After Maduro: What January 2026 Means for Venezuela and Regional Integration

On January 3, 2026, U.S. special operations forces executed "Operation Absolute Resolve," capturing Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and transporting him to American custody. Within hours, Vice President Delcy Rodríguez was sworn in as interim leader. The Maduro era—25 years of Chavista rule—had ended.

Regional Reaction

The intervention sent shockwaves through Latin America. CELAC immediately condemned the operation as a violation of the UN Charter and Venezuelan sovereignty. Even governments that had opposed Maduro—including Colombia under Petro—expressed concern about the precedent of unilateral U.S. military action.

Argentina's Javier Milei was the sole dissenter, praising the operation as "liberation." His isolation within CELAC underscored the depth of regional opposition to external intervention.

A Window Opens

For advocates of Gran Colombian integration, the post-Maduro moment presents both opportunity and danger. The opportunity: Venezuela's political transition creates space for new arrangements. A government seeking legitimacy and economic recovery might be more open to regional cooperation than Maduro, whose isolation had become a barrier to integration.

The danger: external intervention could deepen divisions. If the new Venezuelan government is seen as a U.S. client, regional integration becomes harder, not easier. Latin American unity requires Latin American agency.

Petro's Timing

It was no coincidence that Petro unveiled his confederation proposal exactly one week after Maduro's capture. The timing was strategic. With Venezuela in flux, Petro offered an alternative to U.S. tutelage: regional integration under Latin American leadership.

The message to Caracas was clear: you don't have to choose between Washington and isolation. There's a third path—unity with your neighbors.

The Rodríguez Government

Delcy Rodríguez, the new interim president, faces impossible choices. She must navigate between the expectations of Washington (which enabled her ascent by removing Maduro), the demands of her Chavista base, and the regional consensus that condemns foreign intervention.

Her response to Petro's proposal will be telling. Embrace of regional integration could help legitimize her government domestically and internationally. Rejection would signal alignment with Washington over Latin American solidarity.

What It Means for Gran Colombia

The post-Maduro era creates the most favorable conditions for Gran Colombian integration in decades. The obstacles that Maduro's government posed—international sanctions, diplomatic isolation, ideological rigidity—are potentially removable.

But the window may not stay open long. If Venezuela descends into chaos, or if a new authoritarian consolidates power, the opportunity will pass. The next months will determine whether January 2026 was the beginning of regional integration—or just another false dawn.