Hours after a bold military operation carried out by the U.S. led to the removal of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro from power and his extradition from the country on Saturday, the vice-president demanded Maduro’s release, asserting his legitimacy as the country’s leader.
In the early hours of Saturday, Caracas experienced multiple explosions and sightings of low-flying aircraft. Maduro’s government accused the U.S. of launching attacks on both civilian and military facilities, labeling it an “imperialist assault” and calling on citizens to demonstrate on the streets.
Following their capture from a military base, Maduro and his wife were initially taken aboard a U.S. warship before being transported to New York City, where they are to face charges specified in a Justice Department indictment related to their involvement in a narco-terrorism conspiracy.
Vice-President Delcy Rodriguez reported casualties among Venezuelan civilians and military personnel as a result of the operation. Despite her legal position to succeed Maduro under Venezuelan law, Rodriguez declared during a televised appearance on Saturday that she had no intentions of assuming power.
Rodriguez emphasized the need for Maduro’s release, asserting his position as the legitimate president of Venezuela. Dismissing claims by U.S. President Trump that she had taken the presidential oath and engaged in discussions with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Rodriguez did not declare herself acting president or discuss any potential political transition in her televised address.
Trump’s statements regarding Rodriguez’s purported cooperation with the U.S. government were refuted by state television, which continued to identify her as vice-president without any indication of collaboration with the U.S. Rodriguez condemned the actions against Venezuela as violations of international law, emphasizing the unjust nature of the situation.
Opposition leader Maria Corina Machado suggested that opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez should assume leadership, arguing that he had rightfully won the 2024 presidential election. While the Venezuelan constitution mandates a new election within a month in the case of the president’s absence, experts have debated the applicability of this succession process given the lack of popular support for the government and the unprecedented U.S. military intervention.
Trump asserted that the U.S. would assist in governing Venezuela, emphasizing a forthcoming transition plan, although tangible actions were not immediately evident. Despite continuing pro-Maduro broadcasts on Venezuelan state TV, Trump highlighted the success of the operation, positioning it as a deterrent against threats to American sovereignty and lives.
This decisive military action marked the culmination of a sustained pressure campaign by the Trump administration against Venezuela, culminating in a regime change effort not seen since the 2003 Iraq invasion. While the legal basis for the operation remained unclear, the Trump administration justified the intervention, including prior deadly strikes in the Caribbean Sea, as necessary to combat drug trafficking. Trump also revealed plans to address Venezuela’s oil sector challenges and optimize oil sales to international markets.