Former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has called for a decisive American effort to support democratic transitions in Venezuela and Iran, arguing that recent US actions have created a rare strategic opening to weaken authoritarian regimes and advance long-term global stability.
Pompeo said the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro marked a major step toward restoring democracy in the country, describing Maduro as an illegitimate ruler wanted by American justice and accusing him of stealing elections and presiding over a narco-state.
He argued that the true winner of Venezuela’s 2024 election was opposition candidate Edmundo González and said the current moment belongs to the Venezuelan people.
According to Pompeo, removing Maduro not only strengthens US security by disrupting drug trafficking networks, but also undermines an alliance of authoritarian governments that includes China, Russia, Iran, Cuba and North Korea.
He said these governments cooperate to evade sanctions, spread instability and challenge American interests, adding that their actions reflect the nature of the regimes, not the will of their citizens.
Pompeo warned that handing power to another illegitimate authority in Caracas would undermine US objectives. He urged Washington to support a transitional government that includes democratic opposition leaders and sets out a clear path to free elections, restored civil liberties and national reconstruction after years of economic and political decline.
Turning to Iran, Pompeo said the fall of Maduro would embolden Iranians already protesting against their government. He described the Islamic Republic as a fragile theocratic system facing growing internal pressure and argued that its collapse, while uncertain in timing, is inevitable. The key challenge, he said, is ensuring that what follows is a representative democracy rather than another form of authoritarian rule.
He stressed that backing democratic movements in Venezuela and Iran is not a symbolic gesture but a strategic necessity. Democracies, Pompeo argued, are more stable, accountable and reliable partners for the United States, while authoritarian regimes are prone to unrest, extremism and regional aggression.
Pompeo concluded that sustained US support for democratic reform in Caracas and Tehran would not only serve the aspirations of their people but also advance American strategic interests by reshaping the geopolitical landscape in favor of stability, prosperity and accountable governance.
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