5 scenarios for a post-Maduro Venezuela — and what they could signal to the wider region

By: Robert Muggah, Instituto Igarapé; Princeton University, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: January 4, 2026

Words: 1,557

Last Updated: 4 days, 23 hours ago

By Robert Muggah, Instituto Igarapé; Princeton University

The predawn U.S. military operation that spirited Nicolás Maduro and his wife out of Venezuela and into U.S. custody marks a watershed in hemispheric politics. In an operation that lasted just over two hours, American forces removed a foreign president. It followed months of saber-rattling and a steady buildup of America’s regional forces.

Whether under the banner of counter-narcotics or regime change, the message is unmistakable: …

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