Venezuela’s Decline Mirrors Berlin Wall’s Fall, Expert Reveals Insights from Soviet-Era Refugees
Independent Women’s Center for Energy and Conservation director and daughter of Soviet escapees Gabriella Hoffman speaks to Fox News Digital about the market and geopolitical implications of the capture of Venezuela’s Nicolas Maduro.
The fall of Venezuela’s socialist regime is being hailed as a generational turning point, reminiscent of the collapse of the Berlin Wall. Energy expert Gabriella Hoffman believes that the scenes unfolding in Venezuela echo the jubilation of people who once lived behind the Iron Curtain.
Hoffman, who is the director of the Independent Women’s Forum’s Center for Energy and Conservation and the daughter of parents who escaped the Soviet Union, told Fox News Digital that the upheaval in Venezuela signifies not just a political shift but a restoration of freedom after decades of authoritarian rule.
“You look back at the imagery and kind of the fervor and excitement of people who were kept behind the Iron Curtain; you see that same excitement and jubilation of having freedom restored to the people of Venezuela,” Hoffman remarked.
She emphasized, “America first does not mean America alone. Socialism is a horrible, wretched system ideology you shouldn’t wish on anyone. The Venezuela case study shows that if they regain their freedom, we will reflect on this time and realize that even in countries that adopt socialism, freedom can be restored if the right tools are in place and if the horrible dictators are deposed.”
OIL EXPERTS PREDICT SLIGHT RISE IN GAS PRICES AS GLOBAL TENSIONS MOUNT
Recently, U.S. forces captured Venezuela’s leader and alleged narco-terrorist Nicolás Maduro, bringing him to New York to face four federal criminal charges, including narco-terrorism conspiracy and possession of machine guns.
A man walks past a mural depicting an oil pump and the Venezuelan flag in a street of Caracas, on May 26, 2022. (Getty Images)
Hoffman elaborated on how Maduro exploited the socialist regime established by former President Hugo Chávez to nationalize and weaponize the country’s oil supply, which holds one of the world’s largest proven oil reserves. Following the recent developments, Reuters reported a slight rise in oil prices, reacting to potential U.S. impacts on crude flow from Venezuela.
“[Chávez, Maduro] used oil as a cudgel and a means to sustain their dictatorship, depressing oil production and nationalizing it so only the state could own oil,” she explained. “Oil was weaponized to keep that regime afloat and manipulate OPEC markets. With the U.S. likely taking over the oil industry temporarily, we can expect an increase in oil valuation and production in the short term.”
Fox News senior strategic analyst Gen. Jack Keane (ret.) joins ‘Varney & Co.’ to analyze how U.S. intelligence, military precision, and AI helped execute the high-risk capture of Nicolás Maduro.
Hoffman believes that the privatization of Venezuela’s oil may be the only path to recovery. She argues that the country cannot revive its energy sector without abandoning collectivism and restoring private enterprise.
“We keep hearing about the ‘warmth of collectivism,’ but as we saw in Venezuela, it was not warm,” she stated. “If things become truly privatized, we could see that space revolutionized, potentially on par with the United States, and able to compete with us. That would be a welcome change, rather than seeing oil and gas reserves manipulated under the guise of narco-terrorism.”
‘The Big Money Show’ panelists react to the US military capture of Nicolas Maduro and what it means for oil markets, China, and American power.
Drawing from her family’s experiences with socialism, Hoffman criticized claims that Maduro was “kidnapped” or that U.S. actions were solely about oil.
“It’s interesting to see the reaction of mostly Generation Z and Generation Alpha, who are distraught over the deposing of Nicolás Maduro, a dictator who was not duly elected and had numerous international and domestic warrants for his arrest,” Hoffman remarked. “To say that freeing Venezuela from Maduro is only about oil is a narrow perspective.”
“The problems of collectivism destroy energy markets and industries. This situation also highlights that many young people are not properly educated about the horrors of communism and socialism. Anytime collectivism is tried, it leads to authoritarianism and a loss of freedom,” she added.
Venezuela serves as a cautionary tale for the U.S. and younger generations who flirt with socialism, according to Hoffman.
“It’s a reminder that freedom is precious and fragile, and you can lose it without realizing it,” she concluded. “[Venezuela] exemplifies why socialism fails, regardless of how it is presented or qualified.”
GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HERE
Cuban-born Karen Rodriguez and American-Lithuanian Gabriella Hoffman speak to Fox News Digital about their family history with socialism and warn over NYC mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani.
