The capture of the dictator Maduro and Cuba

HAVANA.- In the early hours of this Saturday the 3rd, public opinion focused its attention on the most recent events in Venezuela. Those who criticized President Trump because the extensive US war mobilization for weeks near the South American country had not had (nor were there indications that it would have) a clear definition, I suppose that, given what happened, they will choose to remain silent in the future.

Yes, there was a definition, and it was overwhelmingly clear!… The dictator Nicolás Maduro was captured by the troops of the northern country; They took him to New York and I suppose he will be bitterly regretting – and with all the right in the world! I think – for not having decided to give in and get away from power when he still had the opportunity to do so.

In the United States, I believe, a fate awaits him analogous to that suffered by another dictator accused of drug trafficking; I am referring to the Panamanian “strong man” Manuel Antonio Noriegawho, by strange coincidence, was also arrested on January 3. Does anyone remember any anecdotes from “Pineapple Face”’s years in prison in the United States? I doubt it. Something similar (in my opinion) awaits Maduro in the years to come.

Although 2026 is still very young, I dare to assure that, at the time, this Caracas event will be a serious contender for the title of news of the year. It is not in vain that colleague Yoani Sánchez, breaking the rules that she has imposed on herself, broadcast this Saturday (for the first time in a weekend, as far as I know) an extraordinary installment of her popular “Cafecito Informativo”.

But those of us who have listened to the very important press conference given by Donald Trump and several of his most distinguished collaborators have reasons to doubt this supposed “continuity.” It is the case that, in a passage of that event in which the Cuban-American also participated Marco Rubioreference was made to a long telephone exchange that this Secretary of State had with the vice president appointed by Maduro, Delcy Rodríguez.

Naturally, the speakers did not provide details about the specific content of the conversation, but the mere fact that its notable duration was noted indicates that the main outstanding problems of Venezuelan-North American relations were addressed in detail.

One aspect of the US action that is worth highlighting is that, in an operation of such tremendous scope and importance, there were wounded, but not dead, among its soldiers. Meanwhile, the Cuban and Venezuelan troops did have casualties

The “Saturday News” of Cuban Television did affirm that there have been no personal misfortunes among the “Cuban collaborators.” I think this may be true in regards to medical personnel and other civilian collaborators, but it was not the case in the case of the team that guarded Maduro, among whom were many—and in what way!—the island’s officials.

There is another issue that affects us and matters to Cubans to a much greater extent: what significance will the capture of Maduro and his wife have for the Island, as well as the changes that (we must presume) will begin to occur in Venezuelan politics?

Here I have to go back to January 1958, when the writer was a young boy who had just turned 14 years old. On the 23rd of that month (less than a year before Castro’s triumph), a coup d’état led by Rear Admiral Wolfgang Larrazábal put an end to the dictatorship of Marcos Pérez Jiménez. I remember that, among those of us who repudiated the counterpart regime of Fulgencio Batista, the fall of the Venezuelan satrap inspired tremendous hopes.

We already know, of course, that in those distant years the coincidences did not last too long. While Venezuela moved decisively towards democratic elections that opened the doors of the Miraflores Palace to Don Rómulo Betancourt, in Cuba a dictatorship was enthroned that devastated economic life and led, ultimately, to the misery that prevails today in our country.

But the truth is that now, after two-thirds of a century, history seems to repeat itself. The transcendental events that occurred a few hours ago in the Homeland of the Liberator seem to contain some announcement for the vast majority of us in Cuba who make up the ranks of those who long to find a way out of the catastrophic situation that the Island is suffering today.

It would be desirable—I think—that in order to achieve this just and noble goal, the intervention of foreign troops would not be necessary. Personally, I continue to trust that, as has happened in the thirty current countries that have happily freed themselves from the communist yoke, within the Castro ranks themselves, a group will emerge that, given the obviousness and magnitude of the current disaster, will replace leaders and recognize the need to make not cosmetic, but profound changes in the country.

But the saying goes: “Man proposes and God disposes.” Faced with the good wishes that some or others may have, the world of harsh realities arises. And of course, those of us who write this (and the many others who harbor democratic feelings and thoughts) cannot directly influence the decisions made by the communists.

But we can make a comment that these gentlemen have not asked of us. In his place, I would take seriously the statement made by Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the press conference that took place a few hours ago in Mar-a-Lago: “If I lived in Cuba and were in the Government, I would be worried.”