Reveal: "A Dictator Deposed—What Now for Venezuela?"
Date: January 17, 2026
Host: Al Letson
Producers: The Center for Investigative Reporting & PRX
Episode Overview
In this gripping episode, Reveal investigates the fallout and uncertain future in Venezuela following the dramatic arrest and removal of longtime president Nicolás Maduro by U.S. forces. Through interviews with Venezuelan journalists, historians, politicians, and exiles, the show explores a nation in transition—torn between hope, skepticism, and the enduring shadow of oil, repression, and foreign intervention. The reporting provides historical context for Venezuela's cycles of boom and bust, chronicling decades of authoritarian rule, U.S. involvement, and the personal costs borne by dissidents and everyday citizens.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. The Night Maduro Was Arrested: Chaos and Censorship
Segment: [00:54–02:40]
- Journalist Mariana Zuniga ("Mari") recalls the confusion and fear the night of Maduro’s unexpected capture.
- Memorable Quote: "I thought, oh my God, I can't believe they are still using fireworks ... Then I heard the second one and I started hearing the planes or helicopters, and I realized, okay, this is not what I thought. This is something else." – Mariana Zuniga [01:12]
- Censorship means news spreads through WhatsApp and social networks, not the press.
- Quote: "In Venezuela, most media are censored. That's our way to get our news." – Mari [01:53]
2. Living Through Uncertainty
Segment: [02:16–05:32]
- The regime’s legacy of fear remains, with civilian-manned, heavily-armed and masked checkpoints, reminiscent of periods of brutal repression.
- Locals fear open celebration—even with Maduro gone, the power structure feels unchanged.
- Quote: "Even if Maduro was captured, was taken out of the country, for many people, the regime [is] still in place." – Mari [05:04]
3. Hints of Reform: Political Prisoners and Symbols of Repression
Segment: [05:32–08:48]
- Interim leader Delsey Rodriguez announces release of some political prisoners—a "gesture of peace"—but many remain behind bars.
- Iconic prison El Helicoide, symbol of repression, is discussed. Trump promises its closure, but no local confirmation exists.
- Quote: "For Venezuelans, this prison is a symbol of the repression that opponents of the regime have had to endure for years." – Adriana Tapia [08:12]
4. The Struggle for Journalism and Information
Segment: [08:48–11:45]
- Mariana describes childhood inspirations and the clampdown on independent media beginning with Hugo Chávez canceling licenses, notably Radio Caracas Television in 2007.
- Quote: "We were all doing the same at the same time." – Mari on the national anthem broadcast at RCTV's shutdown [10:41]
- Over 60 newspapers and 200 radio stations shuttered in two decades; massive exodus of journalists.
5. Protests, Economic Collapse, and the Long Road to Change
Segment: [11:45–14:01]
- Mari recounts covering the protest waves of 2017 and 2019, marked by extreme violence amidst economic crisis, blackouts, and mass emigration (nearly 8 million have left since 2014).
- Quote: "Transitions are not easy. We have to remind that to ourselves because we are very impatient as well." – Mari [13:15]
6. America’s Motives: Oil as Both Resource and Curse
Segment: [14:01–16:49]
- President Trump explicitly states the motive for intervention: oil.
- Quote: "The oil companies are going to go in ... we're going to take back the oil that frankly, we should have taken back a long time ago." – Donald Trump [16:32]
- Alejandro Velasco, historian, reacts: "What happens when the subtext is no longer subtext and it's just text?" – Alejandro Velasco [17:00]
7. Venezuela’s Oil: Historical Context and National Trauma
Segment: [17:00–35:52]
a. Origins and Nationalization
- Oil discovered in 1914, leading to foreign dominance.
- Nationalization in 1976—Petróleos de Venezuela (PDVSA)—designed to firewall oil from politics.
- Quote: "Oil is the water in Venezuela. It is the thing that structures our life without having to be said." – Alejandro Velasco [18:44]
b. The “Golden Era,” Collapse and Upheaval
- Boom years end with oil price collapse in 1980s—debt, riots, coups, and instability follow.
- Quote: "The story of Venezuela has been one of crisis after crisis after crisis." – Alejandro Velasco [22:39]
c. Chávez’s Populism, the Fall of the Firewall
- Chávez uses oil to fund social programs, but cracks the firewall by politicizing PDVSA. Survives a coup and the pivotal general strike of 2002–03 by firing half the national oil workforce.
