The New Yorker staff writer Jon Lee Anderson joins Tyler Foggatt to discuss the U.S. military operation that captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and brought him to the United States to face narco-terrorism charges. They talk about the unprecedented nature of the raid, the shaky intelligence and legal rationale behind it, and what the operation reveals about the Trump Administration’s increasingly coercive approach to the region. They also examine what “running” Venezuela could look like in practice—from leaving Maduro associates in power to exploiting the country’s oil reserves—and how the intervention may reverberate across Latin America.

This week’s reading:

“Regime Change in America’s Back Yard,” by Jon Lee Anderson
“Who’s Running Venezuela After the Fall of Maduro?,” by Jonathan Blitzer
“The Folly of Trump’s Oil Imperialism,” by John Cassidy
“The Brazen Illegality of Trump’s Venezuela Operation,” by Isaac Chotiner
“Can the U.S. Really ‘Run’ Venezuela?,” by Caroline Mimbs Nyce

The Political Scene draws on the reporting and analysis found in The New Yorker for lively conversations about the big questions in American politics. Join the magazine’s writers and editors as they put into context the latest news—about elections, the economy, the White House, the Supreme Court, and much more. New episodes are available three times a week.

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Special Episode: After Maduro’s Ouster, What Are Trump’s Plans for Venezuela?

The Political Scene | The New Yorker