Key Takeaways
- Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, have been captured during a U.S. military operation in Caracas and transported to New York to face federal narco-terrorism and cocaine importation charges.
- Former President Trump confirmed "large scale" U.S. strikes in Venezuela, suggesting cyberattacks were deployed to cause power outages during the operation, and stated the U.S. would temporarily "run the country" until a transition of power.
- Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth lauded the "flawlessly executed" operation, emphasizing "American strength" and the U.S. commitment to stopping drug flows, while furious Democrats condemned the intervention and floated retaliation.
- In a separate development, North Korea launched two unidentified ballistic missiles towards its eastern coast, coinciding with an upcoming summit between South Korean and Chinese leaders.
Venezuela: Maduro's Arrest and US Intervention
In a dramatic turn of events, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were captured during an overnight U.S. military operation in Caracas. The couple was subsequently flown to Stewart Airport north of New York City and then transferred by helicopter to Manhattan. They are expected to appear in court by Monday evening to face criminal charges, including conspiracy to commit narco-terrorism and to import cocaine to the U.S., stemming from an indictment in March 2020.
President Trump confirmed the "large scale" U.S. strikes against Venezuela, describing the operation as a "spectacular assault" unprecedented since World War II. He also suggested that the U.S. utilized its "expertise" to cause power outages in Caracas during the operation, with localized blackouts reported across Caracas and other Venezuelan states. Trump declared that the U.S. would "run the country" until a "safe, proper, and judicious transition" of power could be established.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth praised the military action as "flawlessly executed," stating that Maduro "effed around and he found out." Hegseth reiterated the administration's focus on projecting "American strength," protecting U.S. interests, and aggressively stopping drug flows. He highlighted "Operation Southern Spear," an ongoing campaign targeting narco-terrorists in the Caribbean and South American waters, which has reportedly resulted in over 20 strikes and 76 casualties.
The intervention has drawn sharp criticism from Democrats. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Foreign Affairs Committee ranking member Greg Meeks condemned the actions, with Meeks reportedly fuming to Axios that he received "absolutely no briefing or heads up." Democrats termed Trump's actions an "insane" attack and an "illegal war," with some floating the possibility of retaliation.
Geopolitical Tensions: North Korea Missile Launch
In an unrelated but significant geopolitical development, North Korea fired two unidentified ballistic missiles towards waters off its eastern coast, according to Yonhap News Agency and the Japan Coast Guard. This launch occurred just a day before leaders from South Korea and China are scheduled to hold a summit in Beijing, raising regional tensions.
Ed Liston is a senior contributing editor at TheStockMarketWatch.com. An active market watcher and investor, Ed guides an independent team of experienced analysts and writes for multiple stock trader publications.