Maduro held in New York as Trump signals US role in Venezuela transition
“Nicolas Maduro was taken to New York after a US operation in Venezuela, as Donald Trump said his administration would oversee a transition and tapped unnamed officials to take charge.”
Key points
- Nicolas Maduro was taken to New York after a US operation in Venezuela, as Donald Trump said his administration would oversee a transition and tapped unnamed officials to take charge.
- The move triggered international backlash and prompted a UN Security Council meeting request, while Venezuela’s top court ordered Vice President Delcy Rodriguez to assume acting presidential powers.
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro was being held in New York on Saturday after US special forces seized him and his wife during an overnight operation in Venezuela, according to reports carried by AFP.
The development followed pre-dawn strikes and raids in and around Caracas, after which Maduro was flown out of the country on a US aircraft. After landing at a military base, he was transported by helicopter to New York City, where US authorities were expected to proceed with court steps tied to drug trafficking and weapons-related charges.
US President Donald Trump said he was “designating people” from his cabinet to take charge in Venezuela, without detailing a governance plan. He also suggested the US could deploy troops if needed, while simultaneously indicating he might work with Maduro’s vice president, Delcy Rodriguez, rather than with opposition figures.
Trump also highlighted Venezuela’s oil reserves, saying US companies would invest heavily to repair infrastructure and expand oil production for export. The announcement raised questions over the length and shape of US involvement, with Trump indicating the US would remain until a transition he described as safe and orderly could take place.
International fallout continued to build. A UN Security Council meeting was requested to discuss the US military operation, and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned that the action could set a dangerous precedent if international legal norms are not respected. Venezuela’s allies and other governments reacted sharply, with China condemning the operation and France cautioning that a political outcome cannot be imposed from abroad.
Inside Venezuela, the country’s top court ordered Delcy Rodriguez to assume presidential powers in an acting capacity, reflecting uncertainty over the immediate political roadmap. US military officials said the raid involved extensive planning and large-scale air support, including a significant number of aircraft used to back the mission and secure Maduro’s transfer out of the country.
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