US President Donald Trump addressing the media at Mar-a-Lago regarding the military operation in Venezuela and capture of Nicolas Maduro

US President Donald Trump has confirmed the capture of Nicolas Maduro, stating the U.S. will temporarily "run" Venezuela.

The US President Donald Trump announced on Saturday that the United States has successfully captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, during a high-stakes military operation in Caracas.  

Speaking from his Mar-a-Lago residence, Trump revealed that the couple has been flown out of Venezuela and is currently aboard the USS Iwo Jima, bound for New York. Maduro faces federal charges related to narco-terrorism and drug trafficking, stemming from a 2020 U.S. indictment.  

The overnight mission, described by U.S. officials as "Operation Absolute Resolve," involved elite Delta Force units and precision strikes that neutralized Venezuelan military capabilities in under 30 minutes.  

Trump emphasized the surgical nature of the raid, claiming that the U.S. utilized "certain expertise" to plunge Caracas into darkness before breaching Maduro’s fortified compound. 

"It was dark and it was deadly," Trump stated, adding that no American service members were killed during the mission.  

The move have sparked intense international debate, the US President declared that Washington would temporarily "run" Venezuela. This interim administration aims to oversee what Trump described as a "safe, proper, and judicious transition" of power.  

Key highlights of the transition plan include:

  • Infrastructure Repair: Major U.S. oil companies are expected to enter the country to fix broken infrastructure and revive the energy sector.  
  • Economic Recovery: Rebuilding the oil industry is intended to generate revenue for the Venezuelan people and stabilize the region.
  • Security Presence: Trump did not rule out "boots on the ground" to maintain order during the handover.  

The reaction from the international community has been swift and largely critical. The United Nations expressed "deep alarm," labeling the intervention a "dangerous precedent" that may violate international law. 

Meanwhile, Brazil and Cuba have condemned the strikes as "military aggression" and "state terrorism."  

In Caracas, Vice President Delcy Rodríguez has declared a national state of emergency, demanding "proof of life" for the detained leaders. Despite the chaos, Trump suggested that some members of the Venezuelan government have already signaled a willingness to cooperate with the new U.S.-led direction.  

As Maduro prepares to face justice in a U.S. courtroom, the world watches to see how this unprecedented intervention will reshape the balance of power in South America.

Video: Trump's Speech of Running Venezuela