Venezuelan history is often obscured for those unfamiliar with its past—once a land of wealth and opportunity, now devastated by decades of turmoil. Congressional candidate Carmen Maria Montiel recalls a Venezuela bursting with potential, noting that “Socialism and open borders” have played significant roles in its decline. Montiel, who rose to fame as Miss Venezuela in 1984, observes the roots of the country’s downfall extending back even before her pageant days.
For years, Venezuela functioned as a democracy, yet continuous dominance by socialist parties began to erode its foundations. Montiel highlights the changes: “We got the influx of illegal immigrants, crime went up, drugs started to be a problem. The first thing they destroyed was the healthcare system.” She emphasizes a tragic transformation—once home to a robust healthcare system funded by national riches, Venezuela now struggles with insufficient infrastructure to accommodate a growing population.
In 1988, Montiel departed for the United States, hoping for a return to normalcy. Instead, she witnessed a spiral of chaos in Venezuela as Hugo Chávez attempted two coups in 1992, igniting riots and widespread looting. “I decided I’m gonna stay a little longer, see if things get better,” she reflects. “But they never did.” Montiel draws a clear line from Chávez’s initial coups to Nicolás Maduro’s current regime, intertwining themes of corruption, cartel entrenchment, and troubling foreign alliances, notably with Russia and Iran. “Communism always runs out of money,” she asserts, pointing to a collapse in oil production as a key factor that led the regime to criminality.
U.S. officials have long maintained that members of Maduro’s inner circle engage in drug trafficking, particularly through the Cartel de los Soles, a network allegedly involving military officers smuggling cocaine to North America and Europe. The U.S. government has responded with sanctions against numerous Venezuelan officials, though Caracas dismisses such claims. Montiel backs recent U.S. military operations targeting drug-trafficking networks operating off Venezuela’s shores, arguing they are necessary to counter the threat posed by the regime. “Venezuela presents a very high risk to the United States,” she states, linking the issues that have driven many Venezuelans to flee with the challenges now faced domestically.
Recent Department of War reports indicate that 14 strikes have targeted vessels suspected of drug smuggling toward U.S. borders over the past two months. Montiel views disrupting cartel operations and revealing the military’s complicity as vital steps to dismantling Maduro’s hold on power. “This is a criminal communist regime,” she emphasizes, insisting that the term ‘communist’ must not be overlooked when discussing the regime’s actions.
As the U.S. ramps up its pressure on Maduro—whom it refuses to recognize as Venezuela’s legitimate leader—the Justice Department is offering a $50 million reward for information leading to his arrest. Analysts speculate about the possibility that these military efforts serve a greater purpose: to remove Venezuela’s socialist leader from power. Such intervention could polarize Americans, many of whom remain skeptical about foreign involvement. However, Montiel believes that those still enduring the Maduro regime would welcome U.S. support. “The people that are still in Venezuela are supporters of President Donald Trump because they’re screaming for freedom,” she asserts, describing a desperate cry for change.
Yet she remains realistic about the challenges that lie ahead. “The country is pretty much destroyed,” she acknowledges. “It’s worse than any third-world country. It’s going to take probably 30 years to get Venezuela back to what it used to be.” Now, Montiel is poised to enter the political arena herself, running in the special election for Texas’ 18th Congressional district set for November 4, 2025—a seat left vacant following the death of Sylvester Turner. In her journey, Montiel embodies a personal narrative entangled with the fate of a once-prosperous nation, now struggling for survival amidst the shadows of socialism and crime.
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