Trump’s call to fight communism also applies to tyranny in Venezuela
A New Chapter for Venezuela: U.S. Strategy Against Communist Tyranny
Trump s call to fight communism - For more than a quarter century, the Chavista movement in Venezuela has repeatedly broken and ignored commitments made with Washington and global partners. Throughout this extended period, systematic abuses became routine—mass arrests, brutal interrogations, extrajudicial killings, manipulated elections, and harsh suppression of dissent. Even when Edmundo González secured a decisive electoral win, the ruling apparatus found ways to steal the victory, despite overwhelming proof of his triumph at the ballot box.
Everything shifted dramatically on January 3, when President Trump initiated Operation Absolute Resolve. This decisive military action successfully apprehended and removed Nicolas Maduro from power, exposing the fragility of the once-dominant regime. Yet after six months and numerous accomplishments, certain factions within the administration's circle have begun doubting the overall approach, with some even suggesting that Washington is inadvertently strengthening the remnants of communist rule in Caracas.
During preparations for America's 250th anniversary celebrations, Trump articulated his firm opposition to communist ideology.
"America will never be a communist country," he declared. "We resolve and swear for all to hear that the citizens of the United States of America will vanquish communism quickly."
This declaration aligns perfectly with the comprehensive three-phase strategy for Venezuela: stabilization, economic recovery, and political transition. Far from being abandoned or forgotten following the catastrophic twin earthquakes that devastated the country on June 24, this framework continues to guide American policy.
What stands out clearly is Washington's determination to avoid repeating the errors committed in Libya and Afghanistan. Rather than pursuing hasty interventions, the United States is implementing a calculated approach to dismantle twenty-five years of communist oppression through targeted actions that prevent chaos, minimize violence, and maintain order.
Within just half a year, the American government has forced the Venezuelan regime to advance on multiple fronts. Political prisoners are being released, and fundamental rights to expression, assembly, and organization are being restored. Additionally, preliminary steps have been taken toward establishing a dialogue that could produce a new, trustworthy, and impartial national electoral council.
Security achievements have been equally significant. The United States successfully pressured Venezuela to surrender its highly enriched uranium—a feat unaccomplished for over three decades. Meanwhile, a Hezbollah terrorist operative was apprehended, the leader of the notorious Tren de Aragua criminal gang was eliminated, and for the first time in many years, members of the Israel Defense Forces entered Venezuelan territory to rescue lives and deliver technological assistance after the devastating earthquakes.
Economic progress has also materialized. Washington halted oil shipments to Cuba, helped boost Venezuelan oil production to approximately 1.2 million barrels daily, and facilitated the restoration of relations with the International Monetary Fund alongside other international financial institutions.
Due to the Chavista military's demonstrated incompetence during post-earthquake recovery efforts, more than 2,000 American service members remain stationed in Venezuela. These troops coordinate humanitarian aid distribution and support security operations across the nation.
One certainty emerges: the United States is not welcoming the current regime but systematically dismantling its essential structures day by day. CIA Director John Ratcliffe and U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Caine both traveled to Venezuela following Operation Absolute Resolve. Their visit carries substantial meaning—they are evaluating conditions firsthand, not endorsing the dictatorship. This represents calculated strategy, not improvisation; peace achieved through strength.
The earthquakes revealed that considerable work remains to eradicate communism's criminal foundations in Venezuela. Essential tasks include returning opposition leader María Corina Machado, dissolving the Rodríguez Cabello junta, unconditionally freeing all political detainees, ending the police state apparatus, and conducting genuinely free elections.
Venezuela's situation remains imperfect, yet it has transformed considerably from six months prior. Washington maintains that a renewed Venezuela cannot rest upon the crumbling foundations of its dictatorial past. This conviction explains why Trump's Mount Rushmore address generated optimism, coupled with the commitment to defeat communism swiftly.
Arturo McFields is an exiled journalist, former Nicaraguan ambassador to the Organization of American States, and a former member of the Norwegian Peace Corps. He is an alumnus of the National Defense University's Security and Defense Seminar and the Harvard Leadership course.