U.S. Snatches Venezuela's Maduro, Trump Vows to "Run" Country and Seize Its Oil

The United States launched military strikes on Venezuela early Saturday, capturing President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, in a dramatic escalation that has removed the country’s leader and thrown its future into chaos [41033][41227][40942]. The operation, described by former U.S. President Donald Trump as a "large-scale strike," has resulted in Maduro and Flores being flown out of the country to face criminal charges in New York, including accusations of "narco-terrorism" and drug trafficking [40942][40970][41136].

Following the capture, Trump announced that the United States will now "run" Venezuela in order to "fix" its oil infrastructure and "take back the oil," referring to the country's vast crude reserves [41227][41525][40871]. Venezuela holds the world’s largest proven oil reserves, but its production has collapsed amid years of mismanagement and corruption [41227][40871].

The U.S. government has long labeled Maduro’s rule illegitimate, accusing his administration of corruption and human rights abuses [41136][40668]. The sudden removal of the sitting head of state by a foreign military is an unprecedented event in modern hemispheric relations, leaving a dangerous power vacuum with no named successor [41136][42114][40668]. The Venezuelan government has not yet issued a public response, and the international community is divided, with some world leaders condemning the action and others expressing support [41033][41379].

Legal experts have immediately questioned the attack’s legality under international law, with some of Trump’s own political allies suggesting the operation violates established norms [40942][40737]. The situation remains highly fluid as the U.S. moves toward direct control of the South American nation [41055][42114].