The United States launched a military operation in Venezuela on Saturday, capturing long-serving President Nicolás Maduro and flying him to New York. President Donald Trump announced the operation, which he described as an assault unseen since World War Two, and stated that the US would temporarily administer the country to ensure a safe transition.
US Special Forces seized Maduro from a safe house in Caracas during a raid that knocked out electricity in parts of the capital. At least 40 people, including civilians and Venezuelan soldiers, were killed, according to the New York Times. Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were flown to Stewart Air National Guard Base in New York and are expected to appear in court by Monday evening.
Trump, speaking at his Mar-a-Lago resort, said the US would run Venezuela until a proper transition could be arranged. He indicated that US oil companies would invest in the country's infrastructure and that the US would be reimbursed from oil revenues. However, he did not provide details on how the administration would be structured, beyond naming Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, and Joint Chiefs Chair General Dan Caine as involved.
The operation drew condemnation from Democrats and world leaders, who likened it to US imperialism. Venezuelan Vice-President Delcy Rodríguez, sworn in after Maduro's capture, maintained a defiant tone in a televised address, contradicting Trump's claim that she had agreed to cooperate. The US currently has no control over Venezuela, and Maduro's government appears to remain in charge.
