America watched a decisive moment unfold when U.S. forces seized Venezuelan strongman Nicolás Maduro in a pre-dawn operation that removed a corrupt socialist ruler who had brought his country to ruin. This was not the work of diplomats dithering on the sidelines; it was forceful action aimed at bringing a narco-authoritarian to justice and securing American interests in the hemisphere.
Venezuelan activist Jorge Jraissati, speaking on Fox Report, put it plainly: the Chavez-Maduro experiment is the most vivid example of socialism destroying an economy and crushing a people’s dreams. His voice — a Venezuelan who has lived under the wreckage of socialist rule — praised the capture as a necessary step toward accountability and eventual recovery for millions.
The Trump administration made clear that this operation was about more than headline-grabbing bravado; officials say Maduro will be held to account for narcotics and terrorism-related crimes and that the U.S. intends to secure Venezuelan assets to prevent further abuses. For patriots worried about cartels and anti-American regimes operating on our doorstep, this is the sort of clear-eyed enforcement of law and order we’ve been waiting for.
Of course, the predictable chorus of critics in Washington and abroad rushed to condemn the operation, warning about legal niceties and international norms while offering no solutions to the chaos Maduro created. But hollow lectures from those who refused to stop Venezuela’s slide into tyranny carry less weight than the relief felt by ordinary Venezuelans watching their oppressors finally face consequences.
Now comes the urgent task of rebuilding institutions, restoring the rule of law, and returning economic freedom to a nation hollowed out by socialism — a task Jorge Jraissati and other Venezuelan patriots insist must be done carefully and boldly. This is a moment to back credible local leaders and ideas that champion free markets and strong civil society, not to hand power back to the same corrupt elites who enriched themselves while the country starved.
Hardworking Americans who prize liberty should stand with those who suffered under Chavez and Maduro and applaud a government that finally acted instead of merely issuing statements. We must demand accountability, support a real transition to democracy, and ensure that Venezuela’s vast resources never again fund tyranny — not through empty treaties, but through real policy that defends freedom and our national security.