Independent Women’s Center for Energy and Conservation director and daughter of Soviet escapees Gabriella Hoffman speaks to Fox News Digital about the market and geopolitical implications of the capture of Venezuela’s Nicolas Maduro.
The fall of Venezuela’s socialist regime is being hailed as a generational turning point, reminiscent of the collapse of the Berlin Wall. Energy expert Gabriella Hoffman believes that the scenes unfolding in Venezuela echo the jubilation of people who once lived behind the Iron Curtain.
Hoffman, who is the director of the Independent Women’s Forum’s Center for Energy and Conservation and the daughter of parents who escaped the Soviet Union, told Fox News Digital that the upheaval in Venezuela signifies not just a political shift but a restoration of freedom after decades of authoritarian rule.
“You look back at the imagery and kind of the fervor and excitement of people who were kept behind the Iron Curtain; you see that same excitement and jubilation of having freedom restored to the people of Venezuela,” Hoffman remarked.
She emphasized, “America first does not mean America alone. Socialism is a horrible, wretched system ideology you shouldn’t wish on anyone. The Venezuela case study shows that if they regain their freedom, we will reflect on this time and realize that even in countries that adopt socialism, freedom can be restored if the right tools are in place and if the horrible dictators are deposed.”
OIL EXPERTS PREDICT SLIGHT RISE IN GAS PRICES AS GLOBAL TENSIONS MOUNT
Recently, U.S. forces captured Venezuela’s leader and alleged narco-terrorist Nicolás Maduro, bringing him to New York to face four federal criminal charges, including narco-terrorism conspiracy and possession of machine guns.
A man walks past a mural depicting an oil pump and the Venezuelan flag in a street of Caracas, on May 26, 2022. (Getty Images)
Hoffman elaborated on how Maduro exploited the socialist regime established by former President Hugo Chávez to nationalize and weaponize the country’s oil supply, which holds one of the world’s largest proven oil reserves. Following the recent developments, Reuters reported a slight rise in oil prices, reacting to potential U.S. impacts on crude flow from Venezuela.
“[Chávez, Maduro] used oil as a cudgel and a means to sustain their dictatorship, depressing oil production and nationalizing it so only the state could own oil,” she explained. “Oil was weaponized to keep that regime afloat and manipulate OPEC markets. With the U.S. likely taking over the oil industry temporarily, we can expect an increase in oil valuation and production in the short term.”
Fox News senior strategic analyst Gen. Jack Keane (ret.) joins ‘Varney & Co.’ to analyze how U.S. intelligence, military precision, and AI helped execute the high-risk capture of Nicolás Maduro.
Hoffman believes that the privatization of Venezuela’s oil may be the only path to recovery. She argues that the country cannot revive its energy sector without abandoning collectivism and restoring private enterprise.
“We keep hearing about the ‘warmth of collectivism,’ but as we saw in Venezuela, it was not warm,” she stated. “If things become truly privatized, we could see that space revolutionized, potentially on par with the United States, and able to compete with us. That would be a welcome change, rather than seeing oil and gas reserves manipulated under the guise of narco-terrorism.”
‘The Big Money Show’ panelists react to the US military capture of Nicolas Maduro and what it means for oil markets, China, and American power.
Drawing from her family’s experiences with socialism, Hoffman criticized claims that Maduro was “kidnapped” or that U.S. actions were solely about oil.
“It’s interesting to see the reaction of mostly Generation Z and Generation Alpha, who are distraught over the deposing of Nicolás Maduro, a dictator who was not duly elected and had numerous international and domestic warrants for his arrest,” Hoffman remarked. “To say that freeing Venezuela from Maduro is only about oil is a narrow perspective.”
“The problems of collectivism destroy energy markets and industries. This situation also highlights that many young people are not properly educated about the horrors of communism and socialism. Anytime collectivism is tried, it leads to authoritarianism and a loss of freedom,” she added.
Venezuela serves as a cautionary tale for the U.S. and younger generations who flirt with socialism, according to Hoffman.
“It’s a reminder that freedom is precious and fragile, and you can lose it without realizing it,” she concluded. “[Venezuela] exemplifies why socialism fails, regardless of how it is presented or qualified.”
GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HERE
Cuban-born Karen Rodriguez and American-Lithuanian Gabriella Hoffman speak to Fox News Digital about their family history with socialism and warn over NYC mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani.
