Why Latin America Wants Change in Venezuela

Summary

WSJ What’s News – January 6, 2026

Episode: Why Latin America Wants Change in Venezuela

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Overview

In this episode, host Luke Vargas examines the major political shift in Venezuela following Delsey Rodriguez's swearing-in as acting president after Nicolas Maduro's arrest. The discussion centers on the prospects for stability and democracy in Venezuela, regional and US responses, and the implications for migration, security, and US-Latin American relations. Key insights are provided by Carlos Solar, Senior Research Fellow at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI).

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Delsey Rodriguez Assumes Leadership in Venezuela

• Rodriguez, Maduro’s former vice president, vows to defend Venezuela’s sovereignty while signaling a willingness to dialogue with the US.
• Rodriguez refers to Maduro’s arrest as the “kidnapping of a hero” but has been in contact with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

  [00:18-01:07]
  Rodriguez: “Pledged to protect Venezuela's sovereignty and independence… described Maduro's arrest as the kidnapping of a hero… signaled her willingness to work with Washington and spoken to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.”

2. CIA’s Assessment and US Strategy

• CIA reportedly concluded that Maduro’s inner circle, including Rodriguez, was best able to maintain civil order, whereas opposition figures would face serious legitimacy and security issues.

  [01:07-02:09]
  Host Luke Vargas: “CIA concluded that Rodriguez… were best placed to maintain order in Venezuela, while opposition figures… would be struggling to gain legitimacy.”

• Carlos Solar supports engaging with Rodriguez as a pragmatic move to facilitate a stable transition.

  Carlos Solar [02:09]:
  “I think that's the safe bet. The US has been collecting intelligence… I think a dialogue with Delcy Rodriguez might move the needle in the direction that the rest of Latin America will want, which is redemocratization of Venezuela.”

3. Regional Implications: Migration & Crime

• The Venezuelan crisis has resulted in an exodus of approximately 8 million people, straining neighboring countries and fueling transnational organized crime, notably groups like Tren de Aragua.

  [02:59-03:14]
  Carlos Solar: “The calculations are 8 million Venezuelans have gone out of the country… Those lines of migration are usually controlled by transnational organized crime.”

• Latin American countries, regardless of their stance on US policy, are unified in their desire to end Venezuela’s instability and the associated rise in criminality.

  [03:14-04:08]
  “Everyone in Latin America has been hurt by Tren de Aragua… might not side with White House foreign policy, but they do side with the fact that Venezuela is in a downward spiral and is escalating criminality.”

4. Latin American Perspectives on US Intervention

• The region has seen vocal opposition to US involvement, including strong rhetoric from Cuba and Colombia; nevertheless, Solar notes this is often “heat of the moment” posturing.

  Carlos Solar [04:31]:
  “This is a lot of heat of the moment, okay? A lot of political opposition to whatever Donald Trump will do… If we rewind history… Panama turned into a flourishing country…”

• Solar argues that lasting regional priorities—like stability and democracy—may outweigh short-term anti-US sentiment.

  [05:00-05:37]
  “It's not about running Venezuela. I think it's about having enough political pressure in order to steer the regime in one direction… transition towards democracy.”

5. US Foreign Policy Shift: “Enforcer of the Americas”

• The Trump administration, with Marco Rubio serving as both Secretary of State and National Security Advisor, is taking an assertive role in Latin America, especially on Venezuela.

  Carlos Solar [05:48]:
  “As long as Marco Rubio is running the show, I think there’ll be a lot of energy towards the Western hemisphere… He speaks in Spanish to foreign leaders in Latin America… the connection between what the White House can do with the rest of Latin America and specifically in connection with Venezuela is quite strong at the moment.”

