Trump is dropping the ball in Venezuela — he needs a new plan

Summary

America’s daring Jan. 3 military raid seizing and removing Venezuelan ruler Nicolas Maduro was brilliantly successful. Tragically, however, the Trump administration’s underlying political strategy was flawed from the start. Maduro’s removal changed only the corrupt regime’s public face. The Chavista gang itself remained in power: U.S. acquiescence simply empowered Maduro’s former subordinates, to the detriment…