Special forces deport Venezuelan president and wife to New York; US Takes Control of Venezuela’s Huge Oil Reserves
An image posted to US President Donald Trump’s Truth Social account shows Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro aboard the USS Iwo Jima after its capture by the US military. Photo: Reuters
In a dramatic escalation in Latin America, U.S. special forces captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro after bombing the capital Caracas and other cities, President Donald Trump announced Saturday, marking Washington’s most direct intervention in the region since the 1989 invasion of Panama.
The overnight operation, reportedly carried out in coordination with US law enforcement, involved elite special forces units and followed months of accusations from Washington that Maduro was running a “narco-state” and manipulating Venezuela’s 2024 elections.
“The United States of America successfully carried out a large-scale strike against Venezuela and its leader, President Nicolas Maduro, who was captured and removed from the country along with his wife,” Trump said on Truth Social.
Trump then held a press conference, announcing that the United States would “rule” Venezuela and “rebuild the oil infrastructure” indefinitely. He said the United States would take control of Venezuela’s enormous oil reserves and recruit American companies to invest billions of dollars in revamping the oil industry.
The Venezuelan leader was expected to arrive in New York, where he will face drug and weapons charges. His wife, Cilia Flores, was also arrested after the couple was dragged from their bedroom by elite US forces during the nighttime raid, CNN reported.
Washington has accused Maduro of overseeing drug trafficking to the United States and strengthening its military and economic measures, including strikes against ships suspected of drug trafficking. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau said Maduro “will finally be brought to justice for his crimes.”
The Venezuelan leader, a 63-year-old former bus driver chosen by the dying Hugo Chávez to succeed him in 2013, denied the claims and said Washington intended to take control of his country’s oil reserves, the largest in the world.
Explosions rocked the Venezuelan capital Caracas and surrounding areas, including Miranda, Aragua and La Guaira, prompting the government to declare a state of national emergency. The Venezuelan government said civilians and military personnel died in the strikes, but did not give figures.
Witnesses described black smoke and bright lightning in the sky, while power outages disrupted parts of the city near military bases. However, despite the strikes, initial assessments indicated that Venezuela’s oil production and refining facilities remained operational.
Venezuelan authorities condemned the attack. The Maduro government has accused Washington of trying to seize the country’s oil reserves, the largest in the world, and called the strikes a violation of sovereignty.
Vice President Delcy Rodriguez, believed to be in Russia, demanded proof of life for Maduro and his wife, while Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello appeared on state television in Caracas to urge citizens not to cooperate with the “terrorist enemy.”
Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino pledged to resist the presence of foreign troops. “Free, independent and sovereign Venezuela rejects with all the force of its libertarian history the presence of these foreign troops, who have left behind only death, pain and destruction.”
However, Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado has called for an opposition candidate to be named as the country’s leader, while the country’s foreign minister insists that Maduro remains in charge. The capital expressed mixed reactions, with some rejoicing. As the sun rose, uncertainty remained high.
The world expresses its concern and its praise
WASHINGTON: The international community reacted with a mix of condemnation and caution and called for support for a democratic transition after Saturday’s U.S. strikes on Venezuela and the capture of President Nicolas Maduro.
Several European officials, including British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Denmark’s Mette Frederiksen, Italy’s Giorgia Meloni, Norway’s Espen Barth Eide and Slovakia’s Robert Fico have called for respect for international law, de-escalation and diplomatic solutions.
Other global reactions ranged from praise to concern. Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand supported Venezuela’s peaceful democratic aspirations. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko and the Iranian Foreign Ministry condemned the strikes as violations of sovereignty. Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar confirmed her country’s non-involvement, while Britain’s Nigel Farage acknowledged the action was unorthodox but suggested it could put pressure on China and Russia.
French President Emmanuel Macron has called for a peaceful and democratic transition, urging that President Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, elected in 2024, be allowed to lead the country. “We hope that President Gonzalez Urrutia will be able to ensure this transition as quickly as possible,” Macron wrote on X.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz warned that the legal assessment of the operation was complex, adding that a transition to a government legitimized by elections must be ensured to avoid political instability.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said his country had not recognized Maduro’s regime, but added that it also could not tolerate interventions that violate international law or push the region toward uncertainty and belligerence.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres echoed concerns over legality, with his spokesman calling the strikes a “dangerous precedent” and stressing the importance of respecting international law.
China and Russia strongly condemned these strikes. China called the operation “deeply shocking” and Russia called it an act of armed aggression, calling for dialogue to avoid escalation.
Latin American leaders were also divided. Argentine President Javier Milei hailed Maduro’s removal as “great news for the free world”, while Mexico’s foreign ministry denounced the strikes as a violation of the United Nations Charter.
Paraguay, Bolivia, Panama, Peru, Uruguay and Chile called for peaceful and democratic solutions and respect for international law, emphasizing humanitarian considerations and orderly transitions.
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva warned that the attacks represented a “serious affront to the sovereignty of Venezuela” and a dangerous precedent for the international community.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro expressed concern over regional instability, while Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa said the collapse of the “narco-Chavista” regime was inevitable.
