At a Glance
- U.S. forces captured Nicolás Maduro and his wife during a covert operation in Caracas.
- President Donald Trump announced the U.S. would temporarily run Venezuela and tap its oil reserves.
- The raid sparked immediate legal questions and a polarized domestic response.
In a dramatic nighttime raid, U.S. forces removed Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro from power, sending him to a U.S. warship and ultimately to a federal detention center in New York. President Donald Trump announced that the United States would temporarily govern Venezuela and exploit its oil resources.
Operation Details
The raid began after months of U.S. pressure and a buildup of forces off the coast of Venezuela. Forces moved in at night, turning off most lights in Caracas and launching a rapid extraction. Maduro and his wife were seized overnight from their home on a military base, taken aboard a U.S. warship, and flown by helicopter to Manhattan.
- Seized from home on a military base
- Transported to a U.S. warship
- Helicopter flight to Manhattan
- Escorted to a DEA office
- Moved to a federal detention center
President Trump announced:
> “We are going to run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition.”
Legal and Political Reactions
The operation was conducted without congressional approval, raising questions about its legality. Legal experts noted that the U.S. had not secured a specific authorization for military force in the region. Venezuela’s vice president Delcy Rodríguez demanded the U.S. free Maduro, calling him the country’s rightful leader, before a high court ordered her to assume the interim presidency.
A new indictment was released Saturday, labeling Maduro and his wife as part of a “narco-terrorism” conspiracy and describing the regime as a “corrupt, illegitimate government” fueled by drug trafficking.
| Event | Time | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Capture of Maduro | Saturday, 4:30 p.m. | Caracas |
| Flight to NYC | Saturday afternoon | New York suburbs |
| Arrival at DEA | Saturday afternoon | Manhattan |
| Detention center move | Saturday evening | Brooklyn |
The raid also sparked protests and celebrations in Caracas. Some residents took to the streets to protest Maduro’s capture, while others celebrated. In Doral, Florida, Venezuelan expatriates cheered and sang “Liberty! Liberty!” in support of the operation.
Key Takeaways
- Maduro and his wife were seized and transported to U.S. custody.
- Trump declared the U.S. would temporarily run Venezuela and tap its oil.
- The operation raised legal questions and prompted polarized reactions in Venezuela.
The event marks the most assertive American action to achieve regime change since the 2003 Iraq invasion, reshaping the geopolitical landscape of the Western Hemisphere.
