In a dramatic and unprecedented escalation of tensions, United States military forces have captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. The operation, which included airstrikes across Venezuela and a raid on the capital, Caracas, marks a stunning new chapter in the long-running confrontation between Washington and the socialist government in Caracas.
The Dawn Raid and a President Captured
Overnight on Friday, explosions rocked Caracas as the US carried out a series of airstrikes across Venezuela. Shortly after the bombardment began, former US President Donald Trump announced that American forces had successfully apprehended President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, and had flown them out of the country. The brazen capture of a sitting head of state was executed without warning, seemingly catching Venezuelan authorities off guard.
This bold move follows months of an intense US pressure campaign against the Venezuelan regime. Since September, a substantial US naval fleet has been amassed off the Venezuelan coast. During this period, the US has conducted airstrikes against vessels it alleged were involved in drug trafficking in the Caribbean and Pacific, and has seized Venezuelan oil tankers. Human rights groups report that at least 110 people have been killed in these maritime strikes, actions they argue could constitute war crimes.
A Path of Maximum Pressure
The roots of this confrontation stretch back years, but intensified significantly after Trump began his second term in office. The US administration placed Maduro squarely in its sights, accusing him of orchestrating destabilising activities across the Americas, including drug trafficking and facilitating illegal immigration to the US.
In a significant escalation last July, the US announced a $50 million bounty on Maduro’s head, labelling him one of the world's foremost narco-traffickers. The administration also designated Venezuelan gangs like Tren de Aragua as terrorist organisations. The military build-up and seizures of tankers were part of this "maximum pressure" strategy, openly flirting with regime change.
In late November, Trump presented Maduro with an ultimatum: relinquish power in exchange for safe passage out of Venezuela. Maduro refused, telling supporters he would not accept "a slave's peace" and accusing the US of coveting Venezuela's vast oil reserves, the largest in the world.
Historical Context and an Uncertain Future
Strained relations between the US and Venezuela are not new. They date back to the presidency of Hugo Chávez, a socialist and anti-imperialist who opposed US foreign policy and allied with nations like Cuba and Iran. The relationship deteriorated further under Maduro, with the US declaring his government illegitimate and recognising opposition figure Juan Guaidó as interim president in 2019.
The situation reached a critical point after the July 2024 presidential election, where Maduro appeared to suffer a landslide defeat. Despite independent verification of the opposition's victory, Maduro clung to power through a fierce crackdown. The Trump administration's subsequent publication of the "Trump corollary" in early December explicitly stated the US's intent to control the western hemisphere politically, economically, and militarily, including using force to access energy resources.
What happens next is profoundly uncertain. Venezuela's defence minister has vowed to fight on, calling for national unity to resist the foreign "invasion." While Maduro is captured, the country's institutions and military remain. Opposition leaders, including Nobel Peace Prize winner María Corina Machado, have called for US support for an uprising. However, past US war games simulating such a "decapitation" strike predicted prolonged chaos, a refugee crisis, and violent internal power struggles.
The capture of Nicolás Maduro represents a seismic event in international relations, with the potential to destabilise the region for years to come. The world now watches to see if this is the start of a wider conflict or a devastatingly effective, isolated operation.
