President Donald Trump has made a dramatic claim that the US had spirited Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro out of the country and taken him into custody, marking a major escalation in the Trump administration's efforts to regime change in Venezuela.
Trump claimed credit for airstrikes that lit up the night sky across Caracas on Saturday, saying they were an "assault like people have not seen since World War II." The US has not made such a direct intervention in Latin America since 1989.
Hours after the airstrikes, Trump said the US would likely not need to carry out a second attack now that Maduro was in U.S. custody, but warned that it would be ready to do so if necessary. He also criticized Venezuela's oil industry, suggesting it should be more productive.
The US has been involved in regime change efforts in Latin America numerous times since 1898, including 17 direct military interventions, according to ReVista, the Harvard Review of Latin America. Critics argue that Trump's actions are an extension of long-running efforts to topple Maduro, which failed during his first term.
Maduro and his wife are currently being held on the USS Iwo Jima, a US warship deployed to the Caribbean, a defense official told The Intercept. They are being transported to New York to face charges.
The White House did not respond to questions about its potential role in installing new leadership in Venezuela. Maduro was indicted by the Southern District of New York alongside his wife, Cilia Flores, who had not previously been charged.
Venezuela's right-wing opposition leader María Corina Machado celebrated Maduro's capture, urging for the immediate installation of Edmundo González Urrutia, Maduro's main competitor in the last Venezuelan presidential election.
Trump claimed credit for airstrikes that lit up the night sky across Caracas on Saturday, saying they were an "assault like people have not seen since World War II." The US has not made such a direct intervention in Latin America since 1989.
Hours after the airstrikes, Trump said the US would likely not need to carry out a second attack now that Maduro was in U.S. custody, but warned that it would be ready to do so if necessary. He also criticized Venezuela's oil industry, suggesting it should be more productive.
The US has been involved in regime change efforts in Latin America numerous times since 1898, including 17 direct military interventions, according to ReVista, the Harvard Review of Latin America. Critics argue that Trump's actions are an extension of long-running efforts to topple Maduro, which failed during his first term.
Maduro and his wife are currently being held on the USS Iwo Jima, a US warship deployed to the Caribbean, a defense official told The Intercept. They are being transported to New York to face charges.
The White House did not respond to questions about its potential role in installing new leadership in Venezuela. Maduro was indicted by the Southern District of New York alongside his wife, Cilia Flores, who had not previously been charged.
Venezuela's right-wing opposition leader María Corina Machado celebrated Maduro's capture, urging for the immediate installation of Edmundo González Urrutia, Maduro's main competitor in the last Venezuelan presidential election.
Trump is being super aggressive with Venezuela and it's like a whole other level of crazy! I mean, airstrikes since World War II? That's just insane! 
And now he's saying Maduro is in US custody? Like, where did this even come from?! 
Like, I get that Maduro might be a bit shady, but does he really deserve all this?! 
And now Maduro's husband is being charged too?! That's just getting messy. It feels like they're setting up some new puppet leader instead of actually solving the problems in Venezuela... 
Can't we just talk about this stuff in a civilized way and try to find a peaceful solution? 
and now they're saying he's being held on a US warship 
? I need more info before I believe it 
. And what about the implications for Venezuela's sovereignty? It's like they're basically saying "we're gonna install our guy and you can deal with it" 
. Can't we try to negotiate a peaceful transition instead of resorting to military intervention? 
. Trump's just going to fuel more instability and chaos in a region that already has enough problems 
. like seriously though, regime change in venezuela? that's crazy talk 
. i mean we all know the US has been involved in stuff like this before but to just come out and say it? that's some wild stuff 
. Maduro's wife is being held on a us warship? what even is that? 
. and now trump is saying they might not need another airstrike if maduro is in custody? that's like saying "hey, we're not gonna hurt you because we already kidnapped your husband" 
. just doesn't add up, fam