State Department to give her any of the credentials to get to Venezuela. Obviously Delsey Rodriguez does not want Machado in Venezuela right now. And Donald Trump says this is a distraction. She just wants to do a publicity stunt. Why does she want to behave like such a celebrity and get all of this attention the hell even thinks like that? She's the leader of the country. She wants to Be with the people. And right now, Delsey and Deodatos Cabellos, their interior minister, torturer right there, are further torturing the people right now as the death toll continues to mount. Let me just share with you, Katie Fang from the Midas Touch Network has been all over this. She covered what went down at Hotel Santuario where the Trump regime sent 100 right before the earthquake struck. And by the way, even before that, the Trump regime ramped up the deportations of Venezuelans. And by the way, remember, all of the, you know, Miami Latino Republican politicians, like, we're gonna take care of you, we're gonna take care of you. People who are not criminals, people who are here who are working hard. There's probably thousands who have been deported to Venezuela. This group of 100, though, was deported on the day of the earthquake, sent there, and then the hotel collapsed, likely leading to 140 deaths, directly stemming from Trump and ISIS actions. Here's how Katie Fang described it. Let's play it.
Shannon Maldonado
So there was a flight going from Miami to Venezuela and specifically to the Simon Bolivar International Airport. And that flight was a deportation flight that was being run by ICE. And it went again from Miami to Venezuela carrying 146 people, including 19 women and seven children. That flight landed at 10:22am local time last week. Wednesday, those 146 deportees from the United States were taken to La Guerrira, that is a city on the coast in northern Venezuela. It's just north of the capital of Caracas. And they were taken specifically to a hotel, the Hotel Santuario, which, listen, for those of you that speak Spanish, it is just tragic, this name of this hotel, the hotel Sanctuary, the Sanctuary Hotel, it was nothing close. Ended up being a death trap. Just kind of the denouement, the finality of a death kind of path for these poor deportees. And the process of their deaths was started by the Trump administration.
Podcast Host
Then you have this MAGA Republican Congress member from South Florida, Carlos Jimenez, and he's one of the people who basically threw his own people to the wolves. He promised, oh, Donald Trump's gonna take care of you. He's a MAGA Republican from South Florida. And CNN asked them, hey, so hours before this earthquake, ICE and Donald Trump and your policies led to 150 Venezuelans being deported. You all promised you would be compassionate and all these. But you likely are responsible for the deaths of these 150 people. What's your response Here, play this clip.
Interviewer
I do want to ask you, Congressman, about the situation in Venezuela. And specifically this news that we've received that hours before the earthquake, close to 150 people on a deportation flight from Miami were at the epicenter of the earthquakes, and the hotel that they were in collapsed. Many of them remain missing. Their family members say they have not been able to get answers. Do you think that DHS has responsibility to account for those missing?
Congressman Carlos Jimenez
No, I don't. I think that they were deported legally from the United States. They were deported legally from the United States. The fact you had a tragedy afterwards, you can't pin that on dhs. I mean, it's just an act of God. And so, no, I don't.
Odoo Advertiser
Now.
Congressman Carlos Jimenez
I feel for them, and I hope that they turn out to be okay. But, no, that's not something that DHS should be accounted for. That's an act of God. And nobody could have foreseen that an
Interviewer
earthquake was going to happen in Venezuela since last October.
Podcast Host
And again, we're seeing the video footage come in of d' Estado Cabello Rondon, the Interior Minister, the informant enforcer, the torturer for Delsey Rodriguez. He was the torturer for Maduro as well. But this is all part of the same Chavista regime right here. Let me show you the video right here as. As you have Deodatos Cabellos preventing aid from getting to the people. And I just want to be very clear. Deodatos Cabellos had a $25 million bounty on him for being a narco terrorist. You know, Donald Trump talks about narco terrorist. This is Trump's guy, okay? I don't want to hear, oh, Donald Trump's giving money. No, he's not. Donald Trump supports Diaz Dado. Donald Trump supports Del C. Donald Trump is blocking Maria Karina Machado. And by the way, I was kind of disenchanted with how Maria Karina Machado was, like, giving Donald Trump the Peace Prize and had to suck up to him in the past. It's hard for me to put myself in her shoes, obviously. Very hard, you know, to say, like, what she thought she was doing by sucking up to Donald Trump. But you certainly did not get him to view you more powerfully. Quite the contrary. It's why the only thing you can do is show strength and call him out because he's a pathetic loser when you call him out. This is Diaz Dado Cabello preventing aid from getting through. Play this clip.
