Venezuela remains under authoritarian rule after US capture of Nicolás Maduro, human rights groups say

More than six months after a U.S. military operation led to the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, human‑rights organisations told Congress that the country’s political system has seen little substantive change. Interim leader Delcy Rodríguez assumed power and President Donald Trump hailed the operation as a success, but former regime officials have been “re‑cycled” into new posts, including former defence minister Vladimir Padrino López and former justice‑department official Diosdado Cabello, who now serves as interior minister.

Testimony before the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission highlighted that Venezuela’s judiciary continues to function as a tool for political repression. While about 795 political prisoners have been released, many remain incarcerated on what the witnesses described as unjust sentences, and key institutions have not undergone the reforms required for genuine transformation.