U.S. Says Maduro Ousted After Caracas Strikes; Trump Claims America Will “Run” Venezuela Temporarily

by Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Chief International Correspondent

CARACAS (Worthy News) – U.S. President Donald J. Trump said Saturday that the United States will temporarily “run” Venezuela after American forces carried out large-scale military strikes in the capital Caracas and detained Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro.

In public remarks, Trump said Maduro and his wife were “captured and flown out of the country” following what he described as a “large-scale strike” aimed at ending what Washington calls a criminal regime. Trump said air, land, and sea capabilities were “used for a spectacular assault not seen since World War Two.”

U.S. officials said elite American special forces were involved in the operation, including elements commonly referred to as Delta Force.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Maduro faces longstanding criminal indictments in the United States and would be subject to legal proceedings there. Rubio added that Washington does not anticipate “further military action in Venezuela,” signaling what officials described as a limited operation rather than an open-ended intervention.

The Trump administration has for years accused Maduro of drug trafficking and of cooperating with armed groups designated by the United States as terrorist organizations—allegations Maduro has repeatedly denied. Washington has also accused his government of suppressing political opposition and dismantling democratic institutions.

MASSIVE MILITARY BUILDUP

Saturday’s developments followed months of heightened U.S. military activity in the Caribbean. American officials confirmed that the USS Gerald R. Ford carrier strike group and other naval assets had been deployed to the region in recent weeks.

U.S. forces have also intercepted oil tankers off Venezuela’s coast and carried out strikes on what the administration said were drug-smuggling vessels. Trump previously said U.S. forces hit “the dock area where they load the boats up with drugs,” framing the actions as part of a broader counter-narcotics campaign.

Local reports from Caracas indicated explosions across parts of the capital during the strikes.

Venezuelan authorities have not released verified casualty figures, though independent sources said civilians were believed to have been killed or injured. Worthy News could not independently confirm those reports.

International reaction was swift. Several Latin American governments called for respect for Venezuelan sovereignty and urged restraint, while U.S. allies sought clarification on the scope and legal basis of the operation. Russia and China condemned the action, warning it could destabilize the region.

SHIFT IN TRUMP DOCTRINE

The claimed removal of Maduro appeared to mark a significant shift from Trump’s long-stated reluctance to act as “the world’s police.”

However, the president defended the move as necessary to combat drug trafficking and restore order in Venezuela. “This was about stopping criminals and protecting American interests,” Trump said, adding that the U.S. role would be temporary.

Trump also said the United States intends to reopen and rebuild Venezuela’s oil industry under U.S. management, framing it as both an economic and security issue.

He added: “We’re going to get the oil flowing again. The oil is incredible. It’s some of the best oil anywhere in the world. American companies will be involved in fixing it, running it, and bringing it back.”

Trump said the oil sector had been “destroyed by corruption and criminal activity” and argued that U.S. involvement would prevent revenues from going to drug cartels and criminal networks. “That money was going to criminals. That ends now.”

Questions were raised by critics over whether U.S. actions violated United Nations principles, though observers also pointed to widespread human rights violations under Maduro’s rule. Washington said the military strikes were carried out in self-defense, citing what it described as the deadly impact of drug trafficking linked to Venezuela on the United States.

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