Venezuelan professional golfer Jhonattan Vegas has publicly celebrated the dramatic capture of his country's president, Nicolás Maduro, by United States military forces. The operation, announced by former US President Donald Trump in the early hours of Saturday, 3rd January 2026, has sent shockwaves through international politics.
Trump Announces Dramatic Military Strike in Caracas
Donald Trump declared that American forces had successfully taken Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, into custody following a military strike in the Venezuelan capital, Caracas. Addressing the media from his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida, Trump stated the left-wing leader would face trial in New York City on serious drugs and weapons charges.
Trump alleged that Maduro is at the helm of the 'Cartel de los Soles' (Cartel of the Suns) trafficking operation, accusing him of flooding the US with narcotics. The captured president was reportedly seized by the elite Delta Force, transported by helicopter to the USS Iwo Jima, and is destined for the Manhattan Federal Court.
Venezuelan Sports Star's Emotional Reaction
The news triggered an ecstatic response from Jhonattan Vegas, a three-time PGA Tour winner who has represented Venezuela at two Olympic Games. The 41-year-old athlete took to social media platform X to express his feelings.
He first posted a message adorned with Venezuelan flags, followed by a passionate exclamation translated from Spanish as: 'Long live Venezuela, DAMN IT ALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL'. Vegas has been a known supporter of opposition figure María Corina Machado, having previously posted a tribute to her courage and sacrifice for the nation.
A Nation in Crisis and an Uncertain Future
Maduro's capture comes after a decade defined by rampant violence, hyperinflation, gang warfare, and crippling shortages of food and medicine. The United Nations notes the resulting displacement crisis is one of the largest in the world.
Trump outlined that the US intends to 'run the country' to facilitate a safe and proper transition, suggesting Venezuela's vast oil reserves could fund its revival. However, he provided scant detail on the logistics of administering a nation of 30 million people. The development marks a unprecedented escalation in international intervention in Venezuela's long-running political and humanitarian disaster.
