At a Glance
- Nicolás Maduro was seized by U.S. forces and flown to New York.
- President Donald Trump said the United States will run Venezuela temporarily and tap its oil reserves.
- Protests erupted in U.S. cities and Caribbean travel was disrupted.
In a dramatic overnight operation, U.S. forces captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife on a U.S. warship, sparking domestic protests, international backlash, and travel disruptions across the Caribbean.
Capture and U.S. Claims
Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores were taken aboard the USS Iwo Jima and transported to New York. Trump said the United States would run Venezuela for a while and would tap its oil reserves to sell to other nations. The move is the most assertive U.S. action toward a regime change since 2003.
- Maduro captured on the USS Iwo Jima.
- Trump claims U.S. will govern Venezuela temporarily.
- Operation viewed as regime change.
Domestic Reactions
Protesters gathered in Los Angeles and Las Vegas, holding signs calling for an end to the bombing and demanding that Trump stop the war. Travel disruptions followed as the FAA restricted Caribbean airspace, grounding Delta flights and forcing passengers to rebook. Sean Duffy explained that the restrictions were for safety.
Sean Duffy said:
> “the FAA restricted the airspace in the Caribbean and Venezuela to ensure the SAFETY of the flying public.”
- Protesters in LA and Vegas.
- FAA restricted Caribbean airspace.
- Delta flight grounded.
International Responses
The United Nations and several countries condemned the operation. The U.N. ambassador for Venezuela warned that the U.S. actions violated international law and reserved the right to self-defence. Mark Carney reaffirmed support for Venezuela’s sovereign right to decide its future.
U.N. Ambassador Samuel Reinaldo Moncada Acosta wrote:
> “What began more than four months ago as a police fantasy is now showing its true face: this is a colonial war aimed at destroying our republican form of government, freely chosen by our people, and at imposing a puppet government that allows the plundering of our natural resources, including the world’s largest oil reserves.”
Mark Carney said:
> “We stand by the Venezuelan people’s sovereign right to decide and build their own future.”
Legal and Political Implications
Legal experts and congressional groups raised concerns about the legality of the operation. Matthew Waxman warned that seizing Venezuela’s oil could create a dispute over ownership. The Congressional Black Caucus called the U.S. action a grave abuse of power that could drag the country into conflict.
Matthew Waxman wrote:
> “For example, a big issue will be who really owns Venezuela’s oil?”
Donald Trump also said:
> “We got it all back. One of them was hit pretty hard but-a helicopter-but we got it back. We had to do it because it’s a war.”
Key Takeaways
- Maduro was captured and flown to New York.
- Trump claims U.S. will govern Venezuela temporarily and tap oil.
- Protests and travel disruptions followed.
The overnight seizure of Maduro has triggered protests, travel chaos, and a flurry of diplomatic condemnations, while the United States claims it will govern Venezuela temporarily and exploit its oil resources.
