U.S. Forces Capture Venezuelan President Maduro in Major Military Strike, Vow to "Run" Country

U.S. Forces Capture Venezuelan President Maduro in Major Military Strike, Vow to "Run" Country U.S. military forces have captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, following a large-scale military strike on Venezuelan territory. The unprecedented operation, ordered by the administration of President Donald Trump, marks a direct and dramatic escalation in the long-standing political crisis in the South American nation [41033][41227][41379]. According to U.S. officials, the operation resulted in the detention of the Venezuelan leader, who has long been labeled illegitimate by Washington [40668][41379]. Maduro and his wife have been taken to New York, where they will face criminal charges, including terrorism and narcotics offenses [41136][40942]. In a statement following the capture, President Trump declared that the United States will now "run" Venezuela [41227][42114]. He stated a key objective is to "take back the oil" and fix the country's collapsed oil infrastructure, aiming to restore access to the world's largest proven oil reserves [41227][40871][41525]. Trump framed the action as ensuring "American dominance in the western hemisphere will never be questioned again" [41525]. The unilateral military intervention has created an immediate power vacuum and deep uncertainty for Venezuela's 30 million citizens [41136][42114]. No clear successor has been named, and the status of the remaining government is unclear [41136][41379]. While the U.S. has recognized opposition leader Juan Guaidó as Venezuela's legitimate president since 2019, the path forward for forming a new government remains uncertain [41379][42114]. International legal experts have immediately questioned the legality of the attack, predicting the U.S. will justify it as an act of self-defense [40942]. The action is expected to trigger a major geopolitical crisis and intense debate over sovereignty [40668][40737]. U.S. Forces Capture Venezuelan President in Military Strike Venezuela Leader Ousted in U.S. Strike, Faces Charges in New York US Strikes Venezuela, Captures President Maduro U.S. Captures Venezuela's President in Secret Operation U.S. Forces Capture Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro US Strikes Venezuela, Abducts President Maduro US Captures Venezuelan President in "Large-Scale Strike" U.S. Military Strike Captures Venezuelan Leader Maduro U.S. Captures Maduro: What Now for Venezuela? US Seizes Venezuelan President, Vows to "Run" Country and "Take Back the Oil" U.S. Claims Capture of Venezuelan Leader in Military Strike U.S. Strikes Venezuela, Captures President Maduro