U.S. military forces captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in an overnight raid, flying him to New York to face longstanding criminal charges, President Donald Trump announced on Saturday. Trump declared the United States would temporarily “run” the South American nation.
The operation, which Trump called a “large scale strike,” resulted in significant casualties and has ignited international condemnation while plunging Venezuela into a political crisis.
The Raid and Capture
According to U.S. officials, the mission involved approximately 150 aircraft and targeted Venezuelan air defenses. Special Operations forces then located and seized Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, from a safe house near Caracas.
“They gave up,” General Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, stated at a Pentagon briefing. The couple was transported to a U.S. naval vessel and subsequently flown to Stewart International Airport in New York.
A senior Venezuelan official reported at least 80 casualties during the resistance to the operation.
Legal Charges and U.S. Justification
Maduro and Flores are in custody at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn. Maduro faces U.S. indictment on charges of narco-terrorism conspiracy, while Flores is charged with cocaine importation conspiracy. An initial court appearance is scheduled for Monday.
President Trump, speaking from Mar-a-Lago, framed the intervention as necessary for regional stability. “We will run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition,” he said.
He directly linked the action to Venezuela’s oil reserves, the world’s largest, stating U.S. companies would move in to refurbish the industry and that the operation “won’t cost us a penny” due to future oil revenue.
International and Domestic Fallout
The move drew sharp criticism from several nations:
- China condemned it as “hegemonic behaviour” and a violation of international law.
- Russia denounced the action.
- In Latin America, reactions split, with Argentina supporting it but Brazil and Mexico issuing strong condemnations.
Within Venezuela, the political landscape is fractured. The Supreme Court directed Vice President Delcy Rodriguez to assume power as acting president, who labeled Maduro’s capture a “kidnapping.” Opposition leader María Corina Machado called for an opposition figure to take control.
Unclear Path Forward
The Trump administration has not detailed a specific plan for administering Venezuela. Military analysts suggest a sustained U.S. naval presence is likely to pressure the remaining government structure.
Democratic lawmakers in the U.S. have demanded clarity on the legal authority for the operation and a coherent exit strategy, questioning the precedent of seizing a foreign head of state.
WASHINGTON — In a dramatic overnight military operation, U.S. forces captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and flew him to New York to face drug-trafficking charges, prompting President Donald Trump to declare that the United States will temporarily “run” the South American country until a “safe, proper and judicious transition” can be arranged.
The raid, which Trump described as a “large scale strike against Venezuela,” involved 150 aircraft that dismantled Venezuelan air defenses before Special Forces seized Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, from a safe house near Caracas. The operation, ordered by Trump late Friday, lasted about two hours and 20 minutes and encountered significant resistance, resulting in at least 80 casualties among Venezuelan military personnel and civilians, according to a senior Venezuelan official.
The Operation
General Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, detailed the mission at a Saturday news conference. He said the operation was designed to “dismantle Venezuelan air defenses” so that military helicopters could deliver troops to the capital. Maduro and Flores “gave up” during the assault and were transported to a U.S. Navy ship offshore before being flown to Stewart International Airport in New York.
Trump’s Announcement
At a press conference at his Mar-a-Lago resort, Trump framed the intervention as a necessary step to prevent further instability. “We will run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition,” he said, adding that he was “not afraid of putting ‘boots on the ground’” in Venezuela. He also announced that major U.S. oil companies would move into Venezuela to refurbish its degraded oil infrastructure, stating that the occupation “won’t cost us a penny” because the United States would be reimbursed from Venezuela’s oil revenues.
Legal Proceedings
Maduro and his wife arrived at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn on Saturday evening. Both face U.S. charges: Maduro is indicted on narco-terrorism conspiracy, while Flores is charged with cocaine importation conspiracy. Maduro is expected to make an initial appearance in Manhattan federal court on Monday.
International Reaction
The operation drew swift condemnation from several quarters. China’s foreign ministry said it “firmly opposes such hegemonic behaviour by the U.S., which seriously violates international law, violates Venezuela’s sovereignty, and threatens peace and security in Latin America and the Caribbean”. Russia also criticized the move, while Latin American governments were divided: Argentina’s President Javier Milei lauded Venezuela’s new “freedom,” but Mexico condemned the intervention and Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said it crossed “an unacceptable line”.
Political Vacuum
Venezuela’s Supreme Court has directed Vice President Delcy Rodriguez to assume the powers of acting president. Rodriguez appeared on state television to denounce the capture as a “kidnapping” and demand Maduro’s immediate release. Opposition leader María Corina Machado, meanwhile, called for an opposition candidate to assume power, highlighting the uncertain political landscape.
Oil Interests
A key driver of the U.S. move is Venezuela’s vast oil reserves, the largest in the world. Trump explicitly linked the intervention to securing those resources, saying the U.S. would “take control of Venezuela’s massive oil reserves” and recruit American companies to invest billions in reviving the country’s crippled oil industry. Analysts caution, however, that refurbishing Venezuela’s oil infrastructure could take years and would face significant technical and security challenges.
What’s Next
The Trump administration has not detailed how it will administer Venezuela while the country’s government remains functionally intact. Retired Maj. Gen. Mick Ryan told CNN that the heightened U.S. military presence off Venezuela’s coast is likely to remain as the administration seeks to pressure the remaining government to cooperate. At home, Democratic lawmakers have demanded a clear plan for what follows, questioning the legality of seizing a foreign head of state.
