7/10/2020

Friend DJT,

            It’s going to be a sizzler so I have to get an early start. You’re going to experience some heat on your trip to FL today, too, but yours is going to be humid. My hot weather is nice & dry & only lasts for a few hours. Right now, it’s lovely.

            So, what’s up with Venezuela? I tried to learn something about it this morning, but it’s too complicated for the short time I have to devote to figuring it out. You must feel the same way which would explain why you expressed a willingness to meet with Nicolas Maduro (NMM) over the weekend and then backtracked on that idea on Monday. Apparently, England’s not too sure what to do about NMM, either. The British courts are in the midst of deciding whether to release 31 tons of Venezuelan gold that NMM says he wants to use to address CV expenses. Exxon has an interest in how this all turns out as does someone named, Vanessa Neuman, Juan Guaidó’s friend who represents him in England. Have you met her?

            I’m also wondering about this SOUTHCOM Enhanced Couternarcotics Operations event you will be attending today. While it’s great that we are seizing some drugs, I’m not sure that’s going to effect NMM. It’s even harder for me to imagine what their work has to do with CV. I don’t think the USS Detroit was catching sick people trying to get to the US. Speaking of the USS Detroit LCS7 – I’m surprised that a fancy 3-year old ship is in for emergency repairs. I hope the folks at that Italian Shipyard in Marinette, WI, didn’t make mistakes as they built the thing.

         Safe travels today & don’t forget your mask,

         HYITL,