At this point, taking the actual operation, Trump’s press conference, and Delcy Rodriguez’s press conference into consideration, it seems fairly certain (though of course, unconfirmed) that Maduro was given up by the remaining government apparatus in a back channel deal. 1/x They likely used the only card they had to play: only we can ensure stability; the alternative - a full regime change with oppo installed in power - would result in chaos and bloodshed that the US would then have to manage with troops on the ground. 2/x