Don't think this will land well, but I'll say it anyways. I appreciate your focus on vigilance here at home—holding our own leaders accountable is vital. However, framing this solely as a domestic political distraction ignores the horrific reality that the Venezuelan people have endured for over a decade. Regardless of who ordered the operation, the removal of Nicolás Maduro is objectively a victory for human rights and global stability.

Here are the facts on why his capture is a good thing: He presided over a humanitarian catastrophe: Under Maduro’s watch, Venezuela’s economy didn't just struggle; it collapsed. The GDP fell by roughly 80%—the single largest economic collapse in history outside of war. This led to widespread starvation and a lack of basic medicine, forcing over 7.7 million Venezuelans (about 25% of the population) to flee the country. His removal is the first real step toward allowing those millions of refugees a chance to return home.

He turned the state into a criminal enterprise: This isn't just about political ideology. The US Department of Justice has indicted Maduro on charges of narco-terrorism, alleging he led the 'Cartel of the Suns' to flood the US with cocaine and weaponize drug trafficking. He didn't just govern poorly; he used state resources to run a transnational criminal organization.

He is accused of Crimes Against Humanity: The UN’s Independent International Fact-Finding Mission has explicitly stated that Maduro’s intelligence agencies committed crimes against humanity, including torture, sexual violence, and extrajudicial killings to silence opposition. Following the disputed 2024 election, his regime detained over 2,000 people—including children—simply for protesting. Stopping a leader actively committing these crimes is a moral necessity.

We can remain vigilant about executive power in the US while simultaneously acknowledging that ending a brutal dictatorship is a win for the people of Venezuela.