The Trump administration pulled off a spectacular move over the weekend, capturing the Venezuelan dictator in a lightning strike, hauling him back to New York City for trial on narco-trafficking and other charges.
Venezuelans inside and outside the country were ecstatic that Nicolás Maduro was taken down in the middle of the night, and they were celebrating freedom.
🇻🇪Venezuelans in Doral, Florida celebrate the end of Maduro.
— Oli London (@OliLondonTV) January 3, 2026
“We love everybody because you America have loved us so much. Thank you America.”
Maduro has been captured and indicted in New York on narcoterrorism and weapons charges.
pic.twitter.com/I0KjkC7jov
As amazing as the operation was, it's the second part - restoring the country to freedom - that is going to be more involved.
Trump indicated that they expected cooperation from Maduro's vice president, Delcy Rodríguez, although that's obviously problematic since she was part of the Maduro regime. She initially made comments condemning Maduro's capture.
But Trump indicated that if she didn't cooperate, she would face a fate worse than Maduro. And remember, we've already established that when Trump says things, he doesn't play around, as Maduro found out. In one interview, he said she could “pay a very big price, probably bigger than Maduro.” He reiterated to reporters on the plane returning to the White House on Sunday that if she didn't do what was right, "she will face a situation probably worse than Maduro."
.@POTUS reiterates that if the acting Venezuelan leader Delcy Rodriguez doesn't do what's right, "she will face a situation probably worse than Maduro." pic.twitter.com/WXk6S0u79S
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) January 5, 2026
He also said if they didn't behave, the U.S. could bring more military action.
Lo and behold, suddenly, Rodríguez began singing a different tune. Note the language change here in an Instagram post she made. While she's still not a happy camper, she's now talking about "collaborating with the United States." She even posted it in English, just to make sure there was no misunderstanding.
We prioritise moving towards balanced and respectful international relations between the United States and Venezuela, and between Venezuela and other countries in the region, premised on sovereign equality and non-interference. These principles guide our diplomacy with the rest of the world.
We invite the US government to collaborate with us on an agenda of cooperation oriented towards shared development within the framework of international law to strengthen lasting community coexistence.
I don't think Trump thinks he can trust her as far as he can throw her. He's not Joe Biden.
He's basically seeing how much he can do with limited military involvement, but with power sitting in the wings as a Sword of Damocles over her head. He's using her as an interim placeholder for the transition. If I were her, I wouldn't count on sticking around. She knows she can be gone in a moment. Trump made it clear that he didn't want to just continue to allow what had been happening under Maduro.
Trump said that she was "cooperating."
It sounds like she's getting the message.
Editor’s Note: Do you enjoy RedState’s conservative reporting that takes on the radical left and woke media? Support our work so that we can continue to bring you the truth.
Join RedState VIP and use the promo code FIGHT to receive 60% off your membership.
Join the conversation as a VIP Member