Donald Trump’s strike on Venezuela and the arrest of President Nicolas Maduro and his wife by U.S. Special Forces shocked governments around the world. Observers in the U.S., Europe, China, Russia, and elsewhere are left to wonder what Trump’s bold use of force might mean for other countries: Colombia, Cuba, Iran, even Mexico and Denmark (read: Greenland).

But what about Venezuela itself? What do the strikes, arrests, and trial of Venezuela’s President mean for that country’s future?

First, the good news, at least for those who fear Maduro’s capture will create a power vacuum that can only be filled with violence. The apparent ease with which U.S. soldiers found and arrested Maduro reflects an inside job, one coordinated in advance between the Trump Administration and Venezuela’s military. It matters that Maduro’s Vice President, Delcy Rodriguez, was quickly sworn into power with the backing of the country’s defense and interior ministers—a signal of continuity........

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