In an unprecedented international operation, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has been captured by United States forces and transported to New York to face criminal charges. The dramatic seizure, ordered by President Donald Trump, marks a significant escalation in Washington's long-standing confrontation with the Caracas regime.
The Daring Capture and International Journey
US Army Delta Force soldiers executed the high-stakes mission in the early hours of Saturday morning, Venezuelan time. The elite unit stormed the presidential compound in Caracas, successfully apprehending Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, from their bedroom. The operation involved strikes on five sites within Venezuela, including three in the capital.
Following his capture, the couple were swiftly moved by helicopter to the USS Iwo Jima warship. Their journey to American soil involved multiple stops, including a believed transfer in Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, which necessitated a change of aircraft. Unverified footage shared by Puerto Rican broadcaster NotiCentro appears to show Maduro and Flores being escorted onto a US military plane at the Ramey Base in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico.
The mayor of Aguadilla, Julio Roldan, confirmed the transfer through the city, stating it was the "first American jurisdiction" where the detainee was held. A white FBI Boeing 757 eventually landed at Stewart Airport in upstate New York after 4:30 pm on Saturday, where law enforcement officials boarded to take the Venezuelan leader into custody.
Charges and Political Fallout
Maduro faces a litany of serious charges, including drug and weapons trafficking, originally filed by US prosecutors in 2020. Attorney General Pam Bondi announced the charges on Saturday, with President Trump declaring that both Maduro and his wife would "face the full might of American justice" in Manhattan. Trump accused Maduro of leading the 'Cartel de los Soles' (Cartel of the Suns) and flooding the US with drugs and gang members.
In a press conference at Mar-a-Lago, flanked by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Trump hailed the mission as one of the most daring in military history. He revealed he had not briefed Congress, fearing leaks that could have compromised the operation. Trump stated the US would govern Venezuela indefinitely, using its vast oil reserves to fund a revival, until a "safe, proper and judicious transition" could be arranged.
Reaction and Immediate Aftermath
The capture sent shockwaves globally and triggered mixed reactions. Among the Venezuelan diaspora, there was public jubilation; hundreds took to the streets in cities like Santiago, Chile, to celebrate. However, in Caracas itself, the atmosphere was muted and anxious, with citizens photographed lining up outside supermarkets amid fears of greater economic instability.
Venezuelan Attorney General Tarek Saab claimed "innocents" had been "mortally wounded" during the raids, though no official casualty details have been provided. The Maduros are expected to be held in Brooklyn's Metropolitan Detention Center, a facility noted for its harsh conditions.
President Trump shared an undignified photo of the captured leader on his TruthSocial platform, showing Maduro in a grey tracksuit, blindfolded and wearing ear muffs. The image stood in stark contrast to his usual public appearance and was seen by commentators as a deliberate act of humiliation. The political future of Venezuela remains highly uncertain, with Nobel Peace Prize winner María Corina Machado, a popular opposition figure, tipped as a potential successor.
