Drugs, oil, illegal immigration: Why Trump ordered Venezuela strikes; what we know so far
In a dramatic pre-dawn operation, the US launched airstrikes across Venezuela, leading to explosions in Caracas and the reported capture of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife. President Trump announced their detention, stating they will face narco-terrorism charges in New York. This aggressive military action, unprecedented in decades, follows months of US pressure and accusations against Maduro's government regarding drug trafficking and regional instability.
Photo credit: AP
The United States carried out pre-dawn airstrikes across Venezuela on Saturday, with at least seven explosions and low-flying aircraft reported over the capital, Caracas. The attacks, which killed at least 40 people, prompted the Venezuelan government to declare a national emergency and deploy its armed forces, calling for mass mobilisation.
Hours later, US President Donald Trump announced that American forces had captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, flown them out of the country, and placed them in US custody.Trump later posted an image on his Truth Social platform showing a blindfolded Maduro aboard a US warship, captioned: “Nicolas Maduro on board the USS Iwo Jima.”
'Will Sell To China, Russia': Trump Lays Out Plans For Venezuelan Oil After Maduro Capture
The US justice department said Maduro and Flores will face trial in New York after a fresh indictment issued on Saturday accused them of involvement in narco-terrorism, The Guardian reported.
US Attorney General Pam Bondi said the couple had been charged with drug- and weapons-related offences.
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At least seven explosions and low-flying aircraft were reported over Caracas, including near military bases, BBC News and AP said. Venezuelan authorities accused the US of striking civilian and military installations and urged citizens to take to the streets.Calling it the most direct US military action in Latin America since the 1989 invasion of Panama, The Guardian noted the operation stunned the international community.
Despite Trump’s claim that the US would decide Venezuela’s future, Venezuelan state television continued broadcasting pro-government messages, while the military appeared to retain control over key installations.Speaking at a Mar-a-Lago news conference, US President Donald Trump said the US would temporarily govern Venezuela. “We’re going to run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition,” he said, adding that American oil companies would move into the country.
Trump boasted that “no nation in the world could achieve what America achieved", AP reported.Also read: First video shows Nicolás Maduro in US custody; wishes agents ‘happy new year’ at DEA office