The dinosaur, Trump, and the high cost of an exit in Venezuela

"When Venezuelans awoke on the last day of 2025, the dinosaur was still there. The dinosaur in this nightmare which we would like to turn into a fable is Nicolas Maduro, who continues to cling to the presidency of Venezuela. Despite years of failed efforts and his proven illegitimacy following the theft of the July 28, 2024 elections, the citizens have been unable to remove him."

"Thus, everything indicates that 2026 will begin with Maduro still in power, Trump escalating the confrontation, the opposition trying to square the circle between its urgent needs and the objectives and questionable methods of its ally, and millions of Venezuelans, inside and outside the country, awaiting the longed-for end of Maduro, even in the knowledge that this will not be the end of Chavismo, much less the end of history."

"The problem with this scenario is the inevitable strain it places on everyone involved, with the exception so far, relatively speaking of Maduro. Let's examine why. To date, the U.S. campaign has proceeded in a circuitous manner, shifting its arguments and tactics daily, but without a clear endgame. As a Washington Post investigation clearly demonstrated, Stephen Miller, one of the most influential ideologues of Trumpism, was seeking a spectacular action against the Mexican cartels."

Nicolas Maduro continued to cling to the Venezuelan presidency despite proven illegitimacy after the stolen July 28, 2024 elections and repeated failed removal efforts. U.S. actions, including bombing of alleged drug-running boats and a reported CIA attack on Venezuelan soil, escalated the conflict without ensuring Maduro's ouster. The opposition faced a dilemma between urgent domestic needs and the objectives and questionable methods of its ally. Millions of Venezuelans inside and outside the country awaited Maduro's removal, aware that his fall would not end Chavismo. U.S. strategy shifted frequently, with ideologues seeking dramatic actions and narratives linking Maduro to criminal cartels.

Read at english.elpais.com