Mint Mobile Advertiser
America's family farms are in trouble. Foreign entities and corporate conglomerates control the majority of America's meat industry. Hijacking your dinner table and crushing our family farms. So what can we do about this? Let me tell you about a company that's coming up swinging on behalf of American family farms and your family's food security. Moink. That's Moo plus Oink. They offer grass fed and grass finished beef and lamb, pastured pork and chicken born, raised and harvested right here in the United States of America from real American family farms. Bacon don't lie folks. And the Moink difference is a difference that you can taste. Moink is the real deal, folks. I love it and you will too join the Moink movement today.
Ryan Reynolds
Here.
Mint Mobile Advertiser
I'll make it easy for you to get started. I've asked them to give you their flavor bursting meaty chicken wings free for a year. Go to moinkbox.com Midas Touch right now and get your free chicken wings in every paid box. Enjoy the highest quality meat and take a stand for the American family farms. Spelled M O I n k box.com Midas Touch that's moinkbox.com Midas Touch M E I D A T A S T O U C H and I'll
Podcast Host
share this with you as dozens of people who were working on rescue efforts in one of the parishes there confronted a group of soldiers who were at the scene carrying surveillance tasks. As frustration grows among residents over the limited assistance they've been receiving from the Delsey regime. Play this clip.
Commentator
Ah,
Podcast Host
You can see right here the Venezuelan dictatorship blocking people like they're not doing the search and rescue. So the people are trying to take it into their own hands. You'll see Delsey, which we should just say the Trump regime. Del C is a puppet of Trump. So this is the Trump regime. Police in Venezuela blocking the people. And here it goes. You see what happens when Donald Trump forms this alliance with Delta? This is the result and this is how it should be being called out on all corporate, on all news right here, here playing this clip. Now you have MAGA Republican Congresswoman Maria Salazar from South Florida. You know, and she was like, we need Maria Carino Machado. She's the legitimate leader. Why is Del C doing this? Why is Diaz Dado doing this? You are a Trump sycophant, Congresswoman Salazar. Don't you all realize this is all because of you and your sycophantic support of Donald Trump and his regime? Here, play this clip. More from MAGA Republican Congresswoman Salazar. And she was like, oh, Donald Trump supports the Dignity Act. Remember when she would always say that he will never go after people who are Cubans and Venezuelans and Haitians and Colombians and all people from South America, Latin America, who are not criminals. He gave me his word. He supports. He doesn't support the dignity act. What are you talking about? He supports Delsey the authoritarian in Venezuela. He supports taking the oil money from Venezuela for himself and for his oligarchs while he makes billions of freaking dollars on crypto. Watch what Salazar says.
Congressman Carlos Jimenez
Play this clip.
Commentator
This video by Diozaro Cabello, who did not allow for this crew to continue going towards where the victims were because they needed to finish filming a video that goes to show you where their heart is. And that's very troublesome for the White House. Everything is a major disaster. But the big challenge here is to tell Delsy, you cannot stop the aid coming from the United States, regardless of the source. You know, I was hearing that Bukele, he is directing the operations of his own crew via satellite or via Zoom while Delsi is nowhere to be found. How come the president of El Salvador is more effective than the interim president? We know where our heart is. We need to figure out and ask where her intentions and her heart is. Yozdaro Delsey, we got to send a very clear message, and I'm doing it right now in English, that the Delsey interim government cannot stop any aid coming from the United States or the international community. She cannot do that because that's going to be a very big black mark on her people.
Podcast Host
And then noticeably, notably, then you have Maga Republican Congressmember Jimenez saying the people of Venezuela are facing an unprecedented humanitarian crisis. The regime is impeding aid from flowing directly into the hands of the Venezuelan people. Dude, you are the regime. You think you are the good guy. Carlos Jimenez, you are Trump's guy. Trump works with Delsy and Datos. You're the regime. You are the person preventing them from getting the a. Don't you realize that as Donald Trump prevents Machado from even getting back, you're the regime. You don't see that idiot Here, Play this clip.
