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 campaign against the Caracas regime.
The Daring Capture and International Journey
The operation unfolded in the early hours of Saturday morning, Venezuela time. Elite US Army Delta Force soldiers stormed Maduro's compound in Caracas, successfully apprehending the president and his wife, Cilia Flores, without reported casualties. Following the capture, the couple were swiftly moved by helicopter to the USS Iwo Jima warship.
Their journey to American soil involved multiple stops. Unverified footage emerged, allegedly showing Maduro and his wife being escorted onto a US military plane at Rafael Hernandez International Airport in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. The mayor of Aguadilla, Julio Roldan, confirmed the transfer through the city, highlighting its geopolitical significance for US defence.
The final leg of the journey saw a white FBI Boeing 757 touch down at Stewart Airport in upstate New York after 4:30 pm on Saturday. Law enforcement officials boarded the aircraft to formally take the Venezuelan leader into custody. It is believed the pair made a stop in Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, explaining a change of aircraft.
Charges and Political Fallout
US Attorney General Pam Bondi announced that Maduro will face drug and weapons trafficking charges originally filed in 2020. President Trump stated that First Lady Cilia Flores will also face criminal charges in Manhattan for her alleged involvement in her husband's schemes, though specific charges were not detailed.
At a press conference in 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 declared that the US would govern Venezuela indefinitely, using the country's vast oil reserves to fund its revival, until a "safe, proper and judicious transition" could be arranged.
The arrest has sent shockwaves across the globe. While it sparked jubilant street celebrations among Venezuelan diaspora communities in cities like Santiago, Chile, the atmosphere in Caracas was muted. Locals were photographed queuing outside supermarkets, fearing greater economic instability.
Operation Details and Aftermath
President Trump revealed he green-lit the operation on Thursday, following successful CIA surveillance of the Maduros, who reportedly slept in a different location each night fearing capture. The raid struck five sites in Venezuela, including three in Caracas, with explosions lighting up the capital's skyline.
Trump shared an undignified photo of the captured leader on his Truth Social platform, showing Maduro in a grey tracksuit, blindfolded and wearing ear muffs. The image was a stark contrast to his usual public appearance in sharp suits or military attire.
The couple are expected to be held in Brooklyn's Metropolitan Detention Center, known for its squalid conditions. Meanwhile, Nobel Peace Prize winner María Corina Machado, a popular figure among the Venezuelan opposition, is being tipped as the country's potential next president, though Trump made no mention of her in his remarks.
Venezuelan Attorney General Tarek Saab claimed "innocents" had been "mortally wounded" in the US operation, though no further details or evidence have been provided. The successful capture represents a decisive, and highly controversial, move in the geopolitical standoff between the US and Venezuela.
