The capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro by U.S. forces has sent shockwaves across the globe, marking one of the most aggressive foreign policy moves of President Donald Trump’s second term and raising urgent questions about what comes next for Venezuela.
According to the Associated Press, U.S. military forces carried out what Trump described as a “large-scale” operation overnight Saturday, removing Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, from power and taking them into U.S. custody. Trump praised the mission as a success, telling reporters that while some U.S. troops were injured, none were killed.
The White House has long labeled Maduro an “illegitimate” leader and accused him of overseeing a narco-terrorist state. Federal prosecutors say Maduro and Flores now face charges tied to drug trafficking conspiracies involving international cartels. The couple was transported aboard the USS Iwo Jima and is expected to be brought to the United States to face prosecution.
Praise From Venezuelan Opposition
Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado responded to the capture with a letter addressed to the Venezuelan people, calling the moment a turning point for the country, according to CBS News.
Machado said Maduro will “face international justice” for crimes committed against Venezuelans and citizens of other nations. “The time for freedom has come,” she wrote in a statement posted online. Machado, who received the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize, has spent much of the past year in hiding and reportedly escaped to Norway last month in a secret operation.
CBS News reported that Machado previously voiced strong support for increased U.S. pressure on the Maduro regime, saying she welcomed any action that would force him from power. It remains unclear whether she has returned to Venezuela.
Rubio Signals Pressure Could Expand
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned that Cuba could be next to feel pressure following the U.S. operation in Venezuela, according to CBS News.
Rubio said Cuba has played a deep and influential role inside Venezuela for years, particularly through intelligence and security forces. He claimed Venezuelan intelligence agencies were heavily staffed by Cuban personnel and said Caracas had effectively lost its independence from Havana.
“If I lived in Havana and was part of the government, I’d be concerned,” Rubio said. President Trump echoed that sentiment, describing Cuba as a failing nation and signaling that his administration may eventually shift focus to the island.
International Concern and Criticism
While some Venezuelans celebrated the move, global reaction was sharply divided. European leaders expressed alarm, with officials in France and the European Commission warning that the operation violated international law and Venezuela’s sovereignty.
Russia and China both condemned the action, calling it armed aggression and an unacceptable foreign intervention. Some Democrats in the U.S. also pushed back, arguing the operation risks dragging the country into another prolonged conflict.
Retired Navy Rear Adm. Mark Montgomery, speaking to the AP, said Venezuela presents a more complicated challenge than past U.S. strikes.
Who Leads Venezuela Next?
The future of Venezuela remains uncertain. The country has struggled for years with hyperinflation, food shortages, and mass emigration despite its vast oil reserves. Maduro’s past elections were widely criticized as illegitimate, but his removal leaves a power vacuum.
Venezuela’s opposition maintains that exiled politician Edmundo González is the rightful president. Former U.S. official Elliott Abrams told the AP that Trump must now decide whether to push for a full political transition or settle for negotiations with remaining leadership.
Trump said Saturday the U.S. would remain “very involved” in what comes next, adding, “We can’t take a chance of letting somebody else just take over where he left off.”
Ohio Reaction
In Ohio, Senator Sherrod Brown criticized the administration’s focus abroad, arguing domestic concerns should take priority.
“Hundreds of thousands of Ohioans are struggling to make ends meet,” Brown said in a statement. “We should be more focused on improving the lives of Ohioans — not Caracas.”
As investigations, diplomatic fallout, and political maneuvering continue, the capture of Nicolas Maduro may prove to be a defining moment — not just for Venezuela, but for U.S. foreign policy moving forward.
