A dramatic overnight raid in Caracas has ended with the apprehension of Nicolás Maduro by American special forces. As he awaits trial in New York, the White House is already outlining plans for a new era of governance and resource management in Venezuela.
The image of the 63-year-old Maduro blindfolded and handcuffed en route to the U.S. has stunned Venezuelans and was Washington's most controversial intervention in Latin America since the invasion of Panama 37 years ago.
He is due to appear in a Manhattan court on Monday.
U.S. TO RUN VENEZUELA UNTIL TRANSITION, TRUMP SAYS
Trump said the U.S. would for now manage the South American nation of about 30 million people plus its oil reserves, the largest in the world. But he gave few details of how.
"We will run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition," he told a press conference at his Mar-a-Lago resort, hailing the extraordinary extraction of Maduro just as he was at the door of a safe room.
Maduro allies remain in charge in Caracas and have denounced his "kidnapping."
"There is only one president in Venezuela, and his name is Nicolas Maduro," Delcy Rodriguez, who took over Venezuela's interim presidency, said in a defiant message to the U.S. despite Trump's assertions she was open to working with them.
U.S. Special Forces swooped in on helicopters to seize Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores under darkness in the early hours of Saturday after strikes on military installations in Caracas and elsewhere.
While many Western allies oppose Maduro and say he stole Venezuela's 2024 election, there were numerous calls for the U.S. to respect international law and resolve the crisis diplomatically.
Trump said as part of the takeover, major U.S. oil companies would move back into Venezuela and refurbish badly degraded oil infrastructure, a process experts said could take years.
"We're not afraid of boots on the ground," he added.
A plane carrying Maduro landed near New York City on Saturday night, and he was helicoptered to the city before being taken to the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn.
Images released by U.S. authorities showed him being led down a hallway at the offices of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, where he was heard wishing a "happy New Year.
TRUMP'S VENEZUELA PLAN MAY ALIENATE SUPPORTERS
It is unclear how Trump plans to oversee Venezuela where a court ordered Rodriguez, Maduro's vice president, to assume the interim presidency.
In Venezuela, there was a rush for groceries and fuel as people wondered what would come next.
Maduro opponents were fearful of celebrating while some of his supporters held small rallies. Soldiers patrolled some parts.
The UN Security Council planned to meet on Monday to discuss the U.S. move, which Secretary-General Antonio Guterres described as "a dangerous precedent."
Russia and China, both major backers of Venezuela, criticised the U.S.
"China firmly opposes such hegemonic behavior by the U.S., which seriously violates international law, violates Venezuela's sovereignty and threatens peace and security in Latin America and the Caribbean," China's foreign ministry said.
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A U.S. federal judge raised concerns on Thursday about whether sanctions preventing Venezuela from funding the legal defense of Nicolás Maduro could violate his constitutional rights, though he did not dismiss the drug-trafficking charges against the former leader.
The United States and interim authorities in Venezuela have agreed to re-establish diplomatic and consular relations, the U.S. State Department said on Thursday (5 February), aiming to foster a peaceful transition to elect a new government in the South American country.
U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday praised a large-scale military operation carried out in Venezuela, describing it as highly complex and signalling plans to accelerate U.S. weapons production in its aftermath.
The UN Security Council will hold an emergency meeting Monday to discuss the U.S. operation in Venezuela.
Counting is underway in Armenia's elections. The results of the vote are set to determine the political direction of the country of three million people for the next few years. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan is hoping to fend off challenges from several pro-Russia candidates to secure a third term.
Armenian authorities arrested six candidates from the pro-Russian Strong Armenia bloc on Saturday, one day before voters were due to take part in parliamentary elections.
More than 6,000 people gathered outside a vote-counting centre in Seoul on Friday night, demanding this week’s local elections be repeated after ballot shortages left some voters unable to cast their ballots.
Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry has confirmed the number of casualties its citizens suffered as a result of the 5 June drone attacks on the cargo ships Natra and Zircon in the Sea of Azov. In a statement, it said four Azerbaijani citizens were killed and four others were injured.
The U.S. said it struck Iranian radar sites on Qeshm Island and in Goruk after intercepting four drones, while Iran's Revolutionary Guards said they launches retaliatory strikes on four tankers in the Strait of Hormuz and targeted U.S. bases in the Gulf.
The Iranian national football team is set to arrive in North America for the World Cup after finally securing travel documents, but a dispute over U.S. visa approvals continues to cast a shadow over the country's tournament preparations.
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Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top stories for the 7 June, covering the latest developments you need to know.
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