US Forces Snatch Venezuela's Maduro, Vow to "Run" the Country and Seize the Oil
US Forces Snatch Venezuela's Maduro, Vow to "Run" the Country and Seize the Oil
U.S. military forces have captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, in a series of military strikes inside Venezuela, according to multiple reports. The operation, described by former U.S. President Donald Trump as a "large-scale strike," took place on Saturday, January 3 [40921][40942][41088].
Following the capture, Trump announced that the United States will now "run" Venezuela to "fix" its oil infrastructure and "take back the oil" [41227][41525]. Venezuela holds the world's largest proven oil reserves, but its production has collapsed after years of mismanagement [41227][40871].
Maduro and Flores have been transported to New York, where they face criminal charges including "narco-terrorism" and drug trafficking [40942][40970][41136]. Trump accused the Venezuelan leader of running a "narco terrorist organisation" [40942]. The specific charges have not yet been made public, but officials indicated the couple will be prosecuted in a U.S. court [40871][41136].
The operation marks a dramatic escalation in longstanding tensions between the United States and the Venezuelan government [41033][41088]. For years, the U.S. has labeled Maduro's government as illegitimate and imposed severe economic sanctions, accusing his administration of corruption and human rights abuses [40668][41379][40505].
With Maduro's sudden removal, it is unclear who is now in charge of the country [41136]. No successor has been named, creating a dangerous power vacuum [41136]. Trump suggested Maduro's deputy, Delcy Rodríguez, should follow U.S. orders as interim president, but she has so far defied the U.S. [41525]. The Venezuelan military and remaining government officials have not issued a public response [40668][40970].
The legal justification for the strike is being questioned by international legal experts, who predict the U.S. will argue self-defense [40942]. The incident has sparked a major global dispute over sovereignty and military intervention [40942][40737]. Global reactions have been mixed, with some world leaders expressing support and others condemning the action [41033][40505].
The capture of a sitting head of state by a foreign military is an unprecedented event in modern hemispheric relations [40668][40970]. The long-term plan for Venezuela's future remains unclear [42114][41055].