BLOGApril 21, 2017

Debbie D'Souza Issues Dire Warning About the Socialist Movement Crushing Venezuela

The mainstream media will tell you that what's happening in Venezuela is the direct result of nationalism and populism --- but that's a lie.

"This is the biggest rape and robbery of a country ever, and the press is making this into a nationalist movement. No. No. This is a socialist dictatorship. And you can try to repackage it any way you want, but this was a country that had hope until Hugo Chávez and his socialist regime started to take it apart," Glenn said Friday on radio.

Debbie D'Souza, wife of Dinesh D'Souza and native Venezuelan, joined Glenn to talk about what's really going on in her home country --- and how socialism has destroyed it.

Enjoy the complimentary clip or read the transcript for details.

NOTE: Looking for Glenn's newly released painting? Find "Civility" here.

Glenn: What is happening in Venezuela is remarkable. And it is a Socialist utopia the way they always end. There's a humanitarian crisis going on right now in Venezuela, some of which I can't talk to you about. There are things going on right now that people are being literally smuggled out at night because they're being targeted as groups.

As I look at this and see what's going on, and now the press is starting to say "Oh, you know what this is? This is a -- this is what happens when you go to nationalism and populism."

No, that's not what this is. This is Communism. This is socialism. This is what happens. And quite honestly, this is the road that we've been headed on for a very long time. Debbie D'Souza joins us now on the program. Hi, Debbie, how are you?

DEBBIE: Hi, Glenn, first of all, I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for talking about Venezuela for all of these years. I've listened to you for years, and you have been right on target with the situation of Venezuela from the very beginning, and I want to thank you for that. Because not many people talk about it. They ignore it. You know, Venezuela is only a couple thousand miles away from us.

GLENN: I know.

DEBBIE: And they have not talked about it at all and as you say, they say it's something other than what it is. And it is downright socialism, and this is what it looks like, the ugly side of socialism. I don't know if there's a pretty side to it.

GLENN: This is when -- who was it? Facture that said the problem that socialism has eventually run out of other people's money. This is that point where eventually you run out of money.

DEBBIE: Absolutely. And Venezuela, you know, I was born in Venezuela in 1966. It was a thriving country. You know, it's an oil-rich country. So we had all of the amenities that you could think of. You know, the birth rate in Venezuela obviously when I was born was high. Now, you know, babies born in Venezuela, they -- the birth rate has gone down because the death rate has gone way up for babies born. Because he, you know -- Hugo Chavez as you said destroyed the health care system trying to make everybody pay for it. Well -- when people started leaving the country, when doctors started leaving the country, there was no one to pay for it.

GLENN: And then when he had a thriving oil company, or oil industry and when he took that over and nationalized oil, that went through the ground.

DEBBIE: He nationalized everything. Telecommunications, energy, you know, the left in Venezuela is also into the whole climate change thing and so they basically started doing wattage allotments for people. So if you went over your allotted wattage, you had to pay a $200 tax increase on top of your bill, so people stopped using blow dryers, they stopped using -- I mean, it was ridiculous. Of course now, you know -- it's just awful.

GLENN: Debbie, when you see -- this is a narco-Communist State.

DEBBIE: Uh-huh.

GLENN: This is a Communist State now that has ties to terror, ties to Iran, ties to Hezbollah.

DEBBIE: Uh-huh.

GLENN: The current president is going to Citibank, and it's going to be one of the biggest robberies of all time or at least this century where he is now going to sell all of the Venezuelan gold reserves.

DEBBIE: Uh-huh.

GLENN: And you hear people on TV say "This is populism," which is clearly wrong and clearly trying to make a point that is anti-Donald Trump.

DEBBIE: Uh-huh.

GLENN: How does that make people in Venezuela feel?

DEBBIE: Well, those people who get it in Venezuela are huge Donald Trump fans. They asked me to tell you and the viewers, please, please, Donald Trump do something. Either, you know, embolden the opposition. You know, we're not asking for military intervention. I mean, it's actually that bad. But we want to embolden the opposition.

GLENN: Who is opposition that could fix this?

DEBBIE: Well, the opposition leader right now is Enrique. It's basically made up of different political parties that are all on the right side of the ideological chart. So basically when the equivalent of the Republican party self-destructed, this is what gave way to Chavez. This is the reason Hugo Chávez was able to come in and take over the country is the right of Venezuela just completely self-destructed.

