President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores, who were captured by the US in a surprise attack on Venezuela, were flown to New York on Saturday.

They were brought to the US via the military ship ‘Iwo Jima’. Then they were taken to ‘Stewart Air National Guard Base’ by military helicopter. They are now being held at the New York Detention Center in Brooklyn.

According to US officials, the operation is the largest military intervention in South America since the Cold War. US intelligence agencies have been monitoring Maduro’s every move for months. An American ‘source’ within the Venezuelan government was deployed to collect information on where Maduro sleeps, what he eats, what he wears and even the pets he keeps.

To perfect the mission, US elite forces had built a full-size model of Maduro’s ‘safe house’ in Caracas and practiced for months. Although President Trump had authorized the attack four days in advance, he only gave the ‘go ahead’ order at the last minute at 10:46 pm (US time) on Friday due to bad weather.

President Trump watched the operation live from his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida, not from the Situation Room at the White House. He was sitting with CIA Director John Ratcliffe and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, watching the mission. Speaking to Fox News on Saturday morning, Trump said, “It was an amazing sight. I was watching it like I was watching a television show. The speed and strength of our men was amazing.” Trump also posted photos of himself watching the operation live on his social media platform Truth. In 2011, then-US President Barack Obama also watched the capture of Osama bin Laden live. President Obama watched the raid on a house in Abbottabad, Pakistan, live from the White House.

The US had been preparing to capture Maduro for a long time. Bombers, fighters, intelligence, reconnaissance, surveillance and rotary wing aircraft played a role in making Operation Absolute Resolve a success, said Dan Kane, a retired US Air Force general and chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. According to Kane, the US used about 150 aircraft in the attack. This included B-1B Lancer bombers, F-22s, EA-18 Growler electronic planes, E-2 Harrier early warning aircraft, as well as sophisticated aircraft and drones. Similarly, the Army's elite 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment was deployed to the area where Maduro is staying.

"As the army moved towards Caracas, the joint air component began to disrupt Venezuela's air defense system," Kane said, "weapons were used to allow the helicopters to safely enter the target area." Our goal was to protect the helicopters and ground troops and get them to their targets and get them home.’ He said that this involved the use of US Space Command, US Cyber ​​Command and intelligence agencies such as the CIA, NSA and NGIA.

According to Kane, US troops arrived at Maduro’s compound at 2:01 am local time. After the troops entered, Maduro condemned the attack in a national television address. When the US troops arrived at the residence, Maduro was trying to enter a safe room made of steel. He entered the room, but before he could close the door, a US military team took control. Although he appeared to be arrested in a short time, the US intelligence agency CIA had been preparing for this for a long time. Trump revealed at a press conference that a CIA source inside the Venezuelan government helped determine Maduro’s location for the operation.

Based on information from the same source, the US military’s special ‘Delta Force’ carried out the operation. The US military used more than 150 aircraft to extract Maduro. According to Trump, no US soldiers were killed in the operation, although some were injured. At least 40 people were killed in the attack, the New York Times reported, citing a top Venezuelan official. Air strikes were carried out in various locations in Caracas as a 'cover' to ensure the success of the main operation to capture Maduro. According to BBC Verify, five areas in Caracas were attacked: La Carlota, Fuerte Tiuna, Port La Guerra, Higuerote Airport and Antenas El Volcan.

The US Department of Justice has already filed an indictment in federal court in New York against Maduro, who was captured five years ago, on charges of cocaine trafficking, kidnapping and murder. With the filing of the indictment in March 2020, the US government had announced a reward of 25 million US dollars for information about Maduro. Five years later, that amount was increased to $50 million in August. Maduro will now be questioned on charges of drug terrorism, cocaine export and possession of a machine gun. Top officials in Maduro’s administration, his wife Flores and their son are also indicted. Flores was indicted last Christmas.

It is not clear when Maduro and his wife will be arraigned in federal court in Manhattan, New York. In a video posted on social media on Saturday night, Maduro is seen smiling as he is led away by two federal agents from the US Drug Enforcement Administration office in New York.

