Overview
- U.S. President Donald Trump said a U.S. operation captured Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores and removed them from Venezuela, with officials expecting a first federal court appearance in Manhattan on Monday.
- Vice President Delcy Rodríguez chaired the National Defense Council, demanded a proof of life and the immediate release of Maduro and Flores, and submitted a state-of-external-commotion decree to the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court.
- Trump asserted Rodríguez spoke with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and was willing to cooperate on a transition, a claim at odds with Rodríguez’s televised statements rejecting the operation and insisting Maduro remains Venezuela’s only president.
- Reports on Rodríguez’s location conflicted, with New York Times sources indicating she remains in Caracas under protection, while other outlets suggested Moscow, a claim Russia denied.
- Some outlets reported that Rodríguez quietly took an oath or was ordered by the Supreme Court to serve as acting president, but there has been no formal nationwide announcement confirming a transfer of power.