US troops have seized President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores in a surprise attack on the Venezuelan capital, Caracas. US President Donald Trump has declared that the US will remain in power in Venezuela until a “safe and just transfer of power” takes place.

The US carried out an airstrike in Caracas around 2 a.m. local time on Saturday. At that time, up to 11 explosions were heard. The Venezuelan government then issued a statement declaring a state of emergency. US President Trump immediately announced that Maduro and his wife were in the custody of US forces. Although the Venezuelan government said that soldiers and civilians were killed in the US attack, the details of the human and material damage were not confirmed. 

Trump has raised the issue of a change of power in Venezuela since he was elected president for a second term in the US. Trump's relationship with Maduro was not good during his first term. The US, which has been accusing Maduro of smuggling drugs into the US, has now said that it will prosecute him in New York. 

According to US media outlet CNN, citing military sources, US forces dragged Maduro and his wife from their bedroom and took them into custody. About 10 hours later, US President Trump published a photo of Maduro on his social media account 'Truth Social'. 

In the photo, Maduro is blindfolded and handcuffed. He has headphones in his ears. US President Trump said that the Maduro couple are being taken to New York on a warship. He also said that the US is ready for another attack on Venezuela if necessary. At a press conference held on Saturday, he said, ‘But because the US has conducted operations so well in the past, another attack may not be necessary.’

He said that an appropriate transfer of power will begin in Venezuela, but that the US will rule until it is completed. He also claimed that US oil companies will lead the development of Venezuela. ‘The US will run the power there until there is a safe, fair and appropriate transfer of power. US oil companies will lead the construction of Venezuela’s infrastructure,’ he said at a press conference held at his private residence Mar-a-Lago in Florida.

According to CBS News, a source close to the US intelligence agency ‘CIA’ helped the US military’s Delta Force to find Maduro’s whereabouts. This had been planned for months. With the arrest of President Maduro, Vice President Delcy Rodriguez has automatically assumed executive power. Rodriguez condemned the US attack and said that the US had not informed the Venezuelan government about the condition of her president and first lady.

She said, ‘Our military officers and civilians have been martyred in the US attack. The Venezuelan people will resist the US attack with all their strength. I demand that the US provide information on the security situation of our president’s life and urge the world community to form its opinion on this illegal attack.’ Similarly, Venezuelan Defense Minister Vladimir Pedrono Lopez has said that there will be no compromise in this fight. ‘We will succeed. We will not surrender,’ he said. 

The Venezuelan government was interpreting this as a US bias towards its oil reserves. Venezuela is a country with one of the largest oil reserves in the world. On March 24, 2025, Trump announced that he would impose an additional 25 percent tariff on countries that buy oil from Venezuela.

On September 2, the US military opened fire on a boat traveling through the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean connected to Venezuela on suspicion of drug trafficking. The US has attacked boats passing through Venezuela 33 times on charges of drug trafficking. 112 people have died in the process. Human rights organizations are condemning the US action as inhumane.

On October 15, Trump revealed that the CIA had been authorized to conduct covert operations in Venezuela. Similarly, on November 14, the US deployed the world's largest aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford, to the Caribbean. A large number of aircraft and about 15,000 US troops were prepared for the attack. 

On December 10, the US seized an oil tanker from Venezuela. Venezuela called it a “robbery”. Within days, the US seized another tanker. Similarly, on December 30, the CIA carried out a drone attack on a Venezuelan port. 

Just two days after the US imposed a full-scale siege, Maduro had said he was ready for talks. “Wherever and whenever they say, I am ready to go for talks,” he said on state television on Thursday. He also said he was ready to allow Chevron to drill and trade in the area. But Trump has chosen the path of force.

Russia has condemned the US attack and demanded the immediate release of Nicolas Maduro and his wife Flores. "Given the confirmed news that Venezuelan President Maduro and his wife are under US control, we urge the US leadership to release the legitimately elected president of a sovereign country and his wife," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

China has also condemned the arrest of Maduro. "China is shocked and condemns the US's use of force against a sovereign country and its president. Such arrogant action by the US has seriously undermined international law and Venezuela's sovereignty. It has disrupted peace and order in Latin America and the Caribbean. China is against it," the Chinese Foreign Ministry said. Colombia, Bolivia, Cuba, Iran, Chile, Mexico and other countries have also protested against the US attack on Venezuela.

Spain has urged both sides to exercise restraint and has stated that it is ready to mediate for peace talks. Germany and Italy have said they are closely monitoring the developments.

Trump claims that the Venezuelan people will be rich, free and safe in cooperation with the US. ‘The oil trade in Venezuela is now at a standstill, big American companies will go and build infrastructure there and start making money for the country,’ he said. ‘The Venezuelan people living in the US will be very happy with this decision. They will not have to suffer any more.’

