In the early hours of Thursday morning, a sudden and unannounced United States military operation in Venezuela set off one of the most destabilizing geopolitical confrontations of the year, as President Donald J. Trump declared that U.S. forces had “successfully carried out a large-scale strike” and captured President Nicolás Maduro. The announcement—made only after the attacks began—immediately triggered a wave of confusion inside Venezuela and a storm of international condemnation across the region.
Venezuelan officials appeared blindsided by the operation. Vice President Delcy Rodríguez, who constitutionally becomes head of state if Maduro is incapacitated or removed, said she had received no information about the president’s whereabouts and demanded “proof of life” from the United States. Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López, whose residence was among the targets struck by U.S. forces, survived and denounced what he described as “criminal military aggression.”
The U.S. attack reportedly hit multiple strategic Venezuelan locations, including major air bases, a primary military command center, a communications antenna site, and the mausoleum of former leader Hugo Chávez. Venezuelan authorities confirmed fatalities but offered no numbers, saying assessments were still underway.
Prominent American political figures added to the sense of whiplash. Senator Mike Lee, a Republican ally of Mr. Trump, said he had spoken with Senator Marco Rubio and claimed Maduro was already being transferred to the United States for prosecution. He argued the military actions fell under the president’s inherent constitutional authority—a position sharply rejected by legal experts and several lawmakers, who called the operation an unlawful act of war absent congressional approval.
Regional reaction was swift. Colombian President Gustavo Petro condemned the assault as a violation of Venezuelan and Latin American sovereignty, warning of potential refugee flows and mobilizing security forces along the border. Colombia, a member of the U.N. Security Council, called for an emergency meeting, framing the strike as a dangerous precedent with profound implications for international norms.
Compounding the uncertainty, the strikes occurred just hours after a high-level Chinese delegation met with Maduro in Caracas, a coincidence that raised urgent questions about whether foreign governments had been briefed or whether negotiations had taken place behind the scenes. No evidence has emerged to clarify whether Maduro was captured in combat or voluntarily transferred under a secret arrangement.
The chaos surrounding the operation highlighted the lack of communication from the White House. Before the strikes, Mr. Trump had posted on social media about unrelated topics—including personal health claims, misleading imagery about wind turbines, and an AI-generated image mocking a U.S. governor. No notice was provided to Congress, U.S. allies, or the American public before military action commenced.
Opposition lawmakers in Washington condemned the move. Representative Ruben Gallego called it “an illegal and unjustified war,” arguing that the United States had shifted, in less than a year, from a stabilizing global presence to a destabilizing force willing to bypass democratic processes. Critics warned that the strike could embolden authoritarian leaders, citing the risk that Russia or China may now view the operation as justification for aggressive actions of their own.
For now, the central question—Maduro’s fate—remains unresolved. Venezuelan leadership continues to insist it has not been informed of any negotiated exit, while U.S. officials have offered no public evidence verifying capture or transfer. The lack of clarity, combined with the scale of the strike, has deepened the sense of a region and a world entering uncharted strategic terrain.
As governments seek urgent answers, the episode underscores the fragility of the post-war international system and the volatility that follows when unilateral force is used without consensus or transparency. The full consequences of the operation—and the political calculations behind it—are only beginning to surface.
