标签： Jamaica

WASHINGTON, United States — A significant development in U.S.-Venezuela relations has unfolded with the reported capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro by U.S. military personnel. According to Republican Senator Mike Lee of Utah, Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed the operation, indicating Maduro will face trial in the United States on criminal charges.

Senator Lee disclosed on social media platform X that he received direct confirmation from Rubio, who characterized the military action as necessary to protect personnel executing an arrest warrant. Lee suggested the operation might fall under the president’s constitutional authority under Article II to respond to actual or imminent threats against U.S. personnel.

The operation received presidential endorsement from Donald Trump, who described it as “brilliant” in a post on his Truth Social network. Trump confirmed that Maduro and his wife had been “captured and flown out of the country” in a joint operation conducted “in conjunction with U.S. Law Enforcement.”

However, the military action has drawn sharp criticism from both sides of the political aisle. Democratic Senator Ruben Gallego, a Marine Corps veteran, condemned the operation as “illegal” and “the second unjustified war in my lifetime,” expressing concerns about its constitutional basis.

The controversy emerges amid broader apprehension among legislators regarding Trump’s escalating military presence in the Caribbean Sea, ostensibly to combat narco-trafficking. Administration officials report over 125 casualties in maritime operations targeting alleged drug-trafficking vessels since early September.

Vermont Senator Peter Welch has emphasized congressional concerns about these deployments, urging greater transparency and accountability under the War Powers Act. Both Democratic and Republican lawmakers have called for more congressional oversight before any further military actions are authorized.

BEIJING — The Chinese government issued a forceful condemnation on Saturday against United States military operations in Venezuela that resulted in the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro. In an official statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, China characterized the American actions as a flagrant violation of international legal standards and an infringement upon Venezuela’s national sovereignty.

The statement expressed profound shock at what it termed ‘hegemonic behavior’ by the United States, warning that such military aggression threatens regional stability throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. Chinese officials emphasized their firm opposition to unilateral military interventions against sovereign states, regardless of the circumstances.

The development comes amid dramatic scenes in both Venezuela and abroad. In Caracas, supporters of President Maduro gathered in the streets following news of his capture by US forces. Simultaneously, Venezuelan expatriates in Madrid celebrated the military operation that targeted Maduro’s government.

President Donald Trump confirmed on January 3, 2026, that American forces had successfully captured Maduro following extensive airstrikes on Caracas and other Venezuelan cities. This military action represents the culmination of a prolonged geopolitical confrontation between the Trump administration and the Venezuelan leadership.

China’s statement reflects growing international concern over the precedent set by military intervention in sovereign nations and highlights the deepening diplomatic divisions between global powers regarding appropriate responses to political crises.

PARIS, France — The French government issued a stern condemnation on Saturday regarding the United States-led military operation that resulted in the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, denouncing it as a violation of fundamental international legal principles. Concurrently, Russia demanded the immediate release of the detained Venezuelan leader and his wife.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot articulated the nation’s position through a formal statement on social media platform X, acknowledging Maduro’s record of human rights violations against Venezuelan citizens while simultaneously condemning the American intervention. Minister Barrot emphasized that the operation “contravenes the principle of non-use of force, which serves as a cornerstone of international law.”

The French diplomatic statement further cautioned that escalating violations of this fundamental principle by permanent members of the United Nations Security Council would inevitably yield “serious consequences for global security, sparing no nation.” Barrot underscored that sustainable political resolutions cannot be externally imposed, reflecting France’s commitment to diplomatic norms and multilateral governance structures.

Meanwhile, the Russian Foreign Ministry issued multiple statements expressing profound alarm over the development, characterizing the American operation as “an act of armed aggression against Venezuela.” Russian officials dismissed Washington’s justifications for the intervention as “untenable,” asserting that “ideological hostility has triumphed over businesslike pragmatism” in American foreign policy decision-making.

The Kremlin demanded immediate clarification regarding the circumstances surrounding Maduro’s apprehension and called for the unconditional release of both the Venezuelan president and his spouse. Russia, which had reaffirmed its support for Maduro following his controversial re-election in 2024 and remains Venezuela’s principal strategic ally in South America, stopped short of explicitly committing military assistance to Caracas in potential confrontations with the United States.

The coordinated responses from both European and Russian diplomatic channels highlight growing international concern over unilateral military actions and their implications for global security architecture. The developments mark a significant escalation in the ongoing Venezuelan political crisis that has drawn in major world powers with competing geopolitical interests.

The United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a significant airspace advisory on Saturday, directing commercial carriers to avoid portions of Caribbean airspace. The directive cited an ongoing ‘potentially hazardous situation’ linked to U.S. military operations, which culminated in the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

The aviation alert specifically warned of ‘safety-of-flight risks associated with ongoing military activity,’ effectively creating a no-fly zone for commercial aviation in the specified region. This precautionary measure underscores the scale and sensitivity of the military action undertaken.

U.S. President Donald Trump publicly confirmed the successful capture of the Venezuelan leader, describing it as the result of a ‘large-scale strike’ conducted on Venezuelan territory. This decisive military intervention represents a dramatic escalation in a prolonged campaign of pressure against Maduro’s government.

The operation follows an extensive period where the U.S. applied intensifying economic sanctions and diplomatic isolation tactics targeting Maduro’s socialist regime and its oil-dependent economy. Notably, this military action occurred just 48 hours after Maduro had extended an overture to the Trump administration, proposing bilateral cooperation on critical issues such as narcotics trafficking and illegal migration control.

WEST PALM BEACH, United States — In a dramatic escalation of tensions, former US President Donald Trump utilized his Truth Social platform to disseminate an image depicting Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in captivity aboard a US naval vessel. The photograph, released on Saturday, portrays the Latin American leader blindfolded, handcuffed, and outfitted with apparent noise-cancelling ear protection, alongside grey Nike-branded athletic wear.

This visual confirmation followed Trump’s earlier announcement revealing that US forces had successfully executed a ‘large scale strike’ operation within Venezuela, resulting in Maduro’s capture and subsequent transport to the USS Iwo Jima. The operation represents the culmination of an extensive campaign employing both military and economic pressure tactics against Maduro’s government and its oil-dependent economy.

The capture occurred merely forty-eight hours after Maduro had extended an overture to the Trump administration, proposing bilateral cooperation on critical issues including narcotics trafficking containment and illegal migration mitigation. This strategic military action underscores the severe deterioration of diplomatic relations between the two nations and marks an unprecedented intervention in South American political affairs.