Overview
- Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores are in U.S. custody, with a first appearance in a New York federal court scheduled today on drug-related charges.
- Acting leader Delcy Rodríguez, installed by Venezuela’s top court, invited cooperation with Washington after initial defiance, as the armed forces signaled support for her.
- The UN Security Council meets in New York today to consider the U.S. commando operation, with Russia, China and several Latin American governments condemning it and the EU calling for Venezuelan self-determination.
- President Trump warned Rodríguez and broadened pressure to regional rivals, while Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the U.S. will use an existing oil blockade to push changes and curb Chinese and Russian influence rather than directly administer Venezuela.
- Casualty reports are disputed, with Cuba’s ruling party claiming 32 Cuban security personnel were killed and Venezuelan sources citing several dozen deaths, as legal scholars challenge the action’s basis under international law.