Overview
- U.S. personnel seized Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela and transferred him to the United States to face narcotics and corruption charges linked by prosecutors to the alleged Cartel de los Soles.
- President Trump announced plans for a U.S.-directed transitional authority and emphasized security and oil, prompting sovereignty objections across the region.
- Trump publicly dismissed María Corina Machado’s prospects and offered no backing for Edmundo González Urrutia, with reporting indicating a provisional role for Delcy Rodríguez and an opposition response marked by silence.
- Commentary and reports note the operation lacked approval from Congress or the United Nations and cite unquantified casualties, while rights findings on the 2024 crackdown underpin calls for accountability.
- Uncertainty surrounds the status of powerful chavista figures such as Diosdado Cabello and Vladimir Padrino López, and no clear timeline has been set for installing a broadly recognized civilian authority.