Trump’s US Forces Capture Venezuela’s Maduro, Vows to “Run” Country and Take The Oil

The United States military has captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, in a large-scale strike on Venezuelan soil, removing a longtime adversary in an unprecedented intervention that has thrown the nation into immediate uncertainty [40970][41033][41088]. Following the operation, former U.S. President Donald Trump announced that the United States will now “run” Venezuela, aiming to “fix” its oil infrastructure and “take back the oil” from the country, which holds the world’s largest proven oil reserves [41227][41525][40871].

Maduro and his wife have been flown out of the country and are now in U.S. custody, facing criminal charges in a New York court, including “narco-terrorism” and drugs offenses [40942][40970][41136]. The U.S. government has long labeled Maduro’s rule illegitimate, accusing his administration of corruption and human rights abuses, and has recognized opposition leader Juan Guaidó as Venezuela’s legitimate president since 2019 [41379][40668][40505].

The strike marks a dramatic shift in U.S. foreign policy, with analysts describing it as a direct military intervention that mirrors tactics used by rivals, raising immediate questions about international law and global diplomatic norms [40737][40942]. No successor has been named to replace Maduro, creating a dangerous power vacuum, and the Venezuelan government has not yet issued a public response [41136][41379][40970].

With Venezuela’s economy already suffering from hyperinflation and a severe humanitarian crisis, the long-term plan for the country’s future remains unclear, and experts are now analyzing Washington’s next steps [42114][40871].