As Venezuela grapples with authoritarian collapse and a controversial U.S. operation that removed Nicolás Maduro, Freddy Guevara joins the podcast to discuss what Venezuelans are feeling and what democratic renewal might actually look like.
Once one of Latin America’s strongest democracies, Venezuela has endured years of economic collapse, humanitarian crisis, and authoritarian rule under Nicolás Maduro. In January 2026, a U.S. military operation captured Maduro, a move the Trump administration has characterized as an effort to remove a dictator and stabilize the country. However, questions remain about its legality and the path forward for actual democratic renewal.
This week, co-hosts Archon Fung and Stephen Richer discuss the prospects for democracy in Venezuela with Freddy Guevara, a Venezuelan political leader and democracy advocate who has spent more than five years in exile after being targeted by the Maduro government. Drawing on his experience leading nonviolent resistance and surviving political persecution, Guevara shares how Venezuelans are really experiencing this moment and assesses Venezuela’s democratic prospects going forward.