US strikes Venezuela, Trump says military “captured” President Maduro

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro arrived Saturday evening at a military base in the United States after his capture by US forces in Caracas.

Maduro was seen surrounded by FBI agents as he descended the boarding stairs of a US government plane at a New York state National Guard facility, and was slowly escorted along the tarmac.

The leftist leader was expected to be flown by helicopter to New York City, where he faces drug trafficking charges.

The plane carrying Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has reportedly arrived in New York, Reuters and local media outlets reported.

The United Nations Security Council will meet Monday to discuss the US operation to seize Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro in Caracas, the Somali presidency of the Council told AFP on Saturday.

The emergency meeting, scheduled for 10:00 am (1500 GMT), was requested by Venezuela and relayed by Colombia, diplomatic sources said.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said he was briefed on what he described as the abduction of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, alleging they are slated for imprisonment in federal custody in New York City.

In a statement posted on X on Tuesday, Mamdani wrote that he had been informed of “the U.S. military capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, as well as their planned imprisonment in federal custody here in New York City.”

Mamdani condemned the operation, calling it illegal under both U.S. and international law.

“Unilaterally attacking a sovereign nation is an act of war and a violation of federal and international law,” he wrote.

He also warned that the abduction would have direct consequences for New York City residents, particularly members of the city’s Venezuelan community.

“This blatant pursuit of regime change doesn’t just affect those abroad, it directly impacts New Yorkers, including tens of thousands of Venezuelans who call this city home,” Mamdani said, adding that his administration’s priority was public safety.

“My focus is their safety and the safety of every New Yorker, and my administration will continue to monitor the situation and issue relevant guidance,” he wrote.

Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez said Saturday the government was ready "to defend" the country after an early-morning operation in which the US military seized strongman Nicolas Maduro and his wife.

Rodriguez, who is next in line to succeed Maduro, insisted in a live address that "We are ready to defend Venezuela; we are ready to defend our natural resources" after US President Donald Trump said Washington intends to "run" the Caribbean nation and tap its huge oil reserves.

Nicolas Maduro is Venezuela's "only president" his vice president Delcy Rodriguez said Saturday, demanding the United States release the strongman arrested in a military operation Saturday.

Speaking live on television, Rodriguez demanded "the immediate release of President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores. The only president of Venezuela, President Nicolas Maduro."

'Israel's' foreign minister on Saturday hailed the American nighttime operation in Venezuela that resulted in the capture of President Nicolas Maduro, saying Washington acted as the "leader of the free world".

"Israel stands alongside the freedom-loving Venezuelan people, who have suffered under Maduro's illegal tyranny. Israel welcomes the removal of the dictator who led a network of drugs and terror and hopes for the return of democracy to the country and for friendly relations between the states," Foreign Minister Gideon Saar wrote on X.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, a sworn foe of Cuba's communist government, warned Havana on Saturday after US forces deposed its ally Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela.

"If I lived in Havana and I was in the government, I'd be concerned at least a little bit," Rubio told a news conference alongside President Donald Trump.

US President Donald Trump on Saturday brushed aside Nobel Peace Prize-winning opposition leader Maria Corina Machado as a potential interim leader of Venezuela, as he said Washington was working with deposed Nicolas Maduro's vice president.

"I think it would be very tough for her to be the leader. She doesn't have the support within or the respect within the country," Trump told a news conference.

"She's a very nice woman, but she doesn't have the respect."

US President Donald Trump said Saturday that his Colombian counterpart Gustavo Petro, with whom he has sparred in recent months, should "watch his as*" after the US military operation to seize Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro.

"He's making cocaine and they're sending it into the United States, so he does have to watch his as*," Trump told a press conference.

Petro described Washington's actions as an "assault on the sovereignty" of Latin America and said they would result in a humanitarian crisis.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni defended the US military action in Venezuela on Saturday, calling it legitimate 'defence', even as she said outside military force should not be used for regime change.

"The government believes that external military action is not the way to end totalitarian regimes, but at the same time considers defensive intervention against hybrid attacks on its security to be legitimate, as in the case of state entities that fuel and promote drug trafficking," the far-right leader, an ally of US President Donald Trump, said in a statement.

