The United States military conducted a large-scale operation in Venezuela early Saturday, resulting in the capture of President Nicolás Maduro, who was then flown out of the country. The action follows months of increased pressure from Washington.
U.S. Military Operation Details
President Trump announced the details of the operation during a news conference Saturday morning. “At my direction, the United States Armed Forces conducted an extraordinary military operation in the capital of Venezuela,” he said.
“Air, land and sea was used to launch a spectacular attack.” Trump claimed U.S. forces “successfully captured Maduro in the dead of night,” adding, “we are going to run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition.”
Under Venezuelan law, Vice President Delcy Rodríguez would normally assume power. Rodríguez issued a statement following the strike, stating, “We do not know the whereabouts of President Nicolás Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores,” and demanding proof of life.
Republican Sen. Mike Lee of Utah posted on X that Secretary of State Marco Rubio informed him Maduro “has been arrested by U.S. personnel to stand trial on criminal charges in the United States.”
International Reactions
The Venezuelan government condemned the operation as an “imperialist attack” and called for citizens to protest. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre congratulated Trump on X, describing Maduro as a “narco-terrorist and socialist dictator” and advocating for a transition to opposition leadership.
Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand also posted on X, stating Canada does not recognize the legitimacy of the Maduro regime and is “monitoring developments closely.” Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney stated Canada is prepared to assist Canadians through its consular officials and embassy in Bogotá, Colombia, and will continue to support Venezuelan refugees.
The Government of Canada has updated its travel advisory, urging citizens to avoid all travel to Venezuela, citing a tense and potentially escalating situation.
Operation Details and Allegations
Multiple explosions were reported in Caracas, the capital, on Jan. 3, with low-flying aircraft observed. Maduro’s government accused the United States of attacking civilian and military installations.
Rubio stated that Maduro “is not the president of Venezuela and his regime is not the legitimate government.” Gen. Dan Caine described “Operation Absolute Resolve” as “discreet, precise and conducted during the darkest hours,” a culmination of months of planning and rehearsal.
Officials reported no American service members were killed or injured, and no American equipment was lost. Trump indicated this is only the beginning of American involvement in the country, stating, “We are going to be taking a tremendous amount of wealth out of the ground,” and that this wealth would benefit the people of Venezuela, those outside of Venezuela, and the United States as reimbursement for damages.
Trump described Maduro as the head of a criminal network responsible for trafficking drugs into the United States, claiming “Each boat kills, on average, 25,000 people.”
The strikes followed months of pressure from the Trump administration, including actions against boats suspected of drug trafficking and a recent CIA drone strike on a suspected cartel docking area. The number of Venezuelan casualties remains unconfirmed, though videos from Caracas show damage to buildings and military installations.
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