Venezuela is crying out for free elections. The US can make it happen.  

The Jan. 3 capture of Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro marked a turning point. Operation Absolute Resolve demonstrated that Trump’s revival of Monroe Doctrine was in effect, and that drug traffickers were not above the law or beyond the borders. This extraordinary mission, carried out more than eight months ago, leaves an outstanding obligation: holding free, fair and transparent elections. 

The U.S. oil agreement with Venezuela that ensures 65 billion barrels of proven oil reserves was a step in the right direction. It promotes investments and good paying jobs in Venezuela but also strengthens U.S. energy dominance and lower gas prices in the country. This strategic move ensures that bad actors like China, Russia and Iran will no longer profit from these invaluable resources.  

After the successes of Operation Absolute Resolve and the historic oil deal, relations with Venezuela are at a crossroads. The U.S. must decide whether to strengthen a pragmatic business relationship with an illegitimate government, or to set a date for elections and support the resurgence of a prosperous, democratic nation.  

Although the answer might seem simple, it is not always so. Authoritarian regimes often offer a false sense of temporary stability, whereas democracy is a complex and challenging process. Yet the latter is the right path for planting the foundations of lasting, deep-rooted prosperity. 

In March 2016, President Barack........

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