- High oil prices enable largesse, but also deepen corruption, repression, and polarize the country.
- Chávez antagonizes the U.S. and forces foreign companies into minority stakes or exodus.
d. Maduro’s Ascent, Economic Disaster, and International Isolation
- Succeeds Chávez, loses legitimacy, and intensifies repression as oil prices tumble.
- U.S. sanctions target oil sector; multiple opposition attempts (interim governments, coups, mercenary intervention) fail.
e. After Maduro’s Ouster: Uncertain Oil Future
- Open questions: Who controls the oil now? Will the U.S. siphon Venezuela's production? Can new leadership walk the line between foreign interests and domestic legitimacy?
- Quote: "What happens if that thing is no longer even putatively ours? That has to occasion a tremendous redefinition of who we are as Venezuelans." – Alejandro Velasco [35:03]
8. Voices from Exile: Freddy Guevara’s Story
Segment: [36:42–50:21]
- Freddy Guevara, exiled opposition leader and former VP of the National Assembly, reflects on the personal and political cost of fighting Maduro, including years hiding in an embassy and prison time in solitary.
- Quote: "I tell people that I was in COVID before COVID ... I am free. I’m alive. I am with all my limbs intact. So I feel that I'm part of the lucky ones." – Freddy Guevara [41:20, 41:45]
- Guevara watches Maduro’s arrest with disbelief, hope, and anxiety that real change is still not guaranteed.
- Quote: "Of course I cried of joy ... but then she sees me crying. I think also we're very traumatized. So we were like, is this really happening?" – Freddy Guevara [44:23]
- On the legacy and intentions of Delsey Rodriguez, interim leader (“not moderate at all”), skepticism over clean transition vs. savvy survival by the regime.
- On U.S. intervention: Mixed feelings—pride in the resistance and documentation by Venezuelans, and acceptance that foreign action avoided civil war and preserved lives.
- Quote: "Sometimes there's a little privilege in the people that says, well, just wait. You know, it's easy to say, wait, if you can eat, if you are not in prison ... time is consuming." – Freddy Guevara [48:30]
- Guevara’s dream: “Venezuela can be a good experiment for the rebuild of democracy ... to be an example of progress and development, but also innovation in democracy and participation.” [49:23]
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments (with Timestamps)
- "That's our way to get our news." – Mariana Zuniga on censorship [01:53]
- "For Venezuelans, this prison is a symbol of the repression that opponents of the regime have had to endure for years." – Adriana Tapia [08:12]
- "Oil is the water in Venezuela. It is the thing that structures our life without having to be said." – Alejandro Velasco [18:44]
- "Transitions are not easy. We have to remind that to ourselves because we are very impatient as well." – Mari [13:15]
- "What happens when the subtext is no longer subtext and it's just text?" – Alejandro Velasco on Trump’s oil comments [17:00]
- "Of course I cried of joy ... but then she sees me crying. I think also we're very traumatized. So we were like, is this really happening?" – Freddy Guevara [44:23]
Key Timestamps
- 00:54: Al Letson’s introduction and Mariana Zuniga’s firsthand account of Maduro’s arrest night
- 08:12: Symbolism and reality of El Helicoide prison
- 10:41: RCTV’s shutdown and national synchronicity
- 16:32: Trump’s direct statement about seizing Venezuelan oil
- 18:44: Alejandro Velasco reflects on oil as Venezuela’s "water"
- 22:39: Chronicling Venezuela’s crises and collapse
- 25:26–27:30: Chávez dismantling PDVSA's firewall, surviving opposition strikes
- 35:03: Velasco on Venezuela’s existential crisis re: oil and identity
- 41:45: Guevara on enduring solitary confinement and perspective on survival
- 44:23: Guevara’s emotional reaction to Maduro’s capture
Themes and Tone
Reveal offers a rich, empathetic, and informed examination of Venezuela’s uncertain horizon. The episode oscillates between factual analysis, lived experience, and deep reflection—conveying the trauma, resilience, and hope of Venezuelan people in their own words. It maintains the show’s commitment to accountability, storytelling, and justice.
For New Listeners
This episode provides essential historical context, expert interviews, and the lived experiences of those at the heart of Venezuela’s unfolding story. Whether you’re new to the crisis or a longtime observer, “A Dictator Deposed—What Now for Venezuela?” is a nuanced, comprehensive exploration of what happens when a regime falls and the world—and its people—hold their breath, waiting to see what will rise in its place.