The U.S. president has disclosed the true motives behind the American intervention that led to the fall of Nicolás Maduro’s regime. According to Donald Trump, Venezuela will be temporarily administered by the United States to ensure a political transition and to “get the oil flowing.”
At a press conference in Florida, President Trump confirmed that Nicolás Maduro and his wife were “captured and transported out of the country” early Saturday morning after what he described as a “large-scale strike.”
Delta Force in Action
According to officials cited by CBS News, the operation to apprehend the Venezuelan president was carried out by the U.S. Army’s Delta Force, an elite special operations unit.
Maduro is expected to face federal charges in the United States for drug trafficking and alleged collaboration with gangs designated as terrorist organizations, accusations he has consistently denied. Attorney General Pam Bondi has filed a superseding indictment similar to the one brought against Maduro in 2020.
The operation follows months of increased U.S. military presence in the region, including the deployment of the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford and several other warships in the Caribbean.
Venezuelan Vice President “Ready to Cooperate”
President Trump stated that Venezuela’s vice president, Delcy Rodríguez, is prepared to cooperate with the United States. He noted that Secretary of State Marco Rubio has spoken with her.
“She said, ‘We will do whatever you need,’” Trump recounted, adding that she had little real choice.
Rodríguez’s willingness to cooperate has raised questions about the possibility of negotiations before the military operation.
Intense Controversy in Congress
Trump’s announcement that he intends to “run” Venezuela immediately sparked significant controversy in Washington.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer strongly condemned the statement: “The idea that Trump is now contemplating running Venezuela should frighten every American. The American people have seen this before and paid a devastating price.”
The New York senator accused the Trump administration of trying to divert attention from the U.S. economy and its handling of the release of Justice Department files related to the Jeffrey Epstein investigation.
“Let’s be clear: Nicolás Maduro is an illegitimate dictator. But launching military action without congressional authorization and without a credible plan for what comes next is irresponsible,” Schumer said. “The administration assured me on three separate occasions that it was not pursuing regime change and was not undertaking military action in Venezuela. Clearly, they have not been honest with the American people.”
Republicans Defend a ‘Law Enforcement Operation’
On the Republican side, Rep. Rick Crawford of Arkansas, chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, described Saturday as a “great day for Venezuela.”
Like Sen. Tom Cotton, chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, Crawford described the strike as a law-enforcement operation supported by the military, arguing that it did not require advance notification to Congress.
He compared the operation to the order issued by former President Barack Obama to capture Anas al-Libi, an al-Qaeda operative and wanted terror suspect arrested in Libya in 2013. Al-Libi, however, was not a head of state.
“We’re not reinventing the wheel here. We’re essentially relying on a precedent established and exercised under the Obama administration,” Crawford said.
When asked about the global precedent the Venezuela operation might set, Crawford declined to comment, stating that Trump’s decision demonstrates strength. He added that while former President Joe Biden did not recognize Maduro as Venezuela’s legitimate president, he “didn’t have the courage to do anything.”
“That’s the difference here. We now have a sitting president who doesn’t bluff. To ensure America’s safety, we must have a secure neighborhood.”
Democrats Decry a War for Oil
Rep. Adam Smith, the top Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, voiced serious concerns: “There is no evidence that this makes America safer.”
“This doesn’t appear to have much to do with drugs,” Smith said of the Venezuela operation. He added, “It seems that what’s motivating Trump is Venezuelan oil.”
Smith also questioned what would come next: “Is his plan to invade?”
Citing past U.S. military interventions in Iraq and Libya, Smith warned that “every time, it ends badly.” He continued, “The idea that the U.S. military can step in and solve this problem by force? That’s exactly what Trump campaigned against.”
The Democrat also revealed that Rubio had recently assured Congress that the intervention in Venezuela was not aimed at regime change. “And clearly, that was the objective,” Smith concluded.
A Long-Prepared Escalation
Saturday’s strikes represent the culmination of a long-term strategy of maximum pressure. In recent weeks, the United States has seized two oil tankers off Venezuela’s coast, conducted lethal strikes against more than 30 vessels the administration claims were transporting drugs, and targeted what President Trump described as “the port area where they load the drug boats.”
As the world responds to this unprecedented intervention against a sitting head of state, questions remain about the operation’s legality, underlying motivations, and long-term consequences for the international order.
