This piece examines Venezuela’s current crackdown after the U.S. capture of Nicolás Maduro, the role of armed civilian groups, and the political steps needed to restore legitimate governance while protecting citizens from reprisals.
The fall of a corrupt regime rarely ends with a single event; remnants cling to power and seek to punish perceived opponents. Venezuela now faces that exact danger after federal charges were filed in the United States against Nicolás Maduro and his wife. Reports indicate the remaining junta still controls state machinery and is hunting anyone suspected of helping the American operation. That creates immediate risks for Venezuelans who opposed or cooperated with foreign intervention.
One clear concern centers on paramilitary groups known as colectivos, which the regime has long used to suppress dissent. These armed civilian networks have acted alongside police and military forces, often with impunity, and are among the few nonstate actors in Venezuela permitted to carry weapons. Given that history, it is plausible regime loyalists would be tasked with finding and punishing anyone seen as aiding the U.S. action. That would be a predictable, brutal response from a government desperate to show control.
As for this crackdown: The Maduro regime used armed, civilian paramilitaries, called colectivos, to crack down on protests while Nicolás Maduro was still in power; it’s not at all unlikely that these same regime loyalists may be used to round up any suspected American sympathizers. Although, those groups have gone surprisingly quiet for the moment.
Government officials who are still in power are probably eager to show the Trump administration that they can maintain order, and do not want images of chaos in the streets, said Alejandro Velasco, a Latin America historian at New York University, who is Venezuelan. Their only bargaining chip to stay in power is the ability to keep the peace, he said.
“I have to imagine colectivos have been given the order to lay low,” Mr. Velasco said.
Venezuela has long used the armed civilian
to fight back against protesters. They have been known to work alongside police or military forces with no consequences for the excessive or even fatal force often used.
Those quotations underline what observers already feared: the regime will use every instrument at its disposal to suppress threats. Colectivos are not a benign social movement; historically they have been tools of violent enforcement and intimidation. If they are mobilized again, ordinary Venezuelans who supported the U.S. action or who simply stood against the regime could face arrest, disappearance, or worse. The quiet seen so far may be tactical, not a sign of restraint.
Two immediate political fixes could blunt the regime’s grip and offer a path to safety for Venezuelans. First, install a credible interim government led by the recognized opposition figure who won the 2024 contest, Edmundo González. Second, quickly organize genuinely free elections under international observation so the Venezuelan people can reclaim sovereignty through the ballot box. These moves would change the political landscape and strip the junta of its thin justification for repression.
Disarming and disbanding colectivos must be part of any transition plan because a legitimate state does not need armed gangs enforcing its will. Security sector reform should prioritize returning force to accountable institutions and removing nonstate actors from the streets. That requires a combination of legal measures, targeted operations to seize weapons, and guarantees for those who surrender arms. Without that step, any new government will struggle to govern without fear of violent retaliation.
Practical steps to protect Venezuelans during the transition will include safe corridors for dissidents, transparent arrest protocols, and oversight to prevent summary punishment. International actors can help by offering asylum channels and documenting abuses in real time so perpetrators face accountability. Local civil society and independent media should be supported to monitor and report, both to deter abuses and to build public trust in a fairer system.
The stakes go beyond Venezuelan politics: stability in the region and respect for human rights are at risk if reprisals spread. The U.S. move to charge Maduro and his inner circle has legal and moral dimensions, but it also triggers a security vacuum that must be managed. A deliberate plan that combines interim governance, rapid elections, and disarmament of armed groups offers the clearest path to reducing violence and restoring order.
No legitimate government relies on bands of armed thugs to enforce policy, and Venezuela is no exception. The quicker the international community and Venezuelan opposition act to establish legitimate authority and dismantle coercive networks, the better the chance ordinary citizens will be spared from revenge. The immediate priority must be protecting people from reprisals while creating the conditions for a legitimate, stable government to emerge.
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