Overview
- The Pentagon described a tightly planned operation, dubbed Absolute Resolve, using more than 150 aircraft and Delta Force to seize Nicolás Maduro and his wife in Caracas before flying them to New York.
- Justice officials said Maduro and Cilia Flores face counts including conspiracy to commit drug‑terrorism and conspiracy to import cocaine, with an initial federal court appearance expected in Manhattan on Monday.
- President Donald Trump said the United States will manage a temporary transition in Venezuela and invited major U.S. oil investment to rebuild the sector, leaving execution details to his team.
- Venezuela’s vice president Delcy Rodríguez, flanked by senior military and political figures, rejected U.S. claims and asserted Maduro as the country’s only president, while the Supreme Court signaled interim authority for her.
- Global reactions diverged as China and Russia condemned the operation, several Western leaders voiced cautious support for a democratic transition, Germany issued a Venezuela travel warning, and casualty figures from the assault remained disputed.