Beyond Regime Change: The Economic and Political Realignment of Venezuela

The capture of Nicolás Maduro in “Operation Absolute Resolve” has paved the way for a radical restructuring of the Venezuelan state. President Donald Trump has made it clear that the U.S. mission is as much about economic reconstruction as it is about law enforcement. Central to this plan is the complete overhaul of Venezuela’s “badly broken” oil infrastructure.

Trump announced that major American oil companies would be deployed to spend billions of dollars to restore production, with the resulting wealth intended to reimburse the U.S. for damages while providing resources for the Venezuelan people.

In a move that has sent shockwaves through the democratic opposition, Trump explicitly dismissed the idea of Maria Corina Machado taking the reins of the country. Despite her 2025 Nobel Peace Prize and her party’s claims of a landslide victory in the 2024 election, Trump characterized her as lacking the necessary respect and support within Venezuela to lead. He pointedly remarked that while she is a “nice woman,” she is not a viable option for the current transition.

This leaves a significant vacuum for the opposition, as Machado continues to call for Edmundo González to assume the constitutional mandate from exile in Norway.

The U.S. administration appears to be leaning toward a pragmatic, albeit controversial, partnership with elements of the former regime to maintain order. By engaging with Delcy Rodríguez while ignoring the Machado-led opposition, Trump is signaling a “stability first” approach. This strategy, which Trump described as an application of the Monroe Doctrine, aims to secure the region against narco-trafficking and foreign influence.

As Maduro and his wife await trial in New York on narcoterrorism charges, the world is watching to see how the “group” designated by Trump will manage the complexities of governing a nation of 30 million people from Washington.