Op Ed: “JB”-

So I was just sitting here compiling my 2025 “PNO” – YEAR in REVIEW. A BIG part of what I was composing was about how there is NO OTHER country in LATAM that has been more ADVERSELY affected over the past few years from the instability of VENEZUELA than us right here in PANAMA.

And in the past few months, well pretty much ALL of 2025, it showed NO signs of changing.

Starting with the BOLD claims of TRUMP “TAKING BACK THE CANAL“. * A hollow claim that I have always stated was a cause and effect reaction to ALL of the business transacted between CHINA and PANAMA during the VARELA administration. (see CK Hutchison, a strangley WESTERN sounding Conglomerate, yet undeinably CHINESE). 

Again, I am not some “INSIDER“. I merely offer an INFORMED OPINON, based off my Military and Customs career spanning 3 decades. I don’t hide the FACT that I am NO FAN of TRUMP. Having said that, I am genuinely NO FAN of AMERICAN POLITICS in any form. The wife and I feel the same and have ALWAYS planned on retiring abroad.

I have “Personal” opinions of “The Donald” that precede anything PRESIDENTIAL in nature. So, if anything my time here has allowed me to truly view things from an impartial perspective.

a) I was embarassed and hated the manner in which TRUMP discussed THE CANAL earlier this year. He again came off as a BOMBASTIC BULLY, devoid of any TACT. Eseentially threatening Mulino not in so many words. HOWEVER:  As I mentioned above, when considering the chess manuevering that occurred between VARELA and LI XINPING while BIDEN was napping, I did AGREE that American interests needed to be addressed.

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/china-reacts-with-condemnation–but-no-threats–as-the-fallout-from-trumps-venezuela-attack-begins-to-ripple-135704617.html

b) Ever since we made Panama our new home, MADURO has been simply a “Monster“. To both native Venezuela as well as the stability of the entire LATAM region. The immigrant flow of people desperately seeking to escape his totalitarian and violent rule has been the demise of DARIEN for 5 years now. With all of the sabre rattling and the recent sinking of a vessel, I did NOT want Military intervention given the close ties to PUTIN.  HOWEVER: It is very hard for me living in Panama to NOT view the apprehension and removal of MADURO as a good thing, so I yet again AGREE. 

And COLOMBIA, may very well be the next move on the chess board.

So here is my conflict-  TRUMP in his usual and fully expected with his HUBRIS, after a mere seconds after completing what BY DEFINITION- was a Un-Sanctioned, Unilateral, Military Operation, upon a SOVERIGN NATION…….I/E  HOSTILE TAKEOVER. He was IMMEDIATELY quoted and reported upon globally as stating- “We will assume control over the vast oil reserves located in Venezuela” and also “We will run Venezuela at this time.”  These are very jarring and bold statements that are dripping with COLONIZATION…….in 2026 no less.                    And yet again, HOWEVER:

This is PRECISELY what G.W BUSH did in IRAQ.       EXACTLY what G.W BUSH did in IRAQ.   And around the GLOBE, the entire PLANET took a SHIT!!!!!   Yet NOBODY did so in DEFENSE of SADDAM HUSSEIN. Everyone was in agreement worldwide that SADDAM was a genuine EVIL and CORRUPT DICTATOR. One son was politically complicit and involved in the release of CHEMICAL WEAPONS on the Kurds. The other son a PSYCHOPATHIC murderer and MASS RAPIST. All of America knew very well that SADDAM HUSSEIN had become DRUNK on POWER and was a DANGER to the REGION.  As a point of anecdotal FACT, it was known because anyone who had a Library Card or Internet Browser at the time would have known that it was not only the UNITED STATES, but the SECRETARY of DEFENSE- Donald Rumsfeld that hand picked and PLACED him in POWER during the IRAN/IRAQ War.

            …………..

The THING that ANGERED MOST, was the whole “WEAPONS of MASS DESTRUCTION” and “SPONSOR of TERRORISM” BULLSHIT NARRATIVE of FALSE justification that was FORCE FED TO EVERYONE. It was a ridiulously HOLLOW and WEAK attempt at CRISIS MANAGEMENT that simply DID NOT HOLD WATER.

MY HONEST QUESTION and POINT from a NON-TRUMP SUPPORTER:

In the PAST, BOTH America as well as the World, HATED being “LIED TO” –

                 A WAR that INSISTED it was NOT about “Regime Change” or “Oil” ……….WAS about “Regime Change” and “Oil“.

A “Puppet” SUNNI and SHIA co-GOVERNMENT was HAND PICKED by the “COALITION“.   Repeated shortly thereafter in AFGHANISTAN with KARZAI.

So I sit here now in Panama, as a Retired VET, Customs Agent, and Unaffilliated Party Voter, and asking a simple question that I would LOVE an OPINION on….

ARE PEOPLE AND THE WORLD JUDGING TRUMP PURELY ON THE MERITS OF HIS ACTIONS, OR THE BLUNT, DIRECT, UN-POLISHED, and BRASH MANNER IN WHICH HE DOES THEM??

Panama and all of LATAM is BETTER without MADURO. Period.

Saludos-

“J.B”