In a stunning escalation of tensions, United States military forces have seized Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro from Caracas in a controversial raid, transporting him to the US to face long-standing drug trafficking charges. The operation, which occurred in the early hours of Saturday, marks Washington's most significant military intervention in Latin America in over three decades.
A Swift Seizure and Stark Warnings
Following the military operation, former US President Donald Trump declared that America would now "run" Venezuela. He issued a stark warning on Sunday, threatening a potential second strike if remaining members of the Venezuelan government refused to cooperate with his plans to get the country "fixed".
In the immediate aftermath, Venezuelan Vice-President and staunch Maduro ally, Delcy Rodríguez, was appointed acting president. In a surprising shift, she offered "to collaborate" with the Trump administration, signalling a potential major realignment in relations between the two nations.
Rodríguez struck a conciliatory tone in an Instagram message on Sunday, expressing hope to build "respectful relations" with Donald Trump. "We invite the US government to collaborate with us on an agenda of cooperation oriented towards shared development within the framework of international law," she stated.
Contradiction and Condemnation
This conciliatory message contrasted sharply with Rodríguez's earlier televised address, where she gave no indication of cooperation. She labelled the US action "an atrocity that violates international law", referred to Trump's government as "extremists", and maintained that Maduro remained Venezuela's legitimate leader.
Trump later warned that if Rodríguez failed to fall in line, "she is going to pay a very big price, probably bigger than Maduro". The 63-year-old Maduro is currently held in a New York detention centre, awaiting a court appearance on Monday on charges including narco-terrorism conspiracy, which he denies.
Global Fallout and Domestic Response
The raid has sent shockwaves across the globe and triggered a fierce response within Venezuela:
- Rodríguez announced a commission to seek the release of Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores.
- Top officials in Maduro's government, including Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello, called the seizure a "kidnapping" and urged supporters not to fall for provocations.
- Venezuelan Defence Minister General Vladimir Padrino claimed the US attack killed soldiers, civilians, and a "large part" of Maduro's security detail "in cold blood".
- The Cuban government reported that 32 of its citizens were killed during the operation.
Internationally, the move has been met with widespread condemnation. The governments of Spain, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, and Uruguay issued a joint statement declaring the US actions "an extremely dangerous precedent for peace and regional security". All European Union nations except Hungary called for restraint and respect for the will of the Venezuelan people.
In the UK, Prime Minister Keir Starmer stated Britain was not involved in the attack but refused to condemn it. Cabinet Minister Darren Jones, a close Starmer ally, called for a peaceful transition of power in Venezuela to be reached "quickly".
Trump suggested the US strategy would not involve pushing for immediate elections. Instead, he indicated a plan to work with remaining administration figures to clamp down on drug trafficking and overhaul Venezuela's oil industry, stating US oil companies needed "total access" to the country's vast reserves. He also hinted that Colombia and Mexico could face military action if they did not reduce drug flows to the US.
As images of a blindfolded and handcuffed Maduro circulate, hundreds of his supporters, known as Chavistas, gathered in Caracas on Sunday to demand his release, setting the stage for further instability.