Bitter history 

Venezuela and the US had very good relations during the Cold War. Venezuela’s economy used to run on selling oil to the US. Most of Venezuela’s petrol mines were also owned by private American companies. Relations with the US began to deteriorate when communist leader Hugo Chavez came to power in 1999. 

Chavez was highly critical of the US for adopting imperialist and interventionist policies in South America. After coming to power, he began to nationalize the petrol industries. His policies irritated the US. After the US imposed sanctions, Venezuela moved closer to Cuba, Iran, and Russia.

After Chavez's death in 2013, his ally, Nicolas Maduro, became president. The bad relations with the US remained. This relationship deteriorated further when Trump was sworn in as president in the US in 2017. Trump not only imposed sanctions on Venezuela, but also threatened to impose sanctions on countries that buy oil from Venezuela. Venezuela's economy collapsed, triggering a national crisis. Taking advantage of this opportunity, Juan Guaido, the then president of the National Assembly of Venezuela, declared himself president in January 2019.

Guaido's claim was supported by the US, the European Union, and many other Western countries. However, the Venezuelan military backed Maduro. This made Maduro even more powerful. Towards the end of Trump's first term, in March 2020, the US Department of Justice declared Maduro a terrorist.

A reward of US$25 million was announced for information about him. Maduro's government ministers Diosdado Cabello and Vladimir Pedrono were also listed as terrorists. They were accused of drug trafficking. 

Joe Biden was elected president of the United States after defeating Trump in the November 2020 election. The Biden administration also did not withdraw the charges against Maduro. But dialogue and discussions with the Biden administration continued. The Biden administration focused on practical aspects rather than ideological and theoretical disagreements with Venezuela. This time, the United States bought oil from Venezuela, albeit in small quantities.

It did not create any obstacles in the international market for Venezuelan oil. The licenses of some companies were also renewed until 2024-2025. In return, Venezuela also took back its citizens deported from the United States. The two countries exchanged prisoners. Shortly after Trump came to power, on 26 February 2025, all privileges granted to Venezuela on oil were revoked.

Main 5 reasons for the controversy 

Drug trafficking: Trump has accused Venezuela of protecting drug suppliers in the US. He has been claiming that large quantities of cocaine are being smuggled from the South American country to Europe and the US via Venezuela. 

During Trump's first term, the US declared the 'Cartel de Los Soles' a terrorist organization in March 2020 and Maduro its leader, according to which he was placed on the wanted list. A reward of 25 million US dollars was said to be given to the informant. Last August, the reward amount was increased to 50 million US dollars. 

Trump and the US accuse Maduro and his close associates of using the 'Cartel de Los Soles' for drug trafficking. The US also accuses the Venezuelan military of being involved in this. Venezuela's neighbor Colombia is the world's largest cocaine producer. Trump alleges that cocaine comes to the US via Venezuela from there. Maduro has claimed that there is no such group as the 'Cartel de los Soles'. 

Monroe Doctrine: Trump's foreign policy is another reason for the tension with Venezuela. He is following the 19th century Monroe Doctrine, which considers the Western Hemisphere to be a sphere of influence for the United States. Trump has been saying that China should not be given access to resources such as military bases and important minerals in that region. But since relations with the United States deteriorated, the Venezuelan government has signed energy and mineral agreements with China. Similarly, it has also increased cooperation with Iran and Russia. Trump understands that Venezuela is important for US national security.

Trump wants to form a government in Venezuela that is close to the United States. Although Trump has supported Guaido's claim (presidential declaration) in the past, he has not been able to overthrow Maduro. Venezuelan opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Corina Machado has said that she fully supports Trump's policy.

Oil: Venezuela has the world's largest oil reserves. But despite its abundant resources, oil production is very low. Having faced US sanctions for years, there is a lack of investment and equipment needed for oil extraction. In recent years, China has been helping in this. The country, which is geographically very close to the US, is not happy with its proximity to China and Russia. 

Until 1998, most of Venezuela's oil fields were owned by American private companies. After communist leader Hugo Chavez came to power in 1998, relations with the US deteriorated after the nationalization of the oil industry began. Now, there is only one American company left in Venezuela - Chevron. Maduro accuses Washington of having its eyes on his country's oil. Venezuela also has gold, bauxite, and precious stone and metal mines. 

Cuba-Iran: Trump's close allies, including US Secretary of State Marty Rubio, are in favor of overthrowing the communist government of Cuba. अमेरिकी प्रतिबन्ध झेलिरहेको भेनेजुएलाले आफ्नो तेल क्युवामा पठाउँछ र क्युवाबाट अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय बजारमा बिक्री हुन्छ । मदुरो सरकार र क्युवाका राष्ट्रपति मिगेल डियाज–कानेल दुवैलाई सत्तामा रहिरहन यस सम्बन्धले ठूलो भूमिका खेलेको छ । अर्कोतर्फ इरानमा पनि सत्ता परिवर्तन गर्ने ट्रम्पको योजना छ ।