EXTENDED ANALYSIS: A Perspective on Liberty and Sovereignty
The Dilemma of Justified Interventionism
From a conservative-libertarian perspective, Operation Absolute Resolve presents a fascinating paradox. On one hand, the Trump administration acted decisively against a narco-terrorist regime that has exported misery, drugs, and refugees for decades. Maduro wasn’t simply an authoritarian leader—he was the kingpin of a state cartel that used Venezuelan institutions to traffic cocaine and destabilize the entire region.
The Defense of National Interests
The Trump administration has been clear: the United States has the right and duty to protect its borders and citizens. Maduro’s regime flooded America with narcotics, financed terrorist groups like the FARC and Hezbollah, and generated a migration crisis that directly affected U.S. national security. Under this logic, the capture wasn’t a war of aggression but extended self-defense. When a criminal state operates as a transnational criminal enterprise, traditional rules of sovereignty become debatable.
