Premieres Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026 at 10 p.m. on KPBS TV / Stream with KPBS+
What’s next for Venezuela after the Trump administration’s dramatic capture of Nicolás Maduro, who is now facing drug trafficking charges in the U.S.? FRONTLINE and The Associated Press explore that question in "Crisis in Venezuela.
Timeline: How the Crisis in Venezuela Unfolded
In the weeks since Maduro’s fall, the two award-winning news organizations have been collaborating to investigate President Trump’s long campaign to topple Maduro, the legacy of corruption and challenges to democracy in Venezuela, and the fight over who will control the oil-rich South American country.
FRONTLINE and the AP’s reporting unfolds in "Crisis in Venezuela," the newest film from director Juan Ravell and producer Jeff Arak. The duo’s Emmy-nominated documentary "A Dangerous Assignment" chronicled what happened to an investigative journalist who exposed corruption in Maduro’s Venezuela.
Now, with AP reporters Joshua Goodman and Regina García Cano, the filmmakers probe the country’s uncertain future and the Maduro regime insiders who’ve been left in charge while opposition leader María Corina Machado remains in exile.
Those insiders include Venezuela’s acting president Delcy Rodríguez — who, the AP found, has been on the radar of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration for years and in 2022 was even labeled a “priority target,” a designation DEA reserves for suspects believed to have a “significant impact” on the drug trade.
"Crisis in Venezuela" examines the Trump administration’s relationship with Rodríguez and its approach to democracy in Venezuela in the aftermath of Maduro’s capture. The film also builds on the collaborative reporting done for "A Dangerous Assignment" with the AP and the Venezuelan news site Armando.info on a key Maduro operative, Alex Saab, who was indicted by the U.S. and is reportedly now in custody in Venezuela.
For the full story, watch "Crisis in Venezuela" and explore related reporting from the AP.
Credits: A FRONTLINE production with Mongoose Pictures and Documento Films in association with the Associated Press. The reporters are Joshua Goodman and Regina García Cano. The writers are Jeff Arak & Juan Ravell. The producer is Jeff Arak. The director is Juan Ravell. The senior producers are Dan Edge and Eamonn Matthews. The managing editor of FRONTLINE is Andrew Metz. The editor-in-chief and executive producer of FRONTLINE is Raney Aronson-Rath.
