The Trump administration has called the capture of Nicolas Maduro a remarkable triumph. As a Venezuelan, I think it’s too early to celebrate.

Venezuelans who were forced to leave the country — some to escape political persecution and some to escape life-threatening poverty — know the “invasion” by the United States on Jan. 3 didn’t bring us to the promised land. It brought us to a crossroads.

We hope that a better future awaits, but we also have an acute awareness that much more needs to be done.

To understand that perspective, it’s important to grasp a few key points that have been muddied. First, the United States did not “invade” Venezuela. A U.S. military force entered the country and removed the dictator. There were no U.S. flags planted in Caracas or anywhere else in the country.

If the U.S. had invaded, establishing an official presence, then it would be safe for me to go back to my country. That hasn’t happened. The country is still run by gangs, which leads to a second issue.

Venezuela isn’t free of the problems it faced before Maduro’s capture. Removing the head of the gang doesn’t make the rest of the gang magically disappear. With Maduro out of the picture, the regime he led will follow the “next man up” rule.

Freedom didn’t come to Venezuela on Jan. 3 because the system is corrupt, not just the leader. Maduro’s removal didn’t change the system.

What came to Venezuela on Jan. 3 was hope for freedom. The United States’ strike put President Trump in the position to negotiate. True freedom for Venezuelans will depend on the outcome of those negotiations.

The most likely outcome will be a transition to a government led by Delcy Rodríguez, who is now the acting president of Venezuela. When Maduro was removed, the powerful political faction he led lost considerable power, creating a vacuum that Rodríquez and her clan filled. To stay in power, however, the new ruling faction will need to prevent other factions from gaining power. In the short run, the power struggle could involve armed conflict.

I prefer an internal explosion that changes the power dynamic. This would require millions of Venezuelans taking to the streets and ensuring that every corrupt government official is brought to justice or, at the very least, exiled.

I think of Venezuela as a body with cancer. The path to health involves aggressive treatment that eradicates the disease. We need to rebuild it from ashes — prosecuting every enchufado, totally destroying the Chavista system, and reorganizing the armed forces. After that, democracy can take root, and the economy can flourish.

The U.S. government has brought Venezuela to a crossroads and will play a central role in where we go from here. To be able to go back to our country and live in peace, Venezuelans need guarantees from the U.S. government that the Chavista system will be dismantled.

While that may sound as if we are asking for a lot, in reality, it is just a plea for the right to exist.

Pedro A. Rojas Arroyo is the founder of Vivy Tech and a native of Venezuela/InsideSources