Cilia Flores is ‘more extreme’ and ‘crueller’ than Maduro

Cilia Flores, wife of Nicolás Maduro

Venezuela is not a "colony" of the U.S. Sure the U.S. is directing things there now in a macro sense, but there will eventually be elections in Venezuela to establish new leadership, presumably the opposition who won the last election by 70% (which Maduro ignored). 

As for leaving parts of Maduro-Chavez's government in place, in the short term that made sense to avoid chaos. Remember Iraq when Team Bush took out the whole Saddam Government after his overthrow. How did that work out?  

Oil is a big part of this: 

 

EBL: Venezuelans Celebrate Maduro Arrest and Maduro Arrested by US

AoSHQ: Morning Report 01.08.26

Mark Steyn: Thank you, Trump