U.S. Military Captures Venezuelan President Nicholas Maduro

What Happened?

Following a rapid special forces operation in Caracas, the U.S. military captured Venezuelan President Nicholas Maduro and brought him back to American soil to face drug trafficking charges. Mr. Maduro’s wife was also extradited to the U.S., though it is unclear if she will also face drug charges. 

Following the capture and extradition of Mr. Maduro, President Trump issued a public statement saying that the U.S. would now be ‘running things’ in Venezuela, though he did not provide specific details to explain what that means. On Monday Mr. Maduro appeared for the first time in federal court in New York for his arraignment. 

Why it Matters

The capture of a sitting head of state is the first since U.S. military forces captured Saddam Hussein in Iraq. Mr. Maduro’s capture echoes the U.S. military invasion of Panama and detention of its president, Manuel Noriega, in 1989, also for drug trafficking charges. After Mr. Maduro’s extradition, Venezuela’s future remains uncertain. Mr. Maduro’s vice president has already been sworn in as acting president, all of Mr. Maduro’s appointments remain in the Venezuelan government.

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Both President Trump and former President Biden, along with the international community, have long condemned Mr. Maduro and claimed he was not the rightfully elected leader of Venezuela. International observers of Venezuela’s last election agreed, arguing with substantial evidence that Mr. Maduro actually lost the election by a wide margin, but then he lied about it and illegally took office. While many Venezuelans cheered Mr. Maduro’s arrest, the Maduro regime remains in power. 

In Venezuela, the military is the most important institution in the country because it is the most powerful. Mr. Maduro had the backing of the Venezuelan military, and it appears that the military is backing the vice-president as well.

President Trump has warned Venezuela to do what the U.S. wants, but it is unclear how or if he will be able to get the government there to comply. The operation to capture Mr. Maduro worked in part because it had the element of surprise, and any further attempts to detain and extradite additional government officials from Venezuela would be more difficult and less likely to succeed.

There will be regional consequences for the U.S. military action in Venezuela. Those effects will be especially felt in Cuba, which has been receiving substantial aid from Venezuela in order to keep its government functioning. The future of that aid is now in doubt. Colombia has increased security on its border with Venezuela in anticipation of an increased refugee flow from Venezuela should the country now descend into violence or civil war. 

How it Affects You

It is likely there will be global ramifications as well. The capture of a sitting head of state may seem like a good idea to countries like China, which have the means to conduct a similar operation against the president of Taiwan, or for Russia to do the same against the leader of Ukraine. 

The Trump Administration has not provided any specifics for its future plans in Venezuela, adding to the uncertainty of that country.