President Donald Trump announced on Saturday that US forces had captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro following a “large-scale strike” on the South American nation.
“The United States of America has successfully carried out a large-scale strike against Venezuela and its leader, President Nicolas Maduro, who has been, along with his wife, captured and flown out of the country,” Trump said on Truth Social. He added that the operation was conducted “in conjunction with US law enforcement.”
Trump said he would hold a news conference at 11:00 a.m. (1600 GMT) at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida, where he is concluding a two-week Christmas and New Year’s vacation.
In a brief phone interview with The New York Times, Trump described the operation as “brilliant,” praising the planning and execution. “A lot of good planning and a lot of great, great troops and great people,” he said.
The announcement comes after months of escalating US military and economic pressure on Maduro and Venezuela’s oil-dependent economy. In December, Trump urged Maduro to step down, asserting that the Venezuelan leader’s “days are numbered.”
Trump’s claim of Maduro’s capture arrives just two days after the Venezuelan leader sought to engage with Trump, offering cooperation on drug trafficking and illegal migration.
The US president has justified his campaign against Venezuela by citing the country’s alleged role as a major drug exporter to the United States and claims that it seized US oil interests. While Trump has not explicitly called for Maduro’s ouster, the US government and several European nations do not recognize his legitimacy.
Recent US military activity in the Caribbean has been substantial, including the deployment of the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford and other naval assets. US forces reportedly seized two oil tankers and carried out aerial strikes that killed more than 100 people, targeting small boats accused of trafficking drugs.
On Monday, Trump said US forces had destroyed a docking area used by alleged Venezuelan drug boats, marking the first known strike on Venezuelan soil as part of the campaign.
AFP
