The United States’ dramatic pre-dawn operation that culminated in the capture of Nicolás Maduro and his transfer to U.S. custody marks a watershed moment in the fight against narco-authoritarian regimes that poison our hemisphere. Maduro and his wife were arraigned in Manhattan this week, defiantly claiming kidnapping while facing a mountain of evidence and federal charges. For Americans who have watched Venezuela collapse under socialism and cartels, this is accountability in action — not the endless lectures from coastal elites.
Washington did not act on a whim; the capture follows years of investigations and indictments alleging Maduro ran a narcotrafficking and arms conspiracy that spilled violence into American streets. The legal case now unfolding in the Southern District of New York is the proper venue to put a transnational criminal enterprise on trial and to expose the rot that enriched dictators and their cronies. Conservatives should be clear-eyed: law enforcement and targeted military pressure are the tools that finally brought a wanted criminal to justice.
With Maduro removed from immediate power, the Trump administration has already signaled it will insist any successor meet concrete conditions — from cooperating on counter-narcotics to allowing real, verifiable elections and opening Venezuela’s energy sector to responsible investment. President Trump has publicly floated plans to rebuild Venezuelan oil production with American companies, a patriotic and practical move to reduce foreign cartel influence and lower global energy prices for hardworking families. The White House is not in the business of hand-waving; it’s laying out demands that will determine whether Venezuela becomes a freer, more prosperous neighbor or a rebranded version of the same failed regime.
Predictably, the usual chorus of international bureaucrats and Democratic critics rushed to denounce the operation as reckless and unlawful, reflexively defending dictators while ignoring the suffering of Venezuelan citizens. The political left’s outraged posture rings hollow when set against years of Maduro’s repression, theft, and export of narcotics. America’s first duty is to protect its citizens and interests, and sometimes that means taking bold action when corrupt regimes imperil our security.
At the same time, the situation in Caracas remains volatile: regime loyalists and armed colectivos have launched a brutal crackdown to intimidate reporters and opponents, proving the risk of instability is real if Washington and its partners fail to enforce a strict terms-of-transition. Venezuelans who cheered Maduro’s capture should not be left vulnerable to the same thugs repackaged in new uniforms; the U.S. must press for the immediate release of political prisoners and unfettered access for independent journalists. America’s moral standing requires that we back our rhetoric with pressure on the ground.
Veteran conservatives in the foreign-policy world understand what’s at stake, and former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was right to call the operation an effective, targeted strike against a narco-state that long evaded justice. Republicans who have argued for strength in the face of authoritarianism should stand behind this moment and demand disciplined follow-through, not partisan hand-wringing. Our movement has long argued that weakness invites chaos; decisive action, paired with a clear plan for political transition, can open the door for liberty.
Now comes the hard work. The United States must hold any interim leader to non-negotiable conditions: transparent, internationally monitored elections; an immediate handover of control over oil revenues to a transitional authority accountable to the people; cooperation on dismantling narcotics networks; and protections for human rights and free speech. If Washington stays resolute, backs real Venezuelan democrats, and uses American economic muscle to rebuild rather than enrich thugs, we can help liberate a nation and reclaim vital energy resources — all while keeping American families safer. The choice is simple: enforce terms, not apologies.
