In a dramatic escalation of tensions, the United States military carried out coordinated attacks on multiple sites across Venezuela this Saturday. US President Donald Trump announced the strikes, declaring them a "large-scale" American operation and claiming that Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, along with his wife, had been apprehended and flown out of the country.
A Stark Contrast: From Conciliation to Conflict
This aggressive move comes merely two days after President Maduro extended a surprising olive branch to Washington. In a New Year's Day interview broadcast on state television, Maduro signalled a significant shift in tone. He expressed Venezuela's readiness for "serious talks" with the United States, specifically highlighting areas for potential cooperation.
Maduro stated that Caracas was open to investments from American oil giants like Chevron and was prepared to collaborate with Washington in combating drug trafficking. "If they want to speak seriously about an agreement to battle drug trafficking, we are ready... If they want Venezuela’s oil, Venezuela is ready to accept US investments," Maduro had said, as reported by Reuters and Mexico's La Jornada.
The US Military Action and Trump's Claims
Despite this outreach, President Trump announced on Saturday that American forces had executed a major strike against Venezuelan targets. He described the operation, conducted alongside US law enforcement agencies, as "brilliant." Trump asserted that President Nicolás Maduro and his wife were captured during the operation and have been removed from Venezuela.
The US President promised more details would be forthcoming and scheduled a news conference for 11 am at his Mar-a-Lago estate. Earlier, Trump had also mentioned a US strike on a Venezuelan drug-loading dock, though no specifics were provided at that time.
Background of Escalating Pressure and Economic Fallout
The military action follows years of intensifying US pressure on the Maduro government. This pressure has included sweeping economic sanctions and an expanded American military presence in the region. The sanctions have had a crippling effect on Venezuela's primary revenue source: oil.
US sanctions have slashed Venezuela's oil exports by approximately half, though Chevron maintains limited operations under a special US licence. The economic crisis has been devastating, with the Venezuelan bolivar losing a staggering 83 percent of its value in 2025 alone. Interestingly, Venezuela's defaulted international bonds have seen a rally recently, driven by investor speculation about potential political change.
Prior to Saturday's announced capture, Maduro had responded to the earlier US actions by stating that while he would not confirm the attack on the dock, Venezuela's defence systems were on alert and prepared to safeguard the nation's peace and territorial integrity.
