TRUMP OUSTS MADURO IN STUNNING US OPERATIONWashington seizes Venezuelan president in pre-dawn raid; vows to govern country temporarily and tap oil reserves

BuzzBytes
Caracas (Venezuela), Jan 3: In a dramatic turn of global politics, the United States captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in a lightning military operation early Saturday, flying him out of Caracas in what is being called one of the most extraordinary regime overthrows in decades.
Former U.S. President Donald Trump, announcing the development at his Mar-a-Lago residence, declared that Washington would “run the country” temporarily until a secure transition of power is put in place. He added that America would tap Venezuela’s vast oil reserves to sell “large amounts” to other nations, calling the mission “an extremely successful operation that should serve as a warning to those who threaten American sovereignty.”
U.S. officials revealed that Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores were taken from their residence within Fort Tiuna military complex in Caracas and placed aboard a U.S. warship headed to New York, where they face narco-terrorism charges under a new Justice Department indictment describing their government as “a corrupt, illegitimate regime fueled by cocaine trafficking.”
Caracas was rocked by explosions in the early hours as low-flying aircraft carried out precision strikes. Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez condemned the attack as an “imperialist aggression” and demanded proof that the president and first lady were alive, while pro-Maduro supporters flooded the streets chanting, “Maduro, hold on, the people are rising up!”
Though Trump claimed the U.S. administration was already coordinating Venezuelan governance, local state television continued airing propaganda backing Maduro, and no visible handover of authority occurred on the ground.
Comparisons were quickly drawn to the 1990 U.S. invasion of Panama, when leader Manuel Noriega was captured in a similar strike. Trump claimed the assault was conducted under a legal mandate tied to ongoing anti-narcotics operations in the Caribbean, which have intensified over recent months.
Reports from The Associated Press confirmed multiple blasts and plumes of smoke rising from Caracas military installations. Civilian and military casualties were reported, though figures remain unverified. U.S. officials said some troops were injured but none killed.
The operation capped a year-long pressure campaign by Washington against the Maduro regime, which it accused of drug trafficking and electoral fraud. Maduro’s controversial 2024 reelection, widely denounced as rigged, left Venezuela deeply polarised and isolated internationally.
As night fell over Caracas, the streets reflected the nation’s divide — protests demanding Maduro’s return clashed with celebrations over his capture. With its leader in U.S. custody and power structure in disarray, Venezuela now faces a moment of historic uncertainty over who will govern next.