The United States captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in a military operation on Saturday, with Donald Trump announcing that America would temporarily govern the country. Speaking at his Mar-a-Lago resort, Trump said US forces seized Maduro from a safe house in Caracas and flew him to New York.
The operation reportedly killed at least 40 people, including civilians and Venezuelan soldiers. Maduro and his wife landed at Stewart Air National Guard Base in upstate New York and were expected to appear in court by Monday. Video shared by the White House showed him in handcuffs at DEA offices.
The move drew condemnation from Democrats and world leaders as a dangerous act of US imperialism. Trump said US oil companies would repair Venezuela's infrastructure and be repaid from oil revenues, adding that a larger attack was possible if needed.
However, it remains unclear how Washington intends to administer the country. Maduro's government appears still in charge, and Vice-President Delcy Rodríguez, who was sworn in after Maduro's capture, contradicted Trump's claim that she had offered cooperation, maintaining a defiant tone in a televised address.
