388: Trump Arrests Maduro: What Does It Mean For Latin America?

For decades, Venezuela has been ravaged by socialism and the rule of strongmen like Hugo Chávez and Nicolás Maduro. It is a country that has watched its most capable citizens flee for more than a decade. But after the shocking capture and arrest of Nicolás Maduro, as you can imagine, I’ve been getting questions left and right from the Expat Money community about the situation in Venezuela. 

In today’s episode, my co-host Marc Clair and I break down what this arrest means for international law and geopolitical power, what it may mean inside Venezuela, and why this is not a classic “regime change” story. We also speculate on the real motives behind the move, who may be pulling strings, and where this could go next.

 

IN TODAY’S EPISODE

  • Listen in as Marc and I discuss what Maduro’s arrest means for international law and geopolitical power politics
  • Learn why this is not a traditional regime change and what that means for Venezuela internally
  • Hear our take on how this fits into Trump’s renewed focus on Latin America and the Monroe Doctrine
  • Find out what we think the real motives are, who the key players may be, and what comes next

 

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WEALTH, FREEDOM & PASSPORTS CONFERENCE, MARCH 6-7, 2026

Join us in Panama City from March 6-7, 2026, for our second annual in-person event, the Wealth, Freedom and Passports Conference! Prices go up January 10th, and space is very limited, so reserve your tickets right away.

 

RELATED EPISODES

387: The Leaders Shaping Latin America’s Shift Toward Freedom

365: The Bukele Effect: Inside El Salvador’s Radical Transformation

340: Expat News: Trump Sends Rubio To Panama & Javier Milei’s Meme Coin Scandal

 

About The Host, Mikkel Thorup

Mikkel Thorup; the host of The Expat Money Show, has 20+ years in continual travel around the world, visiting more than 100 countries including Colombia, North Korea, Zimbabwe and Iran.

His goal now is to help Expats just like you to generate additional streams of income, eliminate your tax bill, and take advantage of offshore structures so you can travel the world freely and never have to worry about money again.


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2 Comments

  1. Jeff on 01/09/2026 at 6:35 PM

    It was extraordinary to listen to one self proclaimed libertarian and another that claims to have such leanings whitewash and excuse the President of the United States declaring himself king and acting like a king. You both agreed he was acting like a king, yet neither of you could bring yourself to criticize him for doing so. I guess as long as you have the possibility of making money off his actions you do not really care.

    I would hope in the future neither of you would assume to associate yourself with libertarianism ever again.

    • Mikkel Thorup on 02/03/2026 at 5:48 PM

      Yeah I am unconcerned with the label of libertarian, I am just calling things as I see them. Trump has claimed himself king by his actions. Not my king, just a king. I am safely far away from him and all the other crazy things happening in the USA.

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