By Gloria Ogbonna
The Washington Post editorial board on Saturday departed from the familiar Democratic line of sharply criticizing President Donald Trump and instead offered rare praise for his administration’s dramatic capture of Venezuelan strongman Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Celia Flores. In a striking editorial, the board described the high-stakes military operation as “a major victory for American interests,” calling it one of the boldest presidential actions in recent years.
In the editorial, titled “Justice in Venezuela,” the Post acknowledged the global reaction to Maduro’s downfall, emphasizing that celebrations were most intense inside Venezuela itself. The board noted that millions of Venezuelans, long burdened by economic collapse, political repression, and international isolation under Maduro’s rule, viewed the operation as a long-awaited turning point.
According to the editorial, President Trump’s decision to move decisively against Maduro marked an unmistakable show of resolve.
The board characterized the operation as an “unquestionable tactical success,” while stressing that the true test lies ahead—ensuring that Maduro’s removal leads not to renewed chaos or recycled authoritarianism, but to genuine stability, democratic governance, and economic recovery for Venezuela.
The Post also used the moment to commend America’s national security apparatus, highlighting the sophistication and reach of U.S. military, intelligence, and cyber capabilities.
What unfolded in Caracas, the board wrote, served as a powerful reminder that the United States retains unmatched operational strength when it chooses to act decisively.
Beyond Venezuela, the editorial framed the operation in broader geopolitical terms. Just hours before Maduro’s capture, Chinese officials had reportedly held a friendly meeting with him, underscoring the support he had long received from U.S. adversaries such as China, Russia, Cuba, and Iran.
The board argued that Maduro’s fall sends a clear message across the hemisphere, noting that Venezuelans will remember who stood by their oppressor and who ultimately facilitated his removal. Still, it warned that Maduro’s ouster would be incomplete if it failed to weaken the influence of hostile foreign powers in Latin America.
The editorial also referenced Trump’s news conference at Mar-a-Lago, suggesting that the events sent shockwaves well beyond Caracas. For months, the board noted, Trump had signaled that Maduro’s continued grip on power was unacceptable. Yet the Venezuelan leader persisted, seemingly convinced he could outlast American pressure.
The Post posed pointed questions about the wider implications of this moment: How are Iranian leaders now assessing their own vulnerability amid rising domestic unrest? Are Cuba’s communist rulers resting easily after Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s blunt warnings?
Despite its praise, the editorial board did not offer unqualified approval. It cautioned President Trump against making what it described as a potentially disastrous political miscalculation in Venezuela’s transition.
Specifically, the board urged Trump to reconsider his apparent reluctance to support Nobel Peace Prize laureate and prominent opposition figure María Corina Machado as Venezuela’s next leader. Instead, it warned against backing Vice President Delcy Rodríguez, a close Maduro ally.
The board took issue with Trump’s public dismissal of Machado’s standing in Venezuela, arguing that it defied political reality. If Machado lacked legitimacy, the editorial asked, how could Maduro’s handpicked vice president possibly command broader respect?
The Post suggested that Trump’s tendency to “shoot from the hip” during press conferences could prove costly in this delicate moment, warning that empowering a Maduro loyalist would be an “unforced error with catastrophic consequences.”
The editorial also portrayed Maduro’s downfall as the result of a profound misjudgment. According to the board, Trump had offered Maduro multiple exit options that would have allowed him to retire comfortably in exile, possibly in Moscow or Minsk. Maduro’s refusal to take those off-ramps, the Post argued, amounted to a historic miscalculation—one that may now leave him facing life in prison.
While celebrating the outcome, the board acknowledged that serious legal questions surround the operation, including concerns about congressional notification.
Still, it noted that Maduro had long been regarded as a criminal by both Republican and Democratic administrations, pointing out that even President Joe Biden had increased the reward for information leading to Maduro’s arrest to $25 million. The editorial conceded that withholding advance notice from lawmakers due to fears of leaks was debatable, calling the justification “a stretch.”
In closing, the Washington Post emphasized that enormous challenges remain. Venezuela’s path forward will be fraught with legal, political, and humanitarian obstacles, and difficult decisions lie ahead for both Venezuelans and the international community. Yet the board concluded that the moment also warrants recognition and even celebration.
For years, the editorial stated, Nicolás Maduro embodied the hollow promises and harsh realities of Latin American collectivism.
Now, it argued, justice has finally caught up with him. His downfall, the board concluded, is not only good news for Venezuela, but a significant and symbolic victory for American interests as well.
Source Breitbrat
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