<![CDATA[Armchair Diplomat]]>Foreign policy is made by people, not just governments. On Armchair Diplomat, we look at today’s global events through the eyes of the career diplomats who lived them.

Hosted by Michael Eddy, we trade talking points for real stories. You’ll hear firsthand accounts of overseas negotiations, on-the-ground relationships, and what it actually takes to represent the U.S. abroad. In 30 minutes, we go beyond the cable news headlines to decode current realities and answer the only two questions that matter: Why does this matter? And why should you care?

Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/armchairdiplomatpodcast

]]>armchairdiplomat.riverside.comRiverside.fm (https://riverside.com)Mon, 12 Oct 2026 15:00:57 GMTSun, 06 Sep 2026 14:04:44 GMT60The Armchair Diplomat<p>Foreign policy is made by people, not just governments. On Armchair Diplomat, we look at today’s global events through the eyes of the career diplomats who lived them.</p><p>Hosted by Michael Eddy, we trade talking points for real stories. You’ll hear firsthand accounts of overseas negotiations, on-the-ground relationships, and what it actually takes to represent the U.S. abroad. In 30 minutes, we go beyond the cable news headlines to decode current realities and answer the only two questions that matter: Why does this matter? And why should you care?</p><p>Follow us on Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/armchairdiplomatpodcast" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.instagram.com/armchairdiplomatpodcast</a></p>episodicThe Armchair Diplomatmeddyeddy50@gmail.comno<![CDATA[What Venezuela Teaches Americans About Democracy with with the last U.S. Ambassador to Venezuela]]>The conversation features Ambassador James Story discussing U.S. diplomacy in Venezuela, focusing on the mass migration crisis and the efforts to support Venezuelan refugees in neighboring countries like Colombia and Brazil. He emphasizes the importance of building democratic institutions and the challenges faced by the Venezuelan opposition in their struggle against the Maduro regime.


Takeaways

  • Mass migration crisis
  • Importance of democratic institutions


Chapters

00:00 Welcome Back: A Quarter of a Country Walks Out
01:08 "Imagine 80 Million Americans Walking to Mexico": Latin America's Largest Migration
07:09 Operation Welcome: Brazil's Remote Border Response
08:52 Plan Colombia's Payoff: Why Colombia Took In 3 Million Venezuelans
14:30 Barbecue Diplomacy: Uniting Venezuela's Opposition
18:24 The Tascón List: When Voting Is an Act of Courage
21:53 Hope Is the Last Thing to Die
25:52 The Next 18 Months: Elections, Oil, and Lost Leverage
28:59 Three Reasons Americans Should Care

]]>9144ef46-ae1c-4933-b83d-19c729ee32c7Tue, 29 Sep 2026 23:06:10 GMT<p>The conversation features Ambassador James Story discussing U.S. diplomacy in Venezuela, focusing on the mass migration crisis and the efforts to support Venezuelan refugees in neighboring countries like Colombia and Brazil. He emphasizes the importance of building democratic institutions and the challenges faced by the Venezuelan opposition in their struggle against the Maduro regime.</p><p><br /></p><p>Takeaways</p><ul><li>Mass migration crisis</li><li>Importance of democratic institutions</li></ul><p><br /></p><p>Chapters</p><p>00:00 Welcome Back: A Quarter of a Country Walks Out<br />01:08 "Imagine 80 Million Americans Walking to Mexico": Latin America's Largest Migration<br />07:09 Operation Welcome: Brazil's Remote Border Response<br />08:52 Plan Colombia's Payoff: Why Colombia Took In 3 Million Venezuelans<br />14:30 Barbecue Diplomacy: Uniting Venezuela's Opposition<br />18:24 The Tascón List: When Voting Is an Act of Courage<br />21:53 Hope Is the Last Thing to Die<br />25:52 The Next 18 Months: Elections, Oil, and Lost Leverage<br />28:59 Three Reasons Americans Should Care</p>no00:32:3412What Venezuela Teaches Americans About Democracy with with the last U.S. Ambassador to Venezuelafull<![CDATA[A More Profitable Dictatorship: Venezuela After Maduro with the last U.S. Ambassador to Venezuela]]>The conversation explores the complexities of U.S. diplomacy with Venezuela, focusing on the recent oil deal and the political landscape following the removal of Nicolás Maduro. Ambassador James Story shares insights from his tenure, emphasizing the need for a democratic transition and the rebuilding of Venezuelan institutions. The conversation delves into the complexities of U.S. diplomacy in Venezuela, focusing on the economic implications of the country's debt, the mass migration crisis, and the challenges faced by the democratic opposition. Ambassador Jimmy Story shares insights on the geopolitical landscape, the humanitarian response, and the importance of building democratic institutions in the region.


Takeaways

  • U.S. diplomacy in Venezuela is complex
  • Rebuilding institutions is crucial Impact of Venezuela's debt on U.S. investors
  • Mass migration crisis and regional diplomacy


Chapters

* 00:00 Maduro's Gone, the Oil Deal's Signed, the Election Isn't
* 01:44 Meet Jimmy Story
* 02:31 What an Ambassador Actually Does (and Who Brought Gelato to Charleston)
* 05:09 An Ambassador Without an Embassy: Holding Caracas, Then Running Venezuela from Bogotá
* 09:54 "Cooking an Egg with a Blowtorch": The Maduro Raid
* 15:54 What a Real Transition Looks Like
* 16:47 "Capital Is a Coward": How Venezuela's Institutions Were Gutted
* 22:52 Fish or Chicken? Inside the 100-Year Oil Deal
* 28:10 Why Change Horses? Does Oil Delay Democracy?
* 30:58 China, Russia, Iran, and Your Retirement Account

]]>9953ec21-b131-463a-aba0-f2eae9d42831Tue, 29 Sep 2026 23:01:45 GMT<p>The conversation explores the complexities of U.S. diplomacy with Venezuela, focusing on the recent oil deal and the political landscape following the removal of Nicolás Maduro. Ambassador James Story shares insights from his tenure, emphasizing the need for a democratic transition and the rebuilding of Venezuelan institutions. The conversation delves into the complexities of U.S. diplomacy in Venezuela, focusing on the economic implications of the country's debt, the mass migration crisis, and the challenges faced by the democratic opposition. Ambassador Jimmy Story shares insights on the geopolitical landscape, the humanitarian response, and the importance of building democratic institutions in the region.</p><p><br /></p><p>Takeaways</p><ul><li>U.S. diplomacy in Venezuela is complex</li><li>Rebuilding institutions is crucial Impact of Venezuela's debt on U.S. investors</li><li>Mass migration crisis and regional diplomacy</li></ul><p><br /></p><p>Chapters</p><p>* 00:00 Maduro's Gone, the Oil Deal's Signed, the Election Isn't<br />* 01:44 Meet Jimmy Story<br />* 02:31 What an Ambassador Actually Does (and Who Brought Gelato to Charleston)<br />* 05:09 An Ambassador Without an Embassy: Holding Caracas, Then Running Venezuela from Bogotá<br />* 09:54 "Cooking an Egg with a Blowtorch": The Maduro Raid<br />* 15:54 What a Real Transition Looks Like<br />* 16:47 "Capital Is a Coward": How Venezuela's Institutions Were Gutted<br />* 22:52 Fish or Chicken? Inside the 100-Year Oil Deal<br />* 28:10 Why Change Horses? Does Oil Delay Democracy?<br />* 30:58 China, Russia, Iran, and Your Retirement Account</p>no00:34:111A More Profitable Dictatorship: Venezuela After Maduro with the last U.S. Ambassador to Venezuelafull