On January 3, the United States carried out an operation that captured Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores. Maduro and Flores were brought to the United States to stand trial on drug trafficking charges. In a subsequent press conference, President Trump declared that the United States would take charge of Venezuela, expecting that the de facto vice president of the country, Delcy Rodriguez, would work with the United States. However, many questions remain unanswered. What is the future of Venezuela? Is there a chance for a transition to democracy? Will the United States be able to work with a protégé of Maduro to help govern Venezuela? And what does political instability mean for the Venezuelan oil sector and global energy security? Join CSIS experts as they address these questions and more.
Transcript — January 5, 2026
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