• Rubio’s expertise and political connections in Latin America are highlighted as factors in the administration’s strategy.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the CIA’s Venezuela Assessment:

  “The US has been collecting intelligence… So I think the security services have a good and clear idea of who's running the country.”
  — Carlos Solar [02:09]

• On Regional Impact of Venezuelan Crisis:

  “Everyone in Latin America has been hurt by Tren de Aragua… all these countries… they do side with the fact that Venezuela is in a downward spiral and is escalating criminality across Latin America.”
  — Carlos Solar [03:14]

• On US Intervention Rhetoric:

  “This is a lot of heat of the moment… If we rewind history… Panama turned into a flourishing country…”
  — Carlos Solar [04:31]

• On US and Marco Rubio’s Role:

  “As long as Marco Rubio is running the show, I think there'll be a lot of energy towards the Western hemisphere.”
  — Carlos Solar [05:48]

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• Introduction and episode theme: [00:18–01:07]
• Interview with Carlos Solar on CIA assessment and US policy: [01:07–02:59]
• Migration and crime implications: [02:59–04:08]
• Response of Latin American governments to US action: [04:08–05:37]
• US foreign policy pivot and Marco Rubio’s leadership: [05:37–06:28]

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Tone & Language

The episode remains analytical and pragmatic, with Solar providing measured reflections on both the emotional and strategic responses to US involvement in Venezuela. The tone is factual, yet acknowledges the passion and complexity of Latin American politics and US relations.

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Summary

This episode provides an informed, nuanced examination of Venezuela’s uncertain future after Maduro, the US’s pragmatic approach in supporting Rodriguez for stability, and the broader regional stakes, especially regarding migration and security. While anti-American sentiment has flared, underlying regional priorities point toward a collective interest in Venezuela’s democratization and an end to cascading instability—a process now heavily influenced by renewed US engagement.

Transcript

[A]

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[A]

As Venezuela's Delsey Rodriguez takes the oath of office, we'll assess her chances of turning around the country and the depth of Trump's foreign policy commitment to the Americas.

[C]

As long as Marco Rubio is running the show, I think there'll be a lot of energy towards the Western misphere.

[A]

Plus, Nvidia pulls back the curtain on faster AI chips and more than 8 million workers get a pay bump as states hike their minimum wage. It's Tuesday, January 6th. I'm Luke Vargas for the Wall Street Journal and here is the AM edition of what's news, the top headlines and business stories moving your world today. We begin in Venezuela where Nicolas Maduro's longtime vice president and top lieutenant Delsey Rodriguez was formally sworn in acting president yesterday. In a ceremony, Rodriguez pledged to protect Venezuela's sovereignty and independence and she described Maduro's arrest as the kidnapping of a hero. But those defiant words come as she signaled her willingness to work with Washington and spoken to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. So how reliable a partner is Rodriguez for the US for more we're joined by Carlos Solar, senior research fellow at rusi, the Royal United Services Institute in London. Carlos we exclusively report that in the run up to Maduro's arrest, the CIA concluded that Rodriguez as well as other members of Maduro's inner circle were the ones who were best placed to maintain order in Venezuela, while opposition figures would be in a position where they'd be struggling to gain legitimacy, facing resistance from security forces, drug trafficking networks. What do you make of that? Especially in terms of what it's going to take to see this safe, proper, judicious transition in Venezuela the President Trump has promised.

[C]

I think that's the safe bet. The US has been collecting intelligence since Operation Southern Spear started five months ago at least. So I think the security services have a good and clear idea of who's running the country, where the combatants are, where organized crime bases are and what role could and organized by a quite thinned out opposition led by Maria Corinna Machado, who's currently out of the country together with Edmundo Gonzalez. So I think it is a smart idea to try to navigate this critical moment with the regime. That doesn't mean that the US should be lenient to the regime at all. I think pressure is needed, but I think a dialogue with Del C Rodriguez might move the needle in the direction that the rest of Latin America will want, which is redemocratization of Venezuela.

[A]

We haven't talked much about immigration in the context of Venezuela the last few days. So many people have fled Venezuela in recent years. That is going to be an angle to watch in the weeks, months, years to come. Do people start to return, especially if the governance situation there improves?

[C]

Yeah, absolutely. I mean, the calculations are 8 million Venezuelans have gone out of the country, north, south, east and west, neighboring countries, and all the way north to the US And Canada, all the way south to Chile and Argentina. So it's a big problem. Those lines of migration are usually controlled by transnational organized crime. Everyone in Latin America has been hurt by trend. Arawa. Okay, so they are a very, very mean criminal organization who are taking spaces in Ecuador, in Peru, in Colombia, in Brazil, in Chile, in Central America. So all these countries, they might not side with the politics of Donald Trump, they might not side with the White House, American foreign policy, but they do side with the fact that Venezuela is in a downward spiral and is escalating criminality across Latin America.

