Overview
- President Trump and senior officials say special forces detained Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, and removed them from Venezuela.
- Reports and footage show overnight explosions in Caracas, with strikes hitting La Carlota airfield and Fuerte Tiuna as U.S. helicopters engaged targets.
- Senator Marco Rubio has indicated Maduro is being brought to the United States to face criminal charges tied to earlier U.S. indictments.
- International actors and U.S. lawmakers are demanding evidence, a legal rationale, and oversight as uncertainty persists over control in Caracas.
- Analysts link the operation to securing Venezuelan oil and countering Chinese, Russian, and Cuban influence, warning of potential instability and long-term costs.