So then they kind of started picking up the pieces and splintered off into a -- just a bunch of different political groups, and so they all got together and called themselves the opposition. So Enrique has basically run for president twice, and we believe that the last time, he actually won. But there was voter fraud and so basically, a -- it was either last week or a couple of weeks ago, they banned from running for any type of office.

I mean, can you imagine? So they're afraid of this man. And so him, and then there's a woman, she's a congresswoman who is also opposition party, and they have actually blamed the death of this young girl, I sent you a video of this girl who was killed by thugs who basically are helping run the country. These are basically a civilian army that Hugo Chávez established from based off of criminals who he pardoned. And so they're -- you know, they're murderers, they're rapists, they run a muck all over the city. Just, you know, killing people, raping women, doing whatever they want.

GLENN: This happens and this is why Haiti can't get up on its feet because they have the same kind of thing happening in Haiti.

DEBBIE: Yes, so this is huge. They're feared. And I don't know if you know this, but in 2010, there was a disarmament movement for citizens of Venezuela, so they started taking away guns of citizens. And now citizens do not have guns, but they do and the armed forces of Venezuela is also part of the regime, and they're the National Guard and of course, they have guns and then these thugs have guns but the citizens don't have anything. So I want to make it very clear that when you see, you know, fighting in the streets and these kids throwing Molotov cocktails and all of that, these aren't the same type of thugs that are, like, wreaking havoc here on the --

GLENN: Berkeley.

DEBBIE: No, Berkeley and all of that. No, this is the exact opposite. Actually, those thugs are the thugs that have the guns in Venezuela. The left. And so --

GLENN: Debbie -- we're talking to Debbie D'Souza, did a necessary D'Souza's wife who's family is in Venezuela. I remember I was coming back from South Africa, and I was supposed to go speak in Venezuela. I don't remember. It was, like, the national theater or something, and it was a group of pastors from all over Central and South America. And Hugo Chávez said, "You're not going to speak there." And put armed military around -- by the time I landed to refuel in north Africa, they said:"Don't come." The people who invited me. Because he's going to put military around the theater.

So I actually had to land in I think Jamaica, wasn't it, Pat? And we cut my message and had somebody smuggle it in on videotape to Venezuela.

Now, that was five or six years ago. I don't -- I mean, we're talking now -- I'm dealing with people now trying to help smuggle people out of Venezuela who are being targeted as groups. I mean, it's a dangerous place now.

DEBBIE: It is awful. My 82-year-old aunt and I'm only saying this, you know -- I'm just throwing this out there. But she's in Miami right now. But the rest of my family still in Venezuela, and I don't know what to do. I mean, this is so bad. You know, Ted Cruz's dad Rafael, I reached out to him in 2014 because this is when people started taking it to the streets back in -- three years ago. And he was trying to help. But of course, you know, it was the Obama administration who was in bed with these people. And so, you know, what people don't get is Hugo Chávez hated Bush. He hated Reagan. He hated any Republican. And so, you know, I just don't understand how people do not see that the left uses the same exact tactics in Venezuela. They blame the right for everything that's going wrong. They --

GLENN: This is 1950s, ''60s could you be on what's going on.

DEBBIE: Oh, absolutely. And basically Cuba owns Venezuela now.

GLENN: Yeah.

DEBBIE: Maduro is close friends with the Castro brothers. Obviously, one of them has passed away. But the other one Raúl, they're buddy, buddy, and they are -- so basically, he's helping him run Venezuela, so --

GLENN: Go ahead.

DEBBIE: Yeah, go ahead.

GLENN: Is this something that we could see a Reagan moment? That if Donald Trump was empowering, not using force, just making the speech of tear down this wall and empowering like the pope did, empowering the solidarity movement in Poland?

DEBBIE: Absolutely. The regular doctrine is what we want. Empowering the people that are being oppressed right now in Venezuela. The opposition party, helping them somehow, you know, reach the level of being able to get out of this. I just don't know -- short of a military coup, I just don't know how else to remove this man from office. And to, you know, help the Venezuelians. This crisis has reached a level of -- I've never seen it like this before. It's just horrific.

GLENN: They really are -- there's no food.

DEBBIE: No food, nothing. I mean, these people are for the most part, you know, they hoard food, and they grow their own food because they have to. They -- you know, my aunt was going from grocery store to grocery store just to find milk, just to find eggs. You know, she basically had to go vegan, and I mean, it's really, really horrific.

GLENN: Yeah, I will tell you that I've seen reports where people will line up starting at 1:00 in the afternoon and sometimes at midnight hoping that there would be a delivery for the store. And when that door opens, whether you need it or not, it's Germany stuff. Whether you need it or not, you buy whatever is on the shelf.

DEBBIE: Absolutely. And, Glenn, this is also -- you know, people are -- well, Debbie, why should we care about Venezuela? Well, I tell you why you should care. Number one, if it's destroyed, it's going to just become a hotbed for all of these terrorists that are in bed with the regime. They already have, you know -- and this is from reports from people that are in Venezuela that tell me that they see things in Farsi, you know, they -- there's airplanes coming from Iran that are landing from Tehran that are landing at the airport daily. What are they doing? Basically, they're up to no good. And so if we create this situation where there's going to be a huge vacuum in Venezuela.

GLENN: It's a base. Debbie, I've got to run. But thank you so much for this update. We're going to continue to follow it and please let us know how we can help you.

DEBBIE: Thank you.

GLENN: You bet.

DEBBIE: Just, you know, have Trump help. I mean, I don't know. We're just -- we're desperate. We are desperate. Thank you so much, Glenn.

GLENN: Thank you. Debbie D'Souza following on the crisis in Venezuela.

THE GLENN BECK PODCAST

Why Your Actions Matter More Than Words in the Eyes of God

Glenn Beck and Eric Metaxas expose the spiritual crisis gripping America’s churches — a moment they compare to Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s warning before World War II. As the culture descends into moral confusion, too many Christians retreat into silence, claiming faith while refusing to act. Together, they argue that true belief demands courage — that “faith without works is dead” — and warn that neutrality in the face of evil is itself a form of complicity.

Watch the FULL Interview HERE

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The American Dream is in CRISIS - How Freedom Was Replaced by Comfort

The American Dream used to mean freedom and the chance to build your own life through hard work, faith, and independence. But today, it’s been replaced by comfort, consumption, and debt. Glenn Beck breaks down how America traded liberty for lifestyle, why socialism is gaining ground, and what it will take to reclaim the real American Dream before it disappears for good.

Transcript

Below is a rush transcript that may contain errors

GLENN: I don't know if you saw the visualizing the American dream, Stu.

You know, what the American dream actually is, is that you can forge your own way.

You can -- you know, you can have a scrap of land, and grow your own food if up.

You can, you know, go to school. Not go to school.

You can find a job. If you're qualified for it, you have an equal chance of getting it, you know, based on merit.

But the percentage of Americans who say the American dream is retirement is 86 percent. Health care, 86 percent. Owning a home, 85. Raising two kids, 78. Owning a car, 72. Vacations, 71. Pets, 66. A wedding, 55 percent. That's the American dream, I can get married.

The American dream, if that's what you think, they've now estimated, the cost per household over the cost -- over the lifetime, retirement is $1.6 million. Owning a home now, 30-year mortgage, 20 percent you want to, is $957,594. Owning a car, buying and finance to begin with new cars every ten years is now $900,000 over your lifetime. Raising two kids to 18, plus four years of public college, $876,092. Two kids. Health care, over your lifetime, spending from ages 22 to 85, $414,000. Vacations, annual vacation from '22 to '85, $180,000. One dog and one cat for 11 to 13 years is $40,000!

That's more expensive than a wedding. The engagement ring, the ceremony, and the reception is now estimated to be $38,200.

There's a reason socialism is doing well. You look at that, and you're like, wow. I mean, if that's the American dream. And for a lot of people, that is the American dream!

That's not what the American dream is supposed to be, but, you know, once -- you know, once Woodrow Wilson and FDR got a hold of us and they started advertising, it became stuff instead of freedom. It became stuff. And, you know, when there's a new report out. Let me see if I have that.

There's a new report out now that shows, first time home buyers made up just 21 percent of the home purchases. That's the lowest on record.

The typical age of repeat buyers hit an all-time high of '62. The median downtowns, reaching 23 percent.

The highest since 2023.

And also, where is it?

The last one is -- the median age for first time home buyers, in 1981, it was 29 years old.

I'm sorry. Yeah. Twenty-nine years old. In 2021, it was 33 years old.

What is it this year?

Median age, first time homeowner, forty.

You're 40 before you can buy any kind of home. That puts these things that people want, dream about, out of reach, until you're 40?

You know, 29 is one thing. But if you're not seeing -- you're not seeing your life really kind of settling down until you're 40, I -- I can understand why you're like, you know what, this system doesn't work.

Because you've never seen it work. It's betrayed you.

Or so you've been sold. It's betrayed you.

And everything is being pushed out of your reach. And when you're young, the one thing you're not is patient.

And at 40, I can see why people are not, you know, yeah. Well, socialism is neat because capitalism isn't working. How would you respond to that?

STU: I mean, it's more lengthy than we have time for. But I would say that the response to, you know, you thinking that you want a home is not to embrace an ideology that murders 100 million people.

That's not -- that's not a good answer to the problem that you think you have.

GLENN: But they're not learning that anywhere.

They're not -- that is our responsibility! To teach those things. Because they're not learning it anywhere.

Glenn Beck Warns of 3 Economic Outcomes That Could Change EVERYTHING | Ep 467

Socialism is spreading fast among America’s youth, and the shocking election of Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani for mayor in New York City marks a major cultural and economic shift. Glenn exposes how runaway debt, record home prices, AI job disruption, and the collapsing stake in capitalism have led many Millennials and members of Gen Z to embrace socialism and communism. He reveals the three possible economic futures for 2026: two that are disastrous and one that could change everything if the Trump administration’s global financial overhaul succeeds. Plus, Justin Haskins, president of the Heartland Institute, joins to reveal some terrifying truths about why young Americans are embracing socialism from a poll he conducted with Rasmussen Reports.

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Glenn Beck warns: We're already in World War III

"The world doesn't understand yet. We're already in World War III," Glenn Beck warns. "That foe is not China. That foe is militant Islam." Glenn explains the battle we're currently facing and what's to come if we don't wake up soon...

Transcript

Below is a rush transcript that may contain errors

GLENN: From New Jersey, it's Brian. Hello, Brian.

CALLER: Hello!

GLENN: Hey.

CALLER: Yeah. Thanks for taking the calls today.

GLENN: Sure.

CALLER: Yeah. I'm worried that we are headed towards another French Revolution-style because we have entire generations. Or actually people just not being heard by their representatives.

GLENN: Hmm.

CALLER: And it's not just here. It's around the world.

GLENN: Uh-huh.

I -- actually, I had scheduled for this time, I'll just do it some other time. Talking about what's happening in -- in England.

I think England is headed for a Civil War. And -- and it's very close.

I mean, you can't put 4,000 people. 4,000 people, in jail, or try them for hate crimes. And speech crimes.

You can't -- you can't do it. In England!

You can't do that in one year. And expect people to just put up with it!

You can't -- you know, we're -- we're -- America doesn't understand yet.

The world doesn't understand.

We're in World War III. We're already in World War III.

I don't know when it becomes a hot war. Or even a war that we on our side recognize. But we are in World War III. And that -- that foe is not China.

That foe is militant Islam, period. And, you know, when we have a situation to where people are -- when the government is just like, no. It's not a problem.

It's not a problem. You know. You've got illegals all over.

It's not a problem.

It's not a problem.

It is a problem. Don't tell me what -- what the problems are not!

Because we're the ones living it!

You're the experts, who keep telling us, no. It's going to work out fine.

And it doesn't work out fine. And it just gets worse and worse.

Oh. We can spend this money. No. It looks like we can't spend this money. Oh, we can afford this. No. It looks like we can't afford this.

You know, if we do this with Ukraine, it will work out fine. No, it didn't, did it? These endless wars, all of this stuff, don't tell me what the problem is. Listen to the people and start talking to the people. Honestly, this is the reason why I'm doing this today. I -- I need to hear from you.

I need to know what's on your mind, so I stay focused and -- and clear on what America is saying.

Because I don't think -- look, you know, me taking phone calls is -- is not a true representation of anything, but it does give me a sense of -- of where you are, as an audience. Maybe not as America, but as an audience. And there are lots of things that concern me. But I want to hear it from you.
But I think you're right! We're headed for real, real trouble. All you need is real economic trouble.

You start getting real, true economic trouble. 1930s kind of depression stuff. And we're in Civil War.

Dan, Oregon. Welcome!

CALLER: Hello, Glenn. How are you?

GLENN: I'm great!

CALLER: Yeah. Good. It's been a long time.

I guess it's been over ten years, since I've had a chance to talk with you. I was one of your first insiders. I was listening to you, since you were in Florida.

GLENN: Wow. Wow.

CALLER: So it's been a long -- yeah. It has been. And I can't say I've enjoyed all of it.
(laughter)

GLENN: Neither have I!

STU: I can't say that either, I'll be honest with you.

CALLER: You know, you were talking on yesterday's show, reminiscing with Stu about how you guys started. And I remember those old shows. And, you know, at the end of the -- the fusion of entertainment and enlightenment.

STU: Hmm.

GLENN: Right.

CALLER: And there was a lot more entertainment. I remember I laughed a lot.

GLENN: Oh, yeah. I know. I know. Those days are long dead.
(laughter)

STU: There's nothing to laugh about now.

CALLER: Yeah. I -- I'm 78. I still work 40 hours a week. I love my job.

GLENN: Good for you.

CALLER: Been married for 55 years. I have seven kids.

GLENN: Good for you.

CALLER: I've got a daughter -- I've got a daughter who is in her 40s. And she has severe TDS. She -- we don't -- I mean, we're not cutting each other off. She hasn't done that at all. We're still very close as a family. But she was down visiting the other day, and got into a conversation with my wife. And I wasn't in the room. But Kathy said it was just like listening to one of those young people out on the street that was being interviewed by the news media. And she was -- and she was in tears about it. My wife and my daughter both.

And, I mean, I love her, and I continue to support her. She's a single woman, not by choice. She just never found the right guy.

GLENN: Yeah.

CALLER: And I really think that's part of the problem. Because she started reading -- back when Trump was first running, she started reading all of this stuff about him being misogynistic and all of this stuff.

GLENN: Yeah. Yeah.

CALLER: And it's just gotten worse. I -- I'm at a loss. I really am. Because I -- like, I see the country doing better. I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop. But I still feel like that at least right now, we're doing better as a whole. But what do we do about -- what do we do about our kids about -- she went to Portland State University for the last two --

GLENN: Oh, jeez, for the love of --

CALLER: Well, yeah. For the last two years, she went to -- she went to a little college in Idaho called Ricks for the first two years, and Utah State.

GLENN: Oh, yeah.

CALLER: And then she served a mission for our church in Brazil and came home, but then she went to Portland State University. And it just seems to have gone downhill from there.

GLENN: Yeah. Yeah. So, Dan, I think you are suffering from the same thing that almost all parents are suffering from. If you're not suffering from this, then, I mean, God bless you. You know, get on your knees and thank God. Because you are a lucky, lucky family. Everybody has in their family. I have it in my family.

And you have to ask yourself, what is your goal?

My -- what is your goal with your daughter? Your real goal?

CALLER: My real goal is for us to be united eternally. That's my goal. That's my goal as a father and has been to teach her --

GLENN: And how -- and how is that going to happen with politics?

CALLER: We just stay together as a family regardless of what politics does.

GLENN: That's exactly right. Exactly right.

I think we're in a place now where as parents, you can ask your kids, but it has to be honest. It cannot be trying to win. It has to be honest. How did you get there?

I mean, I remember. You know, we've talked about this before. And you didn't believe that before. What has changed?

Can you help me with that?

I would like to see what you're reading, or what that was.

And just ask questions. But they have to be honest. They can't be, you know, because I'm setting you up. Because I want to change your mind.

But keep a dialogue open with them. And just love them!

Just love them!

Because if you do anything else, you're going to drive them away. And then they're really lost. So just love them.

CALLER: Oh, I know that. Glenn, when she was young -- when she was young, I considered her one of the elect. And the Scripture says, that in the last days, even the elect are going to be deceived. And that's what I'm seeing. But everything you've said, I -- I am doing. I'm doing it that way. Because I know --

GLENN: Okay. Good. Then you didn't need to -- I appreciate it. I'm so glad you called me. But you didn't need to -- my advice, you already have it down. You're a very wise man.

Glenn's Show Prep

Debbie D'Souza Issues Dire Warning About the Socialist Movement Crushing Venezuela

Why Your Actions Matter More Than Words in the Eyes of God

The American Dream is in CRISIS - How Freedom Was Replaced by Comfort

Transcript

Glenn Beck Warns of 3 Economic Outcomes That Could Change EVERYTHING | Ep 467

Glenn Beck warns: We're already in World War III

Transcript