MAR-A-LAGO, FLORIDA (MNN); US President Donald Trump has announced that the United States will temporarily govern Venezuela following the capture of President Nicolas Maduro in a large-scale military operation, saying Washington will oversee the country until a “safe, proper and judicious transition” to a new government takes place.
Addressing a press conference at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, Trump said the operation carried out overnight was unprecedented in scale and effectiveness. He claimed US forces, working alongside law enforcement agencies, neutralised Venezuela’s military capabilities and captured Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, without any American fatalities.
Trump said Venezuelan forces were prepared but were not given time to respond, adding that the first wave of attacks was so successful that a second, larger strike was not required, though the US remained ready if necessary. He also claimed that a blackout in Caracas was deliberately triggered to facilitate the operation.
The US president alleged that Maduro led criminal and drug-trafficking networks, posing a threat to the United States. He said Maduro and his wife had been transferred to New York, where they face indictments on drug and weapons-related charges.
Declaring that “Maduro is gone,” Trump warned Venezuela’s remaining political and military leadership, saying what happened to Maduro could also happen to them. He claimed Venezuela was now a safe country and that Washington’s goal was to ensure long-term stability and prosperity.
Trump said the US would directly manage Venezuela during the interim period to avoid a repeat of past instability. He added that American oil companies would invest billions of dollars to repair Venezuela’s damaged oil infrastructure and revive the energy sector, which he described as neglected for years.
He also said Venezuelans currently living in the United States would return to their country, and vowed that Washington would not allow similar situations to arise again.
Following the strikes, Venezuela called for an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council, condemning the US action as aggression and a violation of international law. Venezuela’s defence minister accused US forces of striking residential areas and called for nationwide resistance, while the interior minister said the country would overcome the attacks.
US officials hailed the operation as a turning point, with senior figures calling it a “new dawn” for Venezuela. However, several Latin American leaders criticised the intervention, warning of regional instability and a potential humanitarian crisis.
Explosions were reported across Caracas and other regions in the early hours of Saturday, prompting the Venezuelan government to declare a national emergency. Analysts said the developments could have far-reaching political, legal and economic consequences, including volatility in global oil markets and possible political backlash within the United States.
