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When brave American forces executed the operation that removed Nicolás Maduro from power, the world watched a daring strike for justice and for the safety of our hemisphere. That decisive action — carried out in the early days of January 2026 — tore the mask off a regime that trafficked in drugs, terror, and repression and placed a fugitive before American justice. Patriots should celebrate that our country acted to hold a criminal accountable and to open a door to freedom for Venezuelans.
In the chaotic hours after Maduro’s removal, power vacuums never take long to fill, and Caracas was no exception as Vice President Delcy Rodríguez was quickly elevated as an interim authority. Washington’s mixed signals about whom to recognize have only made the transition messier, and seasoned hands like former U.S. envoy Elliott Abrams warned that Rodríguez lacks the legitimacy and independent authority necessary to lead a real democratic transition. The last thing America should do is hand authority to a Maduro crony and pretend the work of restoring liberty is done.
A heated segment on The Record with Greta Van Susteren captured the clash over legitimacy, with Venezuelan-American voices insisting that the people’s will cannot be papered over by opportunistic continuity. Venezuelan journalist Germania Rodriguez Poleo appeared in the conversation, arguing that María Corina Machado — not Delcy Rodríguez — represents the genuine opposition force and the democratic aspirations of countless Venezuelans. That argument landed with many conservatives who have followed Machado’s long fight against Chavismo and who see the moment as a test of whether Washington will back principles or convenience.
Make no mistake: María Corina Machado has earned the moral authority to speak for a nation yearning for liberty. Machado has publicly described being hunted by the regime and has argued, with fire and conviction, that the 2024 opposition victory must not be stolen by the same criminal cabal that bled Venezuela dry. Real conservatives understand that legitimacy flows from the people and courage, not from palace intrigue or military muscle.
It is a scandal when U.S. policy appears to settle for a faint echo of the old order simply because it is expedient. Voices like Abrams and other hawks on the right have rightly criticized any American embrace of Delcy Rodríguez as a shortcut that risks legitimizing the very structures we came to uproot. If we are serious about freedom, we must demand that transitional arrangements be transparent, that those with blood on their hands are held accountable, and that real opposition leaders are empowered rather than sidelined.
The suffering of Venezuelans cannot be an afterthought in Washington’s calculations; nearly 1,000 political prisoners remain jailed and tortured even amid the upheaval, a grim reminder that removal of a dictator is only the first step. If the United States and our allies are going to help rebuild Venezuela, we must insist on immediate releases, true rule of law, and a timeline toward free elections under international oversight — not a return to the same corrupt playbook. America should help the Venezuelan people, not the old guard.
This is a moment for clarity and courage. Hardworking Americans who cherish liberty should demand that our leaders back the authentic voices of Venezuelan democracy, like María Corina Machado, and refuse any arrangement that props up the criminals who ruined that country. Stand with freedom, stand with the Venezuelan people, and let Washington know that patriotism means championing democracy, not cutting deals with theocrats and traffickers.
