CARACAS, Venezuela — In a dramatic escalation of geopolitical tensions, United States special forces captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores early Saturday morning during a “large-scale strike” on the nation’s capital (Argus Media). President Donald Trump confirmed the successful execution of the mission, codenamed Operation Absolute Resolve, which involved elite Delta Force operators and targeted airstrikes across Caracas (CBS News). Maduro and his wife are currently being transported to New York aboard the USS Iwo Jima to face federal narco-terrorism charges (Miami Herald).

The Raid: “Dragged Out of Their Bedroom”

The overnight operation, which lasted less than 30 minutes, saw U.S. forces breach the heavily guarded Fuerte Tiuna military complex. Officials briefed on the mission reported that Maduro and Flores were asleep and were “dragged from their bedroom” by special forces (Times of India). Residents of Caracas described a night of terror, with at least seven massive explosions illuminating the sky and the roar of low-flying aircraft overhead (PBS News).

Trump: U.S. Oil Companies to “Fix” the Country

In a press conference from his Mar-a-Lago estate, President Trump asserted that the United States will “run the country” on a temporary basis until a “proper transition” can take place (Miami Herald). He placed a heavy emphasis on the nation’s energy sector, stating that major U.S. oil companies would soon enter Venezuela to invest billions and repair a “badly broken” infrastructure (Fox News).

Trump described the Venezuelan oil industry as a “total bust” and promised that American firms would “start making money for the country” again, signaling a major shift in how the U.S. intends to manage Venezuela’s vast reserves—the largest in the world (Al Jazeera).

Legal Action in New York

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi announced that the couple will face the “full wrath of American justice” in the Southern District of New York (Hindustan Times). The charges, which stem from a 2020 indictment, include narco-terrorism conspiracy and weapons offenses related to the “Cartel of the Suns” (Reuters).

Global Reactions and Uncertainty

While the capture has been hailed by some regional allies like Argentina’s Javier Milei, it has drawn sharp condemnation from Russia, Iran, and China, who called the unilateral move a violation of international law (Radio Free Europe). Within Venezuela, Vice President Delcy Rodríguez has declared a state of emergency, demanding “proof of life” for the captured leader and urging citizens to take to the streets against what she termed “imperialist piracy” (Hindustan Times).