Overview
- U.S. officials say forces captured Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores in Venezuela and flew them out of the country to face longstanding U.S. indictments.
- Attorney General Pam Bondi listed charges including narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, and weapons offenses.
- Secretary of State Marco Rubio told Sen. Mike Lee the strikes were to protect arresting personnel, and Lee said the action likely falls under Article II authority.
- Venezuela denounced the move as military aggression, invoked the U.N. Charter, activated national defense plans, and signaled complaints to international bodies.
- Lawmakers are split over legality, with Democrats demanding briefings and Republicans praising the mission, as President Trump said Delcy Rodríguez would govern temporarily with U.S. assistance.