The potential upside to the current u.s. military buildup off the coast of Venezuela may lie in the uncertainty it has generated. Donald Trump has single handedly raised the stakes of Venezuela’s political conflict, not just for the Nicolás Maduro government, which faces the real prospect of a massive military attack, but also for the opposition, whose near-total dependence on u.s. support has been laid bare. Trump’s threat of fire and fury could presage violence. But it could just as easily create an opening for a negotiated transition—one that breaks a catastrophic stalemate and allows Venezuelans to reclaim their future.