In an unprecedented military operation early Saturday, the United States executed a large-scale strike in Venezuela resulting in the capture and extraction of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife. President Donald Trump announced the mission via social media, confirming that the Venezuelan leader was apprehended at his residence within the Fort Tiuna military compound and transported via the U.S.S. Iwo Jima to face criminal prosecution in New York.
The Justice Department unsealed a comprehensive indictment accusing Maduro of orchestrating a corrupt regime that systematically leveraged state power to facilitate international drug trafficking. The document alleges direct collaboration between Maduro’s government and violent narco-terrorist organizations to flood American markets with cocaine, enriching Venezuela’s political and military elite through criminal enterprise.
International reaction was swift and critical. The United Nations expressed profound alarm, characterizing the intervention as a dangerous violation of international law that establishes a concerning precedent for sovereign nations. China’s Foreign Ministry issued a forceful condemnation, denouncing the operation as hegemonic aggression that violates Venezuela’s sovereignty and threatens regional stability.
President Trump defended the operation during television appearances, acknowledging minor U.S. casualties and helicopter damage while celebrating the mission’s success. He dismissed congressional criticism about constitutional authorization, labeling Democratic opponents as ‘weak, stupid people’ while asserting the operation’s necessity. The administration simultaneously imposed temporary airspace restrictions over Puerto Rico due to security concerns stemming from the Venezuelan military activity.
In subsequent remarks, Trump revealed previously undisclosed proposals to Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum regarding U.S. military action against cartels, suggesting continued regional security interventions might be forthcoming. The White House has commenced planning for Venezuela’s political future, with Trump emphasizing significant U.S. involvement in determining the country’s post-Maduro governance structure.