The JW Marriott in Caracas, Venezuela, has become the nerve center of the US takeover, with US officials, diplomats, and spies dominating the hotel's corridors and restaurants. This five-star establishment, dubbed 'the spooks hotel' by journalists, is now effectively the US embassy, with US government guests staying for extended periods. The hotel's restaurant is a hub of activity, where conversations about Venezuela's future, from election roadmaps to economic growth, are overheard. The US presence in Venezuela is not limited to the JW Marriott; big-money deals are being done at another luxury hotel a few miles away, where foreign tycoons are flocking to wager on Venezuela's economic future. However, the Trumpian takeover has generated widespread discomfort, even among patriotic members of Venezuela's elites, who privately bristle at the suggestion that their country is being turned into a US colony. The mood among Caracas-bound capitalists is buoyant, but doubts remain over Venezuela's future and, above all, its democracy. The article concludes by questioning the implications of the US takeover and the potential for Venezuela's transformation into a US protectorate or even the 51st state.
