Trump chose not to restore democracy in Venezuela, with the opposition's Nobel winner in hiding and much of the opposition in prison | Fortune

"Venezuela's opposition supporters have long hoped for the day when Nicolás Maduro is no longer in power - a dream that was fulfilled when the U.S. military whisked the authoritarian leader away. But while Maduro is in jail in New York on drug trafficking charges, the leaders of his repressive administration remain in charge. The nation's opposition - backed by consecutive Republican and Democratic administrations in the U.S. - for years vowed to immediately replace Maduro with one of their own and restore democracy to the oil-rich country."

"The U.S. seized Maduro and first lady Cilia Flores in a military operation Saturday, removing them both from their home on a military base in Venezuela's capital, Caracas. Hours later, Trump said the U.S. would "run" Venezuela and expressed skepticism that Machado could ever be its leader. "She doesn't have the support within, or the respect within, the country," Trump told reporters. "She's a very nice woman, but she doesn't have the respect.""

""They were clearly unimpressed by the sort of ethereal magical realism of the opposition, about how if they just gave Maduro a push, it would just be this instant move toward democracy," David Smilde, a Tulane University professor who has studied Venezuela for three decades, said of the Trump administration. Ironically, Machado's unending praise for the American president, including dedicating her Nobel Peace Prize to Trump and her backing of U.S. campaigns to deport Venezuelan migrants and attack alleged drug traffickers in international waters, has lost her some support at home."

Maduro was seized by the U.S. military and is jailed in New York on drug trafficking charges while key figures from his administration continue to hold power in Venezuela. Vice President Delcy Rodríguez assumed control after U.S. decisions shifted expectations about an immediate opposition takeover. Many opposition leaders are in exile or prison, weakening internal resistance. President Trump publicly asserted U.S. authority over Venezuela and questioned opposition leadership viability. Maria Corina Machado's public alignment with the U.S. and praise for Trump eroded her domestic support amid the crisis.

Read at Fortune