Interviewer
The US has put more than $300 million and search and rescue teams into this effort. Do you think that aid should be conditioned on democratic reforms? The release of more political prisoners, letting in opposition leader Maria Corina Machado? Do you think that the Rodriguez interim leadership in Caracas is capable of handling this response?
Congressman Carlos Jimenez
No, I don't think that they are. And I think they've already demonstrated that they're not capable. Capable of handling the response. I am in favor of our humanitarian aid going to Venezuela. And obviously I'm in favor of any effort that speeds up the process of restoring democracy and freedom to the people of Venezuela. As you know, I've called Delsey Rodriguez, not the interim president, she's the interim dictator. She's part of the old regime. And, and that regime is really not doing. In other words, they're failing at their job right now and the United States has to come in and help them out as much as possible. You know, you've got a lot of innocent people that are caught in the rubble. There's a lot of need there, a lot of homeless people. So the United States should be helping the people of Venezuela. And yeah, we should be extracting more from the regime. Say if you want our help, then we need to speed up the process of restoring democracy to Venezuela.
Podcast Host
Here's Delsey Rodriguez doing publicity stunts and pulling the rescuers away from doing, you know, the rescuing so she can do Trump style propaganda events. Play this clip. In the midst of a natural. And I'll share this with you. As a soldier from the Venezuelan regime was caught by relatives of an earthquake victim at the collapsed towers in Laguela drinking liquor while people were desperately trying to search for their loved ones. Here, Play this clip. Take a look right here. This is Laguera, Venezuela. Tonight, it looks like a nuclear warhead was dropped, as Buzz Patterson says.
Mint Mobile Advertiser
Here.
Podcast Host
Play this clip. And I'll just share with you this B roll as you can see what it looked like when the earthquake hit for yourself. I'll show you other B roll right here after showing you the B roll of that earthquake. This is B roll. Shocking images of La Guera. Hundreds of coffins are being transported by emergency personnel amid the responses to those earthquakes right there. Horrific stuff. But let's be clear. Trump is with Delsy. Trump is with Deodatos. Trump is preventing the aid. When Trump, if you say, oh, well, Ben, the State Department's giving money, they're giving it to Del C. Trump supports the corrupt regime over there. Don't you get it? Trump is the corrupt regime. Trump saying they're the 51st state. Trump saying all these things. This is, this is what you get with Donald fricking Trump. Blood is on his hands. Blood is on the hands of ice for the whole look, obviously they can't control the earthquakes. Although I will say I am wondering. I just asking questions. There's been lots of drilling and lots of seismic activity as a result of renewed oil and renewed drilling. I'm not suggesting, I'm an expert in this area, so I don't want to go down that route. And obviously, you know, other than the possibilities there. But I don't have the science to back that up, to make the link between the excess drilling, the excavations taking place right now by the Trump regime there to suck out all of the resources. So obviously, you know, who controls, you know, the actual natural disaster separate, but the response to it is being completely botched by Delsey and Deodatos. And that's Trump. That's Trump's crew. Let me know what you think. Hit subscribe let's get to 7 million. Thank you for watching this. Want to stay plugged in? Become a subscriber to our substack@midasplus.com you'll get daily recaps from Ron Filipkowski, ad free episodes of our podcast, and more
Mint Mobile Advertiser
exclusive content only available@midasplus.com.
Episode Title: Trump Attacks Venezuela after Disaster
Date: July 1, 2026
Hosts: Ben, Brett, and Jordy Meiselas
This episode provides a searing breakdown of the political and humanitarian fallout in Venezuela following catastrophic earthquakes on June 24, 2026. The Meiselas brothers dissect the U.S. response, focusing specifically on the Trump administration’s alignment with the authoritarian Venezuelan regime under Delsy Rodriguez and Diestado Cabellos, its deportation policies, and the broader implications for democracy and human rights in Venezuela. The hosts blend investigative reporting, political critique, and their trademark brotherly banter to expose what they characterize as both foreign and domestic policy failures by Donald Trump and his Republican allies, with pointed emphasis on humanitarian consequences.
