Overview
- Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were captured in Caracas and arraigned in New York on narcotics and related charges, with Maduro declaring in court that he had been kidnapped.
- Trump administration officials say the operation was intended to deter Beijing’s reach in the Americas, highlighting that Chinese-supplied air defenses in Caracas were swiftly disabled and noting a Chinese envoy had met Maduro hours before the raid.
- The White House says 30–50 million barrels of Venezuelan oil will be directed to the United States, and President Trump signaled a long-term U.S. role in rebuilding and overseeing the country’s energy sector.
- China formally condemned the action and U.N. officials and several allied leaders warned the raid sets a dangerous precedent, reflecting broader concerns about erosion of international legal norms.
- U.S. lawmakers are pressing for briefings and limits on further unilateral action as reports cite dozens of Venezuelan and Cuban security-force deaths and polling shows Americans divided over the move.