The indictment alleges that Maduro has collaborated with “the world’s most violent and prolific drug traffickers and drug terrorists” to transport thousands of tons of cocaine to the US. The indictment also alleges that the Venezuelan government has protected powerful and violent drug trafficking gangs such as the Sanaloa Cartel and the Train de Aragua, and that these gangs have paid large sums of money to government officials. Maduro is accused of allowing cocaine-related corruption to flourish for the benefit of himself, his family and his associates. Maduro and his wife are also accused of ordering the kidnapping, beating and murder of those who tried to disrupt drug trafficking. This includes the murder of a local drug lord in Caracas. Maduro has denied all these charges. 

We run Venezuela : Trump

With Maduro in US custody, confusion and controversy have arisen over who will take over power there. At a press conference held on Saturday, US President Trump indicated that the US will directly intervene in Venezuela's transitional situation.

He also announced that the US will run the government until a new leadership is elected. Nobel Peace Prize laureate and Venezuela's main opposition leader Maria Corina Machado has welcomed Maduro's arrest as a "moment of freedom." She has called on the military to recognize the real winner of the election, Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, as president.

Trump has questioned Machado's leadership, saying, "She is a good woman, but she does not have the respect and support of the country to lead Venezuela. We will govern Venezuela ourselves until it is safe and fair." Despite opposition candidate Gonzalez winning two-thirds of the vote in last July's election, Maduro has refused to step down. Now, Venezuelans are worried that another dictatorship of the same nature or a foreign puppet government will come after Maduro's departure.

Delcy as acting president

The Constitutional Chamber of Venezuela's Supreme Court has asked Vice President Delcy Rodriguez to assume the role of acting president in President Maduro's absence. Delcy will remain president until the situation in Venezuela normalizes. Considered a close political ally of Maduro, she has been vice president since 2018. She is the daughter of Jorge Antonio Rodriguez, the founding leader of the Socialist League of Venezuela.

She previously held the Ministry of Energy, Communications and Information in 2013-2014, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 2014-2017, and the Ministry of Economy and Petroleum in addition to her duties as vice president from 2024-2025. Delcy graduated in law from the Central University of Venezuela in 1993. She also taught at the college for a while. She has been at the forefront of the movement since her student days. She also studied labor law for a while in Paris. She was also president of the Association of Labor Lawyers in Venezuela.

Vice President Rodriguez has also strongly condemned the US action. Speaking on state television, she has demanded the immediate release of Maduro and his wife. “This action is just a pretext to seize Venezuela’s energy, minerals and natural resources,” Rodriguez said, adding that “Maduro is the only legitimate president of Venezuela.” She has also called on citizens and the armed forces to unite to defend the country.

Trump has said that the US will work with the authorities there to bring stability to Venezuela. He also revealed that Venezuelan Vice President Rodriguez had a telephone conversation with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Trump claimed that Rodriguez had indicated in the telephone conversation that he would work with Washington. “She has indicated that she is ready to do whatever we think is necessary to make Venezuela great again,” Trump said.

Widespread criticism against the US

Along with the attack on Venezuela, protests are also taking place in various cities in the US over the arrest of its President Maduro and his wife. Hundreds of people have taken to the streets in areas including Los Angeles, New York, Washington DC and Las Vegas. The protesters, who gathered in Los Angeles despite the pouring rain, carried placards with slogans such as 'Stop the bombing of Venezuela', 'Don't shed blood for oil' and 'No war, no Trump'. Activists from the anti-war group 'ANSER' and the 'Party for Socialism and Liberation' protested outside the White House. They called Maduro's arrest a 'kidnapping' and demanded his immediate release.

Similarly, protests have been held in various countries including Turkey and India against US imperialism. Similarly, foreign ministers of various countries have opposed it. China has also expressed its opposition. On Sunday, the Chinese Foreign Ministry issued a statement condemning the US move. A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson has called Maduro's arrest a "kidnapping" and urged the US to immediately release him with dignity. China is deeply concerned about the forcible removal of President Maduro and his wife from the country. 

China has said the US military operation is a clear violation of international law and the UN Charter. "This move goes against the basic norms of international relations," the spokesperson said. An emergency meeting of the UN Security Council is scheduled to be held to discuss the situation. Somalia, the current president of the Security Council, has called for the meeting on Monday. According to Khadija Ahmed, a spokeswoman for the Somali Permanent Mission, the Security Council is set to meet at 10 am (New York time) on Monday. Somalia is holding the presidency of the Security Council for January.

Media resistance

The world's major media outlets have expressed different views on the Venezuelan incident. Nepali national dailