By Renee Owens, wildlife biologist

Photo by Renee Owens:  capybaras and sunset in Venezuela’s llanos

January 7, 2026 (San Diego’s East County) -- Having lived and worked in Venezuela, I can no longer remain silent amidst all the clueless rhetoric. Venezuela is more than a cliché of dictators and oil. It is a wondrous place and a cautionary tale we ignore at our peril.