CARACAS, VENEZUELA - JUNE 27: Nicolas Maduro President of Venezuela gestures as he speaks during the Simon Bolivar Journalism National Award ceremony at Palacio de Miraflores on June 27, 2019 in Caracas, Venezuela. (Photo by Matias Delacroix/Getty Images)
UPDATE: In a dramatic early morning operation, US forces have captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, according to President Donald Trump. The operation, confirmed just an hour ago, involved extensive military action in Caracas and has sparked immediate international reactions.
Beginning around 2 AM local time, explosions rocked the Venezuelan capital, with US helicopters reportedly flying over key military targets. President Trump tweeted, “The United States of America has successfully carried out a large scale strike against Venezuela and its leader, President Nicolás Maduro.” He announced that Maduro and his wife have been flown out of the country, promising more details at a news conference scheduled for 11 AM today at Mar-a-Lago.
The Vice President of Venezuela, Delcy Rodriguez, stated that the government is currently unaware of Maduro’s whereabouts and is demanding proof of life from US authorities. In a statement to the New York Times, Trump described the operation as “a brilliant operation” executed by “great troops and great people.”
This unprecedented military action has been characterized as a significant turning point for the region. US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau hailed it as “a new dawn for Venezuela,” asserting that “the tyrant is gone” and that Maduro will “face justice.” The US has long accused Maduro of narco-terrorism and has been engaged in military actions against alleged drug traffickers in the region.
In response to the US strikes, Maduro, in a recorded message, claimed he is a victim of Colombian drug cartels and denied all allegations against him. The Venezuelan government condemned the US military action as “extremely grave aggression,” arguing that it targets civilian and military locations in Caracas and surrounding states. They assert that the objective is to seize Venezuela’s strategic resources, particularly oil and minerals.
The situation is evolving rapidly, with international observers noting the gravity of this operation. The BBC has reported this as “an event without modern precedent,” drawing parallels to the US capture of Panamanian leader Manuel Noriega in 1989.
As tensions escalate, the world watches closely to see how this operation will reshape the political landscape in Venezuela. Will this lead to a shift in power dynamics? The implications are significant, and the coming hours will be critical in determining the future of both Venezuela and US-Latin America relations.
Stay tuned for updates as this story develops.
