NEW YORK, USA: Deposed Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro arrived in the United States late Saturday after being captured in a covert nighttime military operation, an extraordinary escalation in Washington’s pressure campaign against Caracas that has triggered sharp international and domestic backlash.
Maduro was flown to a small airport in New York and placed in federal custody. U.S. authorities say he faces criminal charges related to an alleged narco-terrorism conspiracy. President Donald Trump described the operation as a decisive step that would allow the United States to “run” Venezuela and leverage its vast oil reserves for global markets remarks that immediately raised legal, diplomatic, and strategic concerns.
The operation marks the most assertive U.S. bid to force regime change since the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Legal scholars questioned its lawfulness, noting the absence of congressional authorization. In Caracas, Vice President Delcy Rodríguez denounced the action as illegal, demanded Maduro’s release, and asserted that Venezuela’s top court had named her interim president.
Seeking to temper fears of a prolonged U.S. intervention, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington would not assume day-to-day governance of Venezuela. Instead, he emphasized continued enforcement of an existing oil quarantine on sanctioned shipments, portraying it as a pressure tool rather than a mechanism for direct control. His remarks contrasted with Trump’s earlier, broader claims that the United States would “run” the oil-rich nation.
Regional reaction was swift and critical. Spain, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, and Uruguay issued a joint statement warning that the U.S. action set “an extremely dangerous precedent” that threatens regional stability and civilian safety. The governments rejected any external control or appropriation of Venezuela’s strategic resources, calling the operation incompatible with international law and urging dialogue without foreign interference.
France offered a more mixed response. Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said Maduro’s departure was “good news for Venezuelans,” labeling him an “unscrupulous dictator,” while also acknowledging that the method used violated principles of international law.
In Washington, Democratic Senate leader Chuck Schumer condemned Maduro’s record but criticized the operation’s legality and wisdom. “You don’t treat lawlessness with other lawlessness,” he said, warning that past U.S. efforts at regime change had exacted heavy costs with uncertain results.
Public protests followed. Demonstrators gathered outside the Brooklyn jail where Maduro is being held, chanting anti-war slogans and denouncing what they called an illegal unilateral action. At the same time, Venezuelan expatriates celebrated nearby, waving flags and hailing Maduro’s capture.
Maduro is being held at a troubled Brooklyn detention facility that has previously housed high-profile inmates and drawn judicial scrutiny. As legal proceedings begin, the episode has already ignited a global debate over sovereignty, international law, and the risks of forceful regime change in Latin America.
-WNN US Newsroom
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