US Captures Venezuelan President Maduro in Dramatic Military Operation
In a stunning escalation of tensions between the United States and Venezuela, President Donald Trump announced today that US elite special forces have captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores, removing them from the country following coordinated military strikes. The operation, which Trump described as a 'brilliant operation' on his Truth Social platform, has triggered immediate international condemnation and raised serious questions about sovereignty and international law.
Military Strikes Across Venezuela
The US military operation began in the early hours of Saturday morning, with reports of at least seven explosions in Caracas and additional strikes in states including Miranda, Aragua, and La Guaira. According to Sky News reports, the attacks involved low-flying aircraft and targeted military installations across the country. The Venezuelan government declared a national emergency, accusing the US of attempting to seize Venezuela's strategic resources, particularly its vast oil reserves and mineral wealth.
US Attorney General Bondi confirmed that Maduro and his wife have been indicted in New York on multiple charges including Narco-Terrorism Conspiracy, Cocaine Importation Conspiracy, and weapons offenses. 'They will soon feel the full wrath of American justice, on American soil and in an American courtroom,' Bondi stated, referring to the couple who now face prosecution in the Southern District of New York.
International Condemnation Floods In
The international response has been swift and overwhelmingly critical. Russia's Foreign Ministry called the operation 'an act of armed aggression' and demanded an emergency United Nations Security Council meeting. Al Jazeera reported that Cuba, Venezuela's closest ally, denounced the attack as 'state terrorism' and a 'brutal attack on our zone of peace.' Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel called it a 'criminal US attack' and urged the international community to respond.
European nations expressed deep concern while emphasizing the safety of their citizens. EU foreign policy chief Kallas stated that 'the principles of international law and the UN Charter must be respected' and called for restraint. Spain, with deep historical ties to Venezuela, offered to mediate the crisis, while Italy expressed particular worry about the 160,000 Italian citizens living in Venezuela.
Regional Reactions and Border Tensions
Neighboring Colombia, which shares a 1,378-mile border with Venezuela, has deployed additional troops to frontier areas in anticipation of potential refugee flows. Colombian President Gustavo Petro stated his opposition to 'all unilateral military actions' against Venezuela while taking measures to protect Colombian territory. Brazil's President Lula da Silva warned that the operation crossed 'an unacceptable line' and could destabilize the entire region.
Venezuela's interim leadership, now headed by Vice President Delcy Rodriguez following Maduro's capture, demanded proof that the president is still alive and vowed resistance. Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino announced in a video message that 'our armed forces and civilian militias have been ordered to defend the country against further attacks.'
Legal and Diplomatic Fallout
The operation represents the most dramatic escalation in years of tension between Washington and Caracas. According to Britannica, the US had conducted at least 26 military operations against Venezuelan vessels in 2025 alone, resulting in approximately 95 deaths, before today's much larger-scale intervention. These previous strikes were justified by the Trump administration as targeting 'narco-terrorist' networks allegedly tied to Venezuelan officials.
UN human rights experts had already condemned US actions against Venezuela in December 2025, characterizing them as 'blockade and aggression' that violated international law. Today's operation is likely to intensify those criticisms and test the limits of international legal frameworks regarding sovereignty and military intervention.
As the situation continues to develop, the world watches anxiously to see how Venezuela's political vacuum will be filled and whether further military confrontations will occur. The operation has already reshaped geopolitical dynamics in Latin America and raised fundamental questions about the future of international relations in an increasingly polarized world.