President Trump often receives criticism for his supposed disinterest in the tradition of American moral leadership in international affairs. Some of this is fair, some is not. But when it comes to challenging the moral disgrace that is socialist Venezuela, Trump's record is unequivocally stellar.

Trump took this leadership one step further on Wednesday, when he officially recognized Venezuelan National Assembly President Juan Guaido as Venezuela's rightful president. This serves the better future of a suffering people.



The citizens of Venezuela have suffered for too long at the hands of the illegitimate Maduro regime. Today, I have officially recognized the President of the Venezuelan National Assembly, Juan Guaido, as the Interim President of Venezuela. https://t.co/WItWPiG9jK — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 23, 2019



Why is this recognition so important?

Primarily because it will force new pressure onto those who provide Venezuela's pretender president, Nicolas Maduro, with his insulation of power. As I noted on Tuesday, "Maduro is hardly an inspiring leader. Instead, Maduro's support flows from the assessment of powerful Venezuelan figures that he presently offers the best means to their better interest. But if they believe that Maduro's continued power will only make them weaker, and open them up to the risk of a legal reckoning in the post-Maduro era, they will move away from the pretender president."

But the timing of Trump's announcement is also excellent. After all, as you read this, millions of Venezuelans are marching through on their streets, demanding Maduro's resignation. They are doing so because they have lived the lie of Maduro and Hugo Chavez's socialist utopia for too long. And they know that lie for what it is: a Venezuela littered with starving children, professionals turned beggars and prostitutes, and the world's most oil-rich nation now a political asylum.

More U.S. action will yet be necessary. The Trump administration should work with its allies, especially Brazil and Colombia, to impose a wide-ranging oil embargo on Venezuelan oil exports. Trump should also confront nations such as China, Russia, and Spain, which support Maduro's evil. Nevertheless, this is a good step that will send shivers down the spines of Maduro's cronies. America has put them on notice as usurpers of democracy. They must now choose whether to remedy their misjudgment, or reap the whirlwind when Maduro's political future reaches its inevitable destination.