Скачать или смотреть US captures Maduro, carries out “large scale strike” in Venezuela, Trump says

US captures Maduro, carries out “large-scale strike” in Venezuela, Trump says

Explosions rock Caracas as the president says US troops carried out a complex operation and may “run” Venezuela temporarily.
President Donald Trump said the United States successfully carried out a “large-scale strike” in Venezuela early Saturday, resulting in the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. The announcement came after multiple explosions were reported in the capital, Caracas, with witnesses describing plumes of smoke and fireballs lighting up the night sky.

Trump said the operation was conducted in coordination with US law enforcement and supported by the military, including elite Delta Force units, following months of CIA intelligence gathering. He described the mission as highly complex and executed with “speed and violence,” adding that US forces broke into fortified locations and captured Maduro as he attempted to flee.

According to US officials, Maduro was flown out of Venezuela and transported to New York, where he is expected to face federal charges including narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, and weapons offences. Attorney General Pam Bondi said Maduro and his wife would face justice in American courts, citing an unsealed indictment accusing them of leading a long-running drug trafficking operation.

Trump said no US service members were killed during the operation, though some were injured and a helicopter was struck. He also warned that the US remains prepared to carry out a much larger second wave of attacks if necessary.

In remarks that alarmed critics, Trump said the US would temporarily “run” Venezuela because there was “nobody to take over,” suggesting that American officials and oil companies would help manage the country and rebuild its oil infrastructure. He said US troops could remain involved and insisted he was “not afraid of boots on the ground.”

The operation drew sharp political reactions in Washington. Some Republicans praised the move as decisive action against a corrupt regime, while Democrats warned it could amount to an illegal and dangerous escalation. Internationally, Russia and Colombia condemned the strike as an act of aggression, while Argentina’s president praised Trump’s actions.

The strike follows months of rising tensions between Washington and Caracas, including US naval deployments in the Caribbean and the designation of Maduro as the head of a foreign terrorist organization. Trump said he watched the entire operation unfold from Florida and called it a “brilliant” success.

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