[02:54] The episode opens with a staggering description of the double earthquake disaster:
Quote:
“The absolutely livid. This is what happens when you get into bed with authoritarians and you start to do joint ventures with the bad guys. But then, wait a minute: Donald Trump is one of the worst. No, let me change that. He’s the worst authoritarian of them all right now.” – Ben Meiselas [05:09]
[02:54-09:20] The brothers detail how Trump openly supports Delsy Rodriguez (current leader and Maduro successor) and Diestado Cabellos ("the enforcer"), enriching them while claiming to provide humanitarian aid.
Trump blocks opposition leader Maria Corina Machado (who, under duress, gave her Nobel Peace Prize to Trump) from returning to help her people, allowing the regime to go unchecked.
U.S. diplomatic channels are purposely obstructed to prevent Machado’s safe passage.
Quote:
“Trump is blocking Machado from returning to Venezuela. She wants to be with her people… The Trump regime is pretending that’s taking place, but they’re supporting Delsy.” – Ben Meiselas [03:30]
[06:42-10:43] Focus turns to the stunning tragedy of ICE deportations:
Notable Moment:
“About 140 people who were deported by ICE are likely dead right now and they’re missing as a direct result of the Trump regime’s cruel behavior.” – Ben Meiselas [06:42]
Guest Analysis:
“The hotel Sanctuary… ended up being a death trap. Just the finality of a death kind of path for these poor deportees. And the process of their deaths was started by the Trump administration.” – Katie Fang [09:57]
[10:43-12:18] Clips are played of Congress member Carlos Jimenez deflecting any U.S. (DHS/ICE) responsibility for the fate of deportees killed by the earthquake.
Quote:
“I think that they were deported legally… the fact you had a tragedy afterwards, you can’t pin that on DHS. I mean, it’s just an act of God.” – Congressman Carlos Jimenez [11:48]
The hosts argue this is a cynical evasion of moral responsibility and sharply criticize such attitudes.
[14:09-15:23] Focus shifts to active obstruction by the regime:
Quote:
“You can see right here the Venezuelan dictatorship blocking people… they’re not doing the search and rescue. So the people are trying to take it into their own hands.” – Ben Meiselas [16:10]
[15:47-21:45] The episode skewers Republican politicians (notably Maria Salazar and Carlos Jimenez) for public statements that call out the Venezuelan regime – while simultaneously supporting Trump and his authoritarian alliances.
The hosts and commentators expose the hypocrisy of pro-democracy rhetoric while enabling and enriching strongmen.
Quote:
“You are the regime. You are the person preventing them from getting the aid. Don’t you realize that as Donald Trump prevents Machado from even getting back, you’re the regime.” – Ben Meiselas [19:44]
[21:45-23:22] Firsthand accounts detail the public's loss of patience:
Quote:
“This is Laguera, Venezuela. Tonight, it looks like a nuclear warhead was dropped.” – Ben Meiselas [22:16]
[23:22-25:43] The hosts comment on the potential (but unproven) link between drilling activity, seismic instability, and the disaster’s scale, laying blame for the corrupt resource exploitation at Trump’s feet, but clarifying there’s no scientific proof yet.
Quote:
“I am wondering… there’s been lots of drilling and lots of seismic activity as a result of renewed oil and renewed drilling... But I don’t have the science to back that up...” – Ben Meiselas [24:35]
On U.S. complicity:
“Blood is on his hands. Blood is on the hands of ICE…” – Ben Meiselas [23:00]
On Maria Corina Machado’s struggle:
“She’s the leader of the country. She wants to be with the people.” – Ben Meiselas [07:23]
On regime priorities:
“This video by Diozaro Cabello… did not allow for this crew to continue going towards where the victims were because they needed to finish filming a video.” – Commentator [18:35]
This episode shines a stark spotlight on the interconnectedness of authoritarian alliances, cynical immigration policies, and failed humanitarian response in the wake of Venezuela’s “unprecedented” tragedy. The MeidasTouch brothers, employing a mix of legal insight, impassioned commentary, and advocacy journalism, argue that Trump and his congressional allies bear direct and indirect responsibility for Venezuela’s ongoing suffering. The episode is rich with powerful quotes, illuminating analysis, and urgent appeals for accountability and democratic reform.
For deeper ongoing coverage, the hosts direct listeners to subscribe and follow the latest updates and analysis at the show’s online platforms.