In an extraordinary military intervention that has sent shockwaves across the globe, United States forces have captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. The dramatic overnight operation on Saturday involved a significant aerial assault, marking a severe escalation in long-standing tensions between the two nations.
Details of the Large-Scale Military Operation
The attack commenced in the early hours of Saturday, around 2am local time. Residents in the capital, Caracas, reported hearing at least seven explosions and observed low-flying aircraft overhead, with rising smoke visible in several regions. The operation was confirmed to be a "large-scale" assault involving approximately 150 US aircraft, including bombers and fighter jets.
According to analysis by the Institute for the Study of War, the US airstrikes specifically targeted critical infrastructure. La Guaira Port and the Higuerote Airport in Miranda were struck. Furthermore, geolocated footage from 3 January indicates that US forces also hit telecommunication towers located southeast of Caracas, likely to disrupt command and control networks.
Background and Escalating Tensions
This direct attack on Venezuelan soil follows months of mounting hostility. The Trump administration has repeatedly accused Maduro's government of involvement in narcotics trafficking for drug cartels. In September, the US began launching military strikes on boats in Venezuelan coastal waters suspected of smuggling drugs, actions that later extended into the eastern Caribbean and Pacific, resulting in 110 fatalities to date.
The US naval presence near Venezuela had also grown, including its largest aircraft carrier. Additionally, the US has confiscated two oil tankers and is pursuing a third. In the same period, President Donald Trump imposed new sanctions on three of Maduro's nephews and six companies involved in shipping oil out of Venezuela.
President Maduro, who was indicted by the US on alleged "narco-terrorism" charges, has consistently claimed that the real objective of American operations is to force him from office and seize control of Venezuela's vast oil reserves and rare earth mineral deposits.
Aftermath and Political Uncertainty
In a press conference on Saturday, President Donald Trump declared that the US would be running the South American country in the interim. However, a clear picture of the political situation remains elusive. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, appearing on NBC's Meet the Press on Sunday, refused to confirm who is currently governing Venezuela following Maduro's capture.
Rubio emphasised that pressure on the Maduro regime would continue unabated. "We will continue to target drug boats if they try to run towards the United States," he stated. "We will continue to seize the boats that are sanctioned with court orders. We will continue to do that, and potentially other things, until the things we need to see addressed are addressed."
The operation has created a profound state of uncertainty in Venezuela. Commercial flight radar showed no planes over the country's airspace in the aftermath, highlighting the disruption and fear caused by the unprecedented military action. The international community now watches closely as the United States assumes a direct role in the nation's future.
