NatSec Matters Venezuela After Maduro - U.S. Intervention, Cartels, and the Road Ahead: Dr. Ryan Berg
Jan 14, 2026
Dr. Ryan Berg, Director of the Americas Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, shares his insights on Venezuela's tumultuous future. He delves into the successful Delta Force raid that captured Nicolas Maduro, spotlighting U.S. military prowess. Ryan discusses Venezuela's geopolitical stakes, including drug trade and migration, and the strategic importance of U.S. naval presence in the Caribbean. He also reveals plans for U.S. control of Venezuelan oil revenues and the implications for regional stability.
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Use Oil And Naval Quarantine As Leverage
- Use naval quarantine and control of oil exports as leverage to shape Venezuelan behavior and policy.
- Market and sell Venezuelan oil and place proceeds in a U.S. account to benefit the Venezuelan people while withholding direct regime control.
Multiple Levers, One Delicate Pace
- The U.S. asks include reducing drugs and migration, opening the oil sector, and rolling back ties with Russia, China, Iran, and Cuba.
- Managing pace of rupture with those partners is crucial to avoid destabilizing the regime and risking stability.
Stability Over Immediate Legitimacy
- The administration prioritized short-term stability over political legitimacy by keeping Delcy Rodríguez in power.
- Delcy offers regime continuity and control but remains part of the authoritarian system that must eventually be replaced for lasting change.