VENGEANCE IN VENEZUELA: US Forces Storm Caracas, Depose President Nicolás Maduro and Spiriting Him Away to New York in Dramatic Early Morning Raid
- US military strikes multiple targets in Caracas and other states, capturing Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores
- President Donald Trump vows to “run” Venezuela, but details remain scarce
- Australians in Venezuela warned to “shelter in place” or leave immediately as situation spirals out of control
- Maduro’s Vice-President Delcy Rodríguez assumes role of interim president, as Trump claims she’s “willing to do what we think is necessary” to restore order
In a shocking and dramatic turn of events, US forces have stormed the Venezuelan capital Caracas, capturing deposed President Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores in a daring early morning raid. The couple has been spirited away to New York, where they will face criminal charges, including narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine-importation conspiracy, and weapons charges.
President Donald Trump has vowed to “run” Venezuela, but details of his plans remain scarce. The Australian government has issued urgent warnings to its citizens in Venezuela, advising them to “shelter in place” or leave immediately as the situation spirals out of control.
As news of the raid spread, protests erupted in Caracas, with demonstrators demanding Maduro’s release from US custody. But many Venezuelans who have fled the country are celebrating the downfall of the Maduro regime, which they see as a dictatorship.
Khaty Yanez, a Venezuelan woman living in Chile, told Reuters: “We are free. We are all happy that the dictatorship has fallen and that we have a free country.” Milagros Ortega, a Venezuelan migrant in Peru, added: “Knowing that my dad was alive to see the fall of Nicolás Maduro is very emotional. I would like to see his face.”
But not everyone is convinced that the US has acted within the bounds of international law. Matthew Waxman, a professor at Columbia University, told Reuters: “A criminal indictment alone doesn’t provide authority to use military force to depose a foreign government, and the administration will probably hang this also on a theory of self-defence.”
As the situation continues to unfold, one thing is clear: the fate of Venezuela hangs in the balance, and the world is watching with bated breath.
In a bizarre twist, US Vice-President JD Vance has sparked controversy with a social media post claiming that the operation was legal because Maduro had been indicted in the US. Democratic senator Adam Schiff has responded, warning that the argument “should send a chill down the spine of every American.”
Meanwhile, the US has released a video of Maduro’s “perp walk” in New York, showing the deposed president smiling and waving as he walks down a hallway. But the mood is far from celebratory, with many Venezuelans and international observers left wondering what the future holds for this troubled nation.