by Serwan Zangana
Capturing Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro by the U.S forces was not President Donald Trump’s sense of humanity toward the Venezuelan people as they were suffering politically and economically under the Maduro’s regime. Clearly, everyone can see President Trump’s playing card, as his agenda is becoming a slippery slope. That means while his attempts to repair a broken policy from his predecessor, he drags the public to another crisis.
Obviously, the reasons for Maduro’s capture are beyond drug trafficking and possession of weapons as he was charged for, indeed, to learn that Venezuela has the largest oil reserve on earth can definitely solve the puzzle of Trump’s order in intervening into the country and capturing Maduro. According to the World Population Review, Venezuela has the largest oil reserves, followed by Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, and the United Arab Emirates.
However, protesting the U.S operation in Venezuela by American leftists, such as the Democratic Socialist of America and perhaps other left wings and calling to free Maduro is a part of the American constitutional right to peaceful protest. But the fact is Maduro abridged the Venezuelans rights of protest and free speech and under his rule many Venezuelan lives were lost. Also, as a result of Maduro’s oppressive ruling, thousands of Venezuelans fled to America. While Americans are opposing the U.S military operations in the foreign nations, they should not support a dictator, such as Maduro.
Maduro’s regime was a nightmare for people of Venezuela as they were thrown in prisons and tortured for opposing the ruling Party. Maduro’s capture sparked celebrations by the Venezuelan people in the U.S. But seemingly some Americans do not imagine a life under the dictatorship that deprives human rights through its heinous rules. Perhaps, calling to free Maduro by some American groups is a lack of understudying what the Dictator is. As Maduro’s first hearing was held in the Federal Court, one of the Venezuelans who rallied outside the building said, “If you want to know what is happening in Venezuela, ask a Venezuelan.”
However, despite the happiness of the Venezuelan people, there are a lot of concerns and unanswered questions regarding Venezuela’s future. Although Maduro was captured, his authoritarian regime is still in power. Speaking about the remaining officials of Maduro’s government, Bautista de Aleman, who worked closely with Machado during the 2024 campaign, said, “These people don’t want democracy for Venezuela. They are part of the dictatorship.” It is noteworthy that Maria Corina Machado is a political activist, recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize in 2025, and she was a 2024 Presidential candidate in Venezuela.
Evidently, capturing Maduro and leaving the current Venezuelan government in power will not guarantee a free society for the Venezuelan people. Evidently, President Trump’s agenda is to control the reserve oil of Venezuela through capturing Maduro and build a bridge to connect both the U.S and Venezuela and establish an oil business between the two. Now, the question is: Will Trump abandon the Venezuelans and embrace the current authoritarian government of Venezuela if the oil deal is agreed between the two?
