President Donald Trump Captures Maduro in Venezuela, Maduro Held in NYC Jail

President Donald Trump ordered a dramatic military operation in Venezuela that resulted in the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

“Global outcry and division: World reactions to US strikes and Maduro's capture in Venezuela China, Russia, Iran, Brazil, Cuba and Mexico condemn, Israel and Ukraine express support, Türkiye says it is closely monitoring developments The United States bombed Caracas, the capital of Venezuela US President Donald Trump: 'We are going to run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition' Trump said Maduro and his wife were seized during the operation, and would face prosecution in the US judicial system ISTANBUL Türkiye stresses stability in Venezuela, calls on all parties to 'act with restraint' in wake of US strikes Türkiye said Saturday that it places importance on stability in Venezuela and on the peace and well-being of the Venezuelan people”

Anadolu Ajansı

Maduro is now being held in a New York City jail awaiting criminal prosecution.

Anadolu Ajansı

The U.S. military forces attacked Caracas in an operation Trump described as successful despite some injuries to American personnel.

The action targeted Maduro based on an indictment accusing him of leading 'a corrupt, illegitimate government that leveraged government power to protect and promote illegal activity, including drug trafficking.'

U.S. authorities allege that as much as 250 tons of cocaine were trafficked through Venezuela by 2020.

Following the operation, Trump held a news conference declaring that Venezuela would temporarily be 'run' by the United States.

Trump's threat toward Venezuela's new leader, Delcy Rodríguez, revealed his increasingly aggressive stance toward Latin American nations.

In a telephone interview, Trump issued a not-so-veiled threat against Rodríguez, stating that 'if she doesn't do what's right, she is going to pay a very big price, probably bigger than Maduro.'

BBC

This warning came after Rodríguez had publicly rejected U.S. intervention and declared that Venezuela 'shall never be a colony ever again.'

Trump's position marked a significant shift from his previous campaign rhetoric where he had opposed 'nation building' and 'racing to topple foreign regimes that we know nothing about.'

When asked why Venezuela would be different from Iraq and Afghanistan, Trump suggested posing the question to former President George W. Bush.

The international community reacted strongly to the U.S. military intervention in Venezuela, with the United Nations expressing 'deep alarm' over the strikes and detention of President Maduro.

“Associated PressAssociated Press Leave your feedback Hours after a dramatic military operation ousted Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro from power and removed him from the country Saturday, President Donald Trump said the United States would "run" Venezuela at least temporarily and tap its vast oil reserves to sell to other nations”

PBS

U.N. spokesman Stéphane Dujarric called the developments 'a dangerous precedent' and a violation of international law, expressing concern about larger implications for Latin America and the Caribbean.

China also strongly condemned the operation, stating it was 'deeply shocked' and firmly opposed to what it called 'hegemonic acts' that 'seriously violate international law and Venezuela's sovereignty.'

Within the United States, Democratic lawmakers criticized the administration for transforming an anti-narcotics trafficking operation into a regime-change action.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul described the strikes as 'a flagrant abuse of power by acting without congressional approval.'

Legal and political contradictions emerged in Trump's handling of Venezuelan drug trafficking charges, particularly when contrasted with his recent pardon of former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández.

While the U.S. indictment against Maduro alleges he partnered with 'some of the most violent and prolific drug traffickers and narco-terrorists in the world' to bring tons of cocaine into the U.S., Trump had previously pardoned Hernández despite his 45-year prison sentence for helping drug traffickers move hundreds of tons of cocaine through Honduras.

The Atlantic

When asked about the pardon, Trump claimed he 'doesn't know' Hernández and suggested he was 'set up.'

Democratic lawmakers highlighted this inconsistency, with Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez stating on X that 'if it was [about drugs], Trump wouldn't have pardoned one of the largest narco traffickers in the world last month.'

She added that the operation was 'about oil and regime change,' while Marjorie Taylor Greene questioned why the administration hadn't taken similar action against Mexican cartels.

The capture of Maduro has raised serious concerns about the precedent set for international relations and the potential for escalation in Latin America.

“Reaction to the capture of Nicolás Maduro in Caracas, Venezuela, by US forces on Saturday has been starkly polarized along political lines, with administration officials and Republicans celebrating the enforcement of a 2020 US narco-trafficking indictment against the Venezuelan president and Democrats decrying what they see as a violation of Venezuela’s right to self-determination”

The Guardian

Democratic lawmakers warned that the operation could encourage other nations to capture foreign leaders, with Senator Mark Warner questioning what would prevent China from claiming authority over Taiwan's leadership or Vladimir Putin from justifying the abduction of Ukraine's president.

The Guardian

Analyst Tiziano Breda of ACLED described the U.S. strikes as 'the largest US military operation in Latin America since the 1989 invasion of Panama,' noting the timing appeared aimed at undercutting Maduro's most recent term anniversary.

The operation has created significant uncertainty about Venezuela's future, with Trump suggesting a second wave of military actions might be necessary.

Maduro's legal proceedings are expected to begin in New York as early as Monday, with his likely detention at Brooklyn's Metropolitan detention center.