By: Manoah Kikekon
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| Nicolás Maduro |
In an unprecedented late-morning post on his Truth Social platform, former U.S. President Donald Trump declared that Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has been captured by American forces.
The announcement, which sent immediate shockwaves through international diplomatic and security circles, comes months after the U.S. Justice Department indicted Maduro on narcoterrorism charges and offered a multi-million dollar bounty for his capture.
Writing from his Mar-a-Lago estate, Trump stated that a significant military and law enforcement operation had been executed. “The United States of America has successfully carried out a large scale strike against Venezuela and its leader, President Nicolas Maduro, who has been, along with his wife, captured and flown out of the country,” Trump posted.
He further directed the public to await official details, promising a high-profile briefing. “This operation was done in conjunction with U.S. Law Enforcement. Details to follow. There will be a News Conference today at 11 A.M., at Mar-a-Lago,” the post concluded.
Saturday's stunning development is the dramatic apex of a years-long confrontation between Washington and Caracas. Just months ago, the U.S. government unsealed indictments accusing Maduro and members of his inner circle of conspiring to "flood the United States with cocaine." At that time, the State Department announced a reward of up to $15 million for information leading to his arrest and/or conviction, while the Department of Justice moved to seize $700 million in assets allegedly linked to the scheme.
The U.S. has long recognized opposition leader Juan Guaidó as Venezuela's legitimate president, labeling Maduro's 2018 re-election a sham. However, Maduro has maintained power with support from the Venezuelan military and allies like Russia, China, and Cuba, making the prospect of his physical capture on Venezuelan soil seem a remote geopolitical scenario—until now.
The announcement immediately raises profound questions of international law, sovereignty, and extraterritorial enforcement. Legal experts are poised to debate the precedent of U.S. forces capturing a sitting head of state on foreign soil outside of a declared war. The involvement of "U.S. Law Enforcement," as cited by Trump, suggests a framing of the operation under the umbrella of the drug trafficking indictments.
Venezuela’s government, its key international allies, and organizations like the United Nations have yet to issue official statements. The situation is fluid, with global markets likely monitoring for any instability in oil-rich Venezuela and broader regional fallout.
The world now turns its attention to the promised 11 A.M. news conference at Trump's Florida resort, where formal confirmation and operational details are expected. The capture of Nicolás Maduro, if verified, represents one of the most significant and controversial actions in modern U.S.-Latin American relations, with ramifications that will be analyzed for years to come.