The United States launched a dramatic overnight operation in Venezuela, capturing President Nicolás Maduro and his wife and flying them to New York to face criminal charges, as Donald Trump vowed Washington would “run the country” until a new government is installed.
Reports indicate that the US special forces stormed Maduro’s compound shortly after 2am local time, cutting power in Caracas and striking key military and infrastructure sites to cover the extraction. More than 150 aircraft were involved, and officials say the operation was guided by intelligence from a source inside the Venezuelan government. Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores were taken to the USS Iwo Jima before being flown to the US.
Both have been charged in New York with drug trafficking, narco-terrorism and weapons offences. US Attorney General Pam Bondi said they would face justice “on American soil”.
In Caracas, Vice-President Delcy Rodríguez was sworn in as interim president and demanded Maduro’s release, rejecting US claims that Washington would oversee a political transition. She accused the US of seeking to seize Venezuela’s oil wealth.
Trump said US oil firms would move in to repair infrastructure and extract resources, warning of further military action if necessary. The operation sparked global condemnation from Russia, China, Iran and much of Latin America, while allies such as Argentina welcomed the move. The UN said it was deeply concerned about violations of international law.
