The US snatched Nicolás Maduro but, frozen out by Trump, anti-government activists are unsure how to proceed
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s the harsh reality sets in that Venezuela’s authoritarian regime remains essentially unchanged even without Nicolás Maduro, activists who have spent years fighting for the country’s return to democracy are unsure about what the next steps should be.
They agree that the country should very soon either hold new elections or install the retired diplomat Edmundo González – widely believed to have won the 2024 election – but neither option appears to be on the White House’s agenda at the moment.
After capturing Maduro and taking control of Venezuela’s oil, Trump could have chosen to install González – whose victory the opposition has demonstrated through collected tally sheets – but instead decided to leave the former dictator’s entire cabinet in charge of the country, claiming it would now operate under White House oversight.
