ELIAS FERRER: Only Trump Can Stop China From Taking Over Venezuela

America’s enemies are gaining ground in the Western Hemisphere, and Washington has been asleep at the wheel. Venezuela is sliding deeper into the grip of the Chinese Communist Party. It’s not because the Venezuelan people chose Beijing. It’s because failed policies from weak leaders in Washington left a vacuum, and China stepped in.

But we also know what works. In January, just days into his administration, President Donald Trump was able to achieve a quick victory by mixing pressure with diplomacy. With just one strategic visit from a Trump envoy, six Americans were freed from wrongful imprisonment and deportation flights resumed. Caracas even provided its own aircraft and paid the costs.

No other leader, Republican or Democrat, has achieved anything close.

Unfortunately, whenever establishment politicians are put in charge, Washington falls back into a pattern of feckless sanctions with no plan and no leverage. This is what happened with Mike Pompeo, John Bolton and Biden. The result? Maduro is still in power, the Venezuelan people are suffering, and China is laughing all the way to the bank.

Let’s be clear: sanctions haven’t brought about regime change. But they’ve done a great job of pushing Venezuela into China’s arms. Before the onset of sanctions, the US was Venezuela’s top trading partner for both imports and exports. Since, China has taken over, buying up oil, dominating the mining industry, and squeezing out U.S. companies that once supplied the country with equipment and goods.

Beijing now gets more than twice as much Venezuelan oil as we do. Why? Because our own sanctions restrict American purchases, while China does whatever it wants. It’s not just about oil. Chinese companies are now the exclusive buyers of strategic minerals like tin, gold, and rare earths. And since sanctions create discounts, they’re getting them on the cheap, while the American people feel pain at the pump.