Jordan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates announced that it is closely monitoring the situation of Jordanians living in or visiting Venezuela amid recent political developments in the country.

Spokesperson Ambassador Fouad Al-Majali said the Ministry, through its Directorate of Operations and the Jordanian Embassy in Brasília, is maintaining constant contact to ensure the safety and well-being of all Jordanian nationals. He confirmed that all Jordanians in Venezuela are safe and have not been harmed.

The Ministry urged Jordanians in Venezuela to reach out for assistance at any time through the following channels:

Jordanian Embassy in Brazil Hotline: +55 61 99698 7070
Operations Center in Amman: +962 7 9956 2903 | +962 7 9956 2471 | +962 7 9956 2193
Email: [email protected]
The Ministry emphasized that support is available 24/7 for all Jordanians in need of assistance.

President Donald Trump said Saturday the United States will "run" Venezuela until a political transition can occur, after the spectacular US military operation to remove Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro from the country.

"We're going to run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition," Trump told a press conference, adding that US forces were ready to conduct a second, "much bigger" wave of strikes if necessary.

President Donald Trump posted a photo Saturday of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro in custody on a US naval ship and wearing both a blindfold and handcuffs.

"Nicolas Maduro on board the USS Iwo Jima," Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform, along with a picture showing Maduro hours after he was snatched by US forces.

The Venezuelan leader had on what appeared to be noise-canceling ear muffs and grey Nike-branded sweatpants and jacket.

The New York Times reports that the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) worked with a Venezuelan government source to monitor President Nicolás Maduro’s whereabouts in the lead‑up to his arrest by US forces, according to people familiar with the intelligence operation. 

The source inside Venezuela provided the CIA with detailed information on Maduro’s location and movements in the days and hours before he was detained. US intelligence then used covert surveillance, including unmanned stealth aircraft, to maintain near‑continuous observation over key areas, the report said. 

The New York Times described how CIA‑controlled drones flew undetected over Venezuelan territory to gather real‑time intelligence on Maduro’s position. The combination of the internal source’s reporting and aerial surveillance helped US planners time and execute the move that resulted in his capture. 

Fox News reports that Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro could make an initial appearance in federal court in Manhattan as soon as this coming Monday, according to US media sources. 

The timing of the appearance “could change at this stage”, but his first hearing in the Southern District of New York is expected early in the week. The court appearance would stem from long‑standing criminal charges filed by US prosecutors, including allegations related to drug trafficking and other offenses. 

Transfer after capture

Maduro’s potential court date follows an extraordinary US military operation in Venezuela that resulted in his capture and reported extraction to American custody. Donald Trump said the operation was carried out by US forces and that Maduro and his wife were flown out of Venezuela. 

Legal and political context

Maduro has been indicted previously in the Southern District of New York, including on charges related to narco‑terrorism conspiracy and cocaine trafficking allegations, according to legal reporting. 

US officials are now preparing for his appearance before a federal judge, a rare legal development that could have significant diplomatic and legal implications as the United States moves to prosecute a foreign head of state.

If Maduro does appear before a federal court on Monday, prosecutors are expected to outline the charges and next steps, including potential bail conditions or detention. The proceedings will attract global attention given the unusual circumstances surrounding his capture and extradition.

In a dramatic political development following the reported capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, the name of prominent opposition leader María Corina Machado has emerged as a potential figure to lead a transitional phase in the country.

The shift gained momentum after  U.S. President Donald Trump said his administration is considering backing Machado to take over Venezuela’s leadership.

Speaking to Fox News, Trump was asked whether he would support Machado,who is currently in Norway, to lead Venezuela. He responded: “We’re going to have to look at it right now.”

Trump added: “They [Venezuela] have a vice president, as you know. I don’t know what kind of an election that was, but, you know, the election of Maduro was a disgrace.”

The U.S. president described Maduro’s capture as a turning point, saying it “sends a signal we’re not going to be pushed around anymore.” He also linked developments in Venezuela to broader U.S. security concerns, alleging that the United States is losing hundreds of thousands of people each year to drugs, and stressing: “We’re not going to allow it anymore with this.”