WASHINGTON – The U.S. struck Venezuela and captured its long-serving President Nicolas Maduro on Saturday, President Donald Trump said, after months of pressuring him over accusations of drug-running and illegitimacy in power. Washington has not made such a direct intervention in Latin America since the invasion of Panama in 1989 to depose military leader Manuel Noriega, over similar allegations.
“The United States of America has successfully carried out a large scale strike against Venezuela and its leader, President Nicolas Maduro, who has been, along with his wife, captured and flown out of the country,” Trump said in a Truth Social post.
Ahead of the overnight strike, the U.S. had accused Maduro of running a “narco-state” and rigging last year’s election, which the opposition said it won overwhelmingly. The Venezuelan leader, who succeeded Hugo Chavez to take power in 2013, has said Washington wants control of the South American nation’s oil reserves, the largest in the world. Venezuela’s government said civilians and military personnel died in the strikes but did not give figures. Trump said the operation was carried out “in conjunction with U.S. Law Enforcement,” promising more details at an 11 a.m. (1600 GMT) press conference at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. Maduro was captured by elite special forces troops, a U.S. official told Reuters. Republican U.S. Senator Mike Lee said Secretary of State Marco Rubio had told him Maduro would stand trial on criminal charges in the United States. Venezuela’s Vice President Delcy Rodriguez, who could take charge of government, said she did not know the whereabouts of either Maduro or his wife.
“We demand that President Donald Trump’s government provide immediate proof of life for President Maduro and the First Lady,” Rodriguez said in an audio played on state TV. Trump has accused Venezuela of flooding the U.S. with drugs and his administration has for months been bombing boats it alleges were carrying drugs. MST Marquee analyst Saul Kavonic said oil prices were likely to jump on the near-term risk to supply but that the U.S. strike could be bearish in the medium term if a new Venezuelan government results in sanctions being lifted and renewed foreign investment.
NN: We have long predicted this event. And gave you detailed analysis on the military build up preceding this obvious event. Oil will soar. It was easy to brake it. But it will take a long time to fis this
Venezuelan defense chief: We will not surrender
Venezuela’s Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino condemned the US military operation in Caracas on Saturday, calling it a “cowardly act” and declaring that the government would not bow to Washington’s pressure. “This invasion represents the biggest insult the country has ever faced,” Padrino said in a video message. He accused US forces of firing rockets from helicopters in densely populated urban areas. “We will not negotiate. We will not surrender. We will triumph,” he added. His remarks came after US President Donald Trump claimed responsibility for a large-scale strike and announced the capture of President Nicolas Maduro.