Overview
- U.S. special operations forces seized Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores in Caracas during Operation Absolute Resolve and transferred them to U.S. custody to face an updated federal indictment.
- The Justice Department’s filing includes narco‑terrorism, cocaine importation, and machine‑gun charges, and initial photos showed Maduro arriving in New York under DEA escort, according to The Times.
- President Trump invoked the Monroe Doctrine—quipping about a 'Don‑roe' Doctrine—and said the United States would 'run' Venezuela temporarily, aligning the move with December’s National Security Strategy and its 'Enlist and Expand' approach.
- Washington had already escalated pressure on Venezuelan oil with tanker seizures and a declared blockade, and officials signaled U.S. involvement in the sector, with Vice President J.D. Vance saying 'the stolen oil must be returned to the United States.'
- International and legal pushback intensified as a UN spokesman warned of a 'dangerous precedent' under the UN Charter, while analysts flagged disputes over head‑of‑state immunity and questions about bypassing congressional war powers; separate reports suggest possible insider cooperation in Caracas and an unconfirmed Guantánamo stopover.