Overview
- At the U.N. Security Council, U.S. envoy Mike Walz said the United States is not at war with Venezuela or occupying the country, calling the action a law-enforcement operation tied to long-standing charges.
- Attorney General Pamela Bondi said Nicolás Maduro will soon appear in a U.S. court, with filings outlining narcotics-related counts that carry potential life sentences.
- Democratic leaders Hakeem Jeffries and Chuck Schumer labeled the operation an act of war and moved to restrict further military action, as the administration scheduled a classified bipartisan briefing for Monday evening.
- President Donald Trump told reporters the United States now “controls” Venezuela and referred to Maduro’s seizure as a “kidnapping” operation.
- Venezuelan authorities reported explosions, outages and casualties in Caracas, declared a state of emergency, and said the top court named Vice President Delcy Rodríguez acting head of state, while Russia and China demanded Maduro’s release.