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

U.S. Forces Capture Venezuelan President Maduro in Military Strike, Plan to "Run" Country In an unprecedented military escalation, United States forces have captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, during a large-scale strike on Venezuelan territory. The operation, ordered by the Trump administration, has removed the long-time leader from power and triggered a profound political crisis in the oil-rich South American nation [41033][41227][41379]. The capture occurred following U.S. military strikes, with some reports indicating the operation took place at the presidential couple's home in the capital, Caracas [40970][40921]. Following the action, former U.S. President Donald Trump stated the United States will now "run" Venezuela to stabilize the country and "take back the oil," referencing Venezuela's vast but mismanaged petroleum reserves, the largest in the world [41227][40871][41525]. Maduro and Flores have been transported out of Venezuela and are expected to face criminal charges in a New York court. The specific charges include accusations of narco-terrorism, with U.S. officials alleging Maduro ran a "narco terrorist organisation" [41136][40942][40970]. The U.S. government has long considered Maduro's rule illegitimate, recognizing opposition figure Juan Guaidó as the country's legitimate president since 2019 [41379][40505]. For years, Washington has imposed crippling economic sanctions on Venezuela, accusing Maduro's administration of corruption, human rights abuses, and stealing elections [40668][41525]. The immediate aftermath has created a dangerous power vacuum, with no clear successor named to lead Venezuela's government [41136]. The country of 30 million people, already suffering from hyperinflation and a severe humanitarian crisis, now faces deep uncertainty under the prospect of direct U.S. administration [42114]. International legal experts have immediately questioned the legality of the strike and the capture of a sitting head of state on sovereign soil, predicting it will set a major global precedent [40737][40942]. There has been no immediate public statement from the Venezuelan military or the remnants of Maduro's government [41379]. 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 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 US Captures Venezuelan President in Military Strike U.S. Strikes Venezuela, Captures President Maduro Venezuelan President Captured in U.S. Military Raid