U.S. forces airstrike Venezuelan targets and captured Nicolás Maduro in a raid on Caracas, on January 3, over narco-terrorism charges—and killing around 80 people, including Cuban personnel.
President Trump confirmed the raid, dubbed Operation Absolute Resolve, as a move to enforce the Monroe Doctrine against Maduro’s ties to China, Russia, and Iran, plus U.S. indictments for narco-terrorism and cocaine trafficking.
Trump, en route from Mar-a-Lago on January 4, stated the U.S. is ‘in charge,’ promising American oil firms would rebuild infrastructure and extract reserves without taxpayer funds.
The Venezuela’s president and wife face arraignment Monday in Manhattan federal court, following reports of at least 80 dead, including 32 Cubans.
Maduro’s vice president, Delcy Rodríguez, was swiftly sworn in as acting president by the Supreme Court, shifting from defiance to calls for U.S. dialogue.