“Trump, Maduro, and the War Games That Predicted Chaos”

 In a recent episode of The Global Story podcast, the focus is on the dramatic and escalating tensions between the United States and Venezuela. The episode explores how U.S. officials, long before recent events, conducted simulated war games to predict what might happen if Venezuela’s president, Nicolás Maduro, were removed from power. 

These war games were strategic simulations involving military and policy experts. They were designed to assess possible outcomes after Maduro’s fall — whether through uprising, internal coup, or foreign intervention. According to one expert involved, each scenario predicted prolonged chaos, internal conflict, and instability rather than peace. 

The context for this discussion is the recent shock of Maduro’s capture by U.S. forces — an event that stunned the world and raised serious geopolitical questions. The podcast features former Washington Post journalist Douglas Farah, who participated in these simulations during previous U.S. administrations. The experts concluded that overthrowing Maduro might not lead to a stable transition, but rather to chaos, refugee crises, and power struggles. 

In short, the episode warns that strategic assumptions about quick success after a regime change may be dangerously optimistic. Instead, history and these war games suggest a far more uncertain and chaotic aftermath.