Overview
- U.S. forces captured Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores and are transporting them toward New York on the USS Iwo Jima to face narcoterrorism charges, according to President Trump.
- Trump said he watched the raid live from Mar-a-Lago and signaled Washington intends to steer a transition, repeatedly highlighting Venezuela’s oil in public remarks.
- Venezuela’s Supreme Court named Vice President Delcy Rodríguez interim leader with backing from the armed forces, a step many exiles interviewed in Spain, Colombia and Peru reject as continuity of chavismo.
- Regional reactions are sharply divided and a CELAC meeting concluded without a joint statement, underscoring the lack of consensus on the U.S. operation.
- Commentary questions the operation’s legality in the absence of UN or U.S. congressional approval and notes unspecified casualties, while warning that powerful chavista figures remain in place.