The Venezuelan crisis has entered an unprecedented historical phase following US President Donald Trump's announcement of a large-scale military and security operation in the heart of Caracas, culminating in the arrest of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife and their evacuation by air. This swift operation, carried out under cover of darkness and at dawn on Saturday, was a highly coordinated effort between US special forces and law enforcement agencies, aimed at ending Maduro's rule in a move reminiscent of major US interventions in Latin America in the late 20th century.
The US president used the term "flown" to describe the operation, without disclosing the final destination. Intelligence assessments suggest they were initially taken to advanced military bases in the Caribbean or to US Navy vessels, in preparation for their appearance in court in New York on charges related to "international terrorism and drug trafficking." The operation relied on overwhelming air superiority, with intensive Osprey helicopter and special forces aircraft flying at low altitudes over the presidential palace and other key sites, without any significant interception from Venezuelan air defense systems.
On the ground, Caracas experienced a repeat of the 1989 Panama Papers scenario, as strategic locations, including the defense minister's residence, were subjected to precise airstrikes coinciding with the deployment of special forces. In response, Venezuelan Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López appeared in a televised address, describing the events as "the greatest official aggression launched by Washington against the country's sovereignty," and asserting that the military leadership would resist this incursion. Meanwhile, the capital's streets witnessed a heavy deployment of police and pro-government militias, with the Miraflores presidential palace completely sealed off.
On the political front, observers believe Washington sought to frame the operation as a "law enforcement" operation by relying on previous arrest warrants. Meanwhile, leaders within Venezuela's ruling party considered the attack to be fundamentally aimed at seizing control of the country's oil wealth and strategic resources, and punishing it for its close alliances with Russia, China, and Iran. As the state's executive branch in Caracas continues to regroup in the absence of its leader, world capitals are awaiting the White House press conference, which will outline the legal and political path for a post-Maduro administration in one of the world's most volatile regions.
The speed with which the operation was carried out—in just one night, according to the American account—represents a radical shift in the Trump administration's military and political doctrine toward adversaries in the United States' backyard. This opens the door to the possibility of a broader regional escalation or the rapid collapse of what remains of the Venezuelan regime.
