Florida Governor Ron DeSantis brushed aside questions Tuesday about whether he would have authorized the same military operation President Donald Trump used to capture Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, choosing instead to praise the outcome while dismissing the “what-if” scenario with a rhyme.
Pressed by a reporter on whether he would have ordered the high-stakes extraction mission had he been in the Oval Office, DeSantis offered a colorful deflection.
“If ‘ifs’ and ‘buts’ were candy and nuts, every day would be Christmas, my man,” DeSantis quipped. “I mean, that’s just the nature of it.”
READ: Georgia Rep. MTG To Trump: Is Venezuela Worth ‘Flag-Draped Coffins’?
While the governor avoided directly endorsing the specific tactical decision to deploy U.S. forces into Caracas, he left no ambiguity about his stance on Maduro’s arrest. DeSantis, who has long been a vocal critic of the Venezuelan regime, called the capture of the socialist dictator “absolutely appropriate.”
“I’ve always viewed Maduro as somebody that was illegitimate,” DeSantis said, citing the economic devastation and human rights abuses that have driven millions of Venezuelans to flee their country. “Bringing him to justice is absolutely appropriate.”
The governor used the moment to pivot to a broader critique of geopolitical shifts in the Western Hemisphere, arguing that the previous administration had allowed “Marxist regimes” to gain a foothold in the region. He rattled off a list of nations—including Brazil, Colombia, and Cuba—that he claims have drifted toward hostile ideologies, even tossing a barb at former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
READ: Stability Over Democracy? Leaked CIA Intel Reveals Why Trump Snubbed Machado For Maduro’s VP
“We saw increasing hostility throughout the Western Hemisphere to the United States of America,” DeSantis said. “There were more Marxist regimes at the height of Biden’s presidency than there were at the height of the Cold War.”
DeSantis also drew a sharp contrast between the “positive energy” he sees in a potential post-Maduro Venezuela and the policies of American cities struggling with migration crises. Without naming him directly, DeSantis mocked New York City Mayor Mamdani for comments regarding the “warmth of collectivism.”
“I’m just thinking about myself, you know, the hundred million dead bodies because of collectivism,” DeSantis said. “Those are cold dead bodies. That’s not warmth.”
READ: Florida Gov. DeSantis Backs State Charges Against Maduro For ‘Hostile’ Export Of Gangs
The governor concluded by expressing cautious optimism for Venezuela’s future, noting the country’s vast natural resources and the potential for a “better course” now that Maduro has been removed from power.
Please make a small donation to the Tampa Free Press to help sustain independent journalism. Your contribution enables us to continue delivering high-quality, local, and national news coverage.
Sign up: Subscribe to our free newsletter for a curated selection of top stories delivered straight to your inbox.
