Mubashar Nadeem
The United States’ announcement that Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has been captured in a large scale overnight military operation has sent shockwaves through Latin America and beyond. According to US President Donald Trump, the operation involved targeted strikes across Venezuela and resulted in the arrest of Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, who were subsequently flown out of the country and charged in New York with serious drug and weapons offences. If confirmed, this development marks one of the most dramatic interventions by Washington in the internal affairs of a sovereign state in recent history.
Trump stated that the operation was carried out by elite US forces in coordination with American law enforcement agencies. He described it as a swift and decisive action, claiming it achieved its objectives within hours and without any US fatalities. According to him, Maduro was taken from a heavily fortified residence after months of intelligence gathering and planning. US officials have suggested that a human intelligence source within the Venezuelan system helped track Maduro’s movements, allowing the operation to proceed with precision.
Reports from Caracas indicate that explosions were heard across the capital in the early hours of Saturday, with smoke seen rising from several locations. Social media footage has circulated showing helicopters and blasts near military installations, though not all of it has been independently verified. Venezuelan authorities have said that sites in and around Caracas, including major military bases and ports, were hit. The government has declared a national emergency, deployed armed forces across the country, and demanded proof that Maduro and his wife are alive.
Washington has framed the operation as a law enforcement action rather than an act of war. US Attorney General Pam Bondi announced that Maduro and Flores have been indicted on charges including narco terrorism, cocaine trafficking, and possession of heavy weapons. The US has long accused Maduro of leading or protecting drug trafficking networks that funnel narcotics into North America. A substantial financial reward had previously been offered for information leading to his arrest, allegations that Maduro consistently denied.
Trump has also signaled that the US intends to play a direct role in Venezuela’s immediate future. He suggested that Washington would oversee the country until a “safe and proper” political transition could take place, arguing that the goal is to restore peace, liberty, and justice for the Venezuelan people. These remarks have raised serious questions about sovereignty, international law, and the precedent such an intervention might set.
Inside Venezuela, the reaction has been sharply divided. Senior government figures have condemned the strikes as an act of military aggression and claimed that civilian areas were hit, resulting in casualties. Officials have accused the US of seeking to seize Venezuela’s strategic resources, particularly its oil and mineral wealth, under the cover of anti drug operations. At the same time, opposition figures have celebrated the news. Prominent opposition leader María Corina Machado described the moment as the arrival of freedom, reflecting the deep frustration many Venezuelans feel after years of economic collapse, political repression, and disputed elections.
International reactions have been swift and polarized. Venezuela’s allies, including Russia, China, Iran, and Cuba, have strongly condemned the US action, calling it a violation of international law and national sovereignty. Several Latin American leaders warned that such actions risk pushing the region toward greater instability and conflict. Brazil and Chile expressed serious concern, emphasizing that military force against a sitting government crosses a dangerous line.
The United Nations has also voiced alarm. Secretary General António Guterres warned that the operation could set a dangerous precedent and urged all parties to respect international law, human rights, and the principles of peaceful dialogue. European leaders have struck a more cautious tone. While reiterating their view that Maduro lacks democratic legitimacy, EU officials stressed that any transition of power must respect legal norms and avoid further violence.
Nicolás Maduro’s rise to power has long been controversial. A former bus driver who rose under Hugo Chávez’s patronage, he inherited a deeply polarized country and presided over years of economic decline, mass emigration, and political repression. Disputed elections and allegations of corruption and criminal links isolated his government internationally. His wife, Cilia Flores, a powerful political figure in her own right, has also been under US sanctions and scrutiny for years.
Whether this operation leads to stability or deeper chaos remains uncertain. Venezuela now faces a power vacuum, a mobilized military, and intense international pressure from all sides. The coming days will determine whether the country moves toward dialogue and reconstruction or descends further into confrontation. What is clear is that the capture of a sitting president by a foreign power has redrawn the political landscape, not only for Venezuela, but for the entire region.
