United States President Donald Trump has said Washington will temporarily “run” Venezuela until a political transition can be carried out, hours after US forces reportedly bombed the country and captured President Nicolas Maduro in a dramatic overnight operation.
Speaking at a news conference on Saturday, Trump stated that the United States would oversee Venezuela’s affairs “until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition,” insisting that Washington had no intention of installing a preferred successor.
US Claims Control Following Overnight Operation
According to accounts monitored by Akahi News, the Trump administration launched coordinated attacks on Venezuela’s capital, Caracas, in the early hours of Saturday before seizing Maduro and his wife. US media later reported that a plane carrying the Venezuelan leader landed in New York State the same day.
Footage aired by major American networks showed US officials escorting a man identified as Maduro off an aircraft at Stewart International Airport, approximately 97 kilometres northwest of New York City. The images, widely circulated on social media and television, have intensified global scrutiny of Washington’s actions.
Months of Pressure on Caracas
Akahi News gathered that Maduro’s capture followed months of escalating US pressure on his government. These measures reportedly included the seizure of Venezuelan oil tankers off the country’s coast and deadly operations against alleged drug-smuggling vessels in the Caribbean — actions that critics have described as extrajudicial.
Washington has long accused Maduro, who has ruled Venezuela since 2013, of links to international drug cartels. The Venezuelan leader has consistently rejected those allegations, arguing that the United States was seeking to overthrow his government and gain control of the country’s vast oil reserves.
Oil Interests and Transition Plans
During Saturday’s briefing, Trump said “very large United States oil companies” would move into Venezuela to rehabilitate what he described as a “badly broken” oil infrastructure. He claimed the initiative would restore production and generate revenue for the country.
The US president further asserted that the administration’s actions would ultimately make Venezuelans “rich, independent and safe,” a statement that has already drawn sharp reactions from analysts and foreign governments questioning the legality and implications of such involvement.
Global Reactions Expected
Observers note that the developments mark one of the most direct US interventions in Latin America in recent decades, raising questions about international law, sovereignty, and the potential for wider regional instability. Akahi News learnt that diplomatic responses from Latin American governments and global powers are expected in the coming days as details continue to emerge.
For now, uncertainty hangs over Venezuela’s political future as the United States claims interim control and promises a transition whose timeline and structure remain unclear.
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