Venezuela is a harder nut to crack than Noriega's Panama

A Latin American military strongman ignores the results of two democratic elections and usurps power. He jails and brutalizes the opposition and goes into business with drug cartels. The U.S. indicts him for drug trafficking and money laundering. A president prone to negotiation before using force fails to persuade him to relinquish power in exchange for dropping the charges. A gradual American military buildup follows. When the dictator refuses to cede, a sudden and massive U.S. invasion topples him.

This is how President George H. W. Bush removed Panama’s General Manuel Noriega from power 35 years ago. The lessons of Operation Just Cause apply today to Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro. There are similarities and dissimilarities.