Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife have arrived in the United States to face long-standing narco-terrorism and drug trafficking charges, following a dramatic U.S. military capture announced by President Donald Trump. Trump declared intentions to temporarily "run the country" and control Venezuela's vast oil reserves until a democratic transition, escalating post-strike tensions gripping the region.
Maduro touched down in New York under heavy security after extraction from Caracas strikes, facing a $50 million bounty and life-sentence indictments for flooding America with cocaine via Cartel de los Soles. U.S. prosecutors allege ties to Tren de Aragua gangs and FARC dissidents, building on 2020 sealed charges now unsealed post-raid. Initial court appearance looms as extradition formalities conclude.
In Truth Social posts and upcoming Mar-a-Lago briefings, Trump promised U.S. oversight of PDVSA oilfields holding 300 billion barrels to fund reconstruction and prevent Russian/Chinese exploitation. He framed the operation as liberation from Maduro's 2024 election fraud, vowing no repeat of past interventions while installing interim governance. Allies decry imperialism; opposition leaders hail justice.
Caracas reels from explosions, blackouts, and military mobilization under Maduro's emergency decree suspending rights; Vice President Delcy Rodríguez demands his return. Russia, Iran, and Hezbollah slam the move, while oil prices spike 5% amid supply fears; U.S. bishops warn of church risks. Trump's strategy links to prior tanker seizures, reshaping Latin American geopolitics.