[A]

Would you say those forces are stronger than some of the opposition to US Action we've seen in recent days? For instance, Colombia's president saying he'd be ready to take up arms against the U.S. cuba, which we should say lost 32 of its officers in the operation to capture Maduro, called American forces terrorists in imperial uniform. And we've seen protests in places like Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. What should we make of that?

[C]

This is a lot of heat of the moment, okay? A lot of political opposition to whatever Donald Trump will do. If we rewind history and we go to 1989, when the US did something similar to Noriega in Panama. If you read history, opposition to the United States lasted for long, but then Panama turned into a flourishing country, which is now a hub for finance, for commerce, and for other services across Latin America. But the fact that Venezuela has been the hotspot of many biases towards the rest of the Western Hemisphere, the relationship with the US Is so important for Colombia. The security of Colombia's at a good moment. Some parts of Colombia have been dominated again through either guerrilla paramilitaries or organized crime, all in a lot of connection to their border with Venezuela. So it's not about running Venezuela. I think it's about having enough political pressure in order to steer the regime in one direction, which is, believe me, what a lot of Latin American countries will want. Transition towards democracy in Venezuela.

[A]

Carlos the US Very much applying that political pressure, at least for now. But how profound is this pivot to being the so called enforcer of the Americas?

[C]

Well, let me put it in real terms. As long as Marco Rubio is running the show, I think there'll be a lot of energy towards the Westernmosphere. So Marco Rubio holds two hats, national security advisor and secretary of State. He seems in a very good moment to be with Donald Trump. I think there is a strong connection between them. He's an expert in Latin America. His senatorial career, he's politician as in southern Florida. He speaks in Spanish to foreign leaders in Latin America. So the connection between what the White House can do with the rest of Latin America and specifically in connection with Venezuela is quite strong at the moment.

[A]

Dr. Carlos Salar is a senior research fellow for Latin American security at rusi, the Royal United Services Institute. Carlos, thank you so much for being with us on what's news.

[C]

Thank you, Luke.

[A]

Coming up, lawmakers return to Washington with another funding deadline looming. And Nvidia unveils a new AI chip for the Omniverse. Those stories and more after the break.

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[A]

In Washington. The next deadline to reach a deal to fund the federal government is looming, though in the wake of a 43 day funding lapse last year. Democrats appetite for another shutdown looks diminished. Centrists say that too much damage was inflicted on American households, with many in the party saying they're uncomfortable triggering a shutdown at the end of January. Meanwhile, some Democrats remain frustrated with Republicans and see spending bills as an effective form of protest. Meanwhile, the Trump administration is expanding its freeze on social services funding in four further states due to fraud concerns. According to senior officials. The government is pausing funds for child care and poor families in California, Colorado, Illinois and New York. Last week, Minnesota's federal child care funds were cut off following allegations of fraud. There is no indication of fraud in the four other states. As many as 8.3 million workers in the US are now receiving higher pay after 19 states boosted their minimum wage at the start of the year. That means that 30 states have now set a higher minimum wage than the Federal minimum of $7.25 an hour. Washington has also become the first state to enact an hourly minimum above $17, the rate that some Democrats have pushed to be adopted. Nationally, economists continue to debate the effects of raising the minimum wage, with some arg arguing it hurts businesses bottom line leading to increased prices or lower employment, while others say it reduces poverty. And Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang has unveiled new, faster AI chips that the company says will enable the training of models in simulated environments, the next phase of AI it calls the Omniverse. Speaking at the Consumer Electronics show in Las Vegas, Huang said the intense demand for advanced processors to train and operate models push the semiconductor industry to move faster. Okay, Vera Rubin is designed to address this fundamental challenge that we have. The amount of computation necessary for AI is skyrocketing. Nvidia's newest AI servers, known as Vera Rubin, a name for the mid century American astronomer, will go on sale in the second half of the year. And that's it for what's news for this Tuesday morning. Today's show was produced by Hattie Moyer and Daniel Bock. Our supervising producer was Sandra Kilhoff. And I'm Luke Vargas for the Wall Street Journal. We will be back tonight with a new show.

[C]

Until then, thanks for listening.