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Can the US ‘run’ Venezuela? Military force can topple a dictator, but it cannot create political authority or legitimacy

  • Written by Monica Duffy Toft, Professor of International Politics and Director of the Center for Strategic Studies, The Fletcher School, Tufts University
imageSupporters of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro gather during a demonstration in Caracas on Jan, 4, 2026. Pedro Mattey/Anadolu via Getty Images

An image circulated over media the weekend of Jan. 3 and 4 was meant to convey dominance: Venezuela’s president, Nicolás Maduro, blindfolded and handcuffed aboard a U.S. naval vessel....

Read more: Can the US ‘run’ Venezuela? Military force can topple a dictator, but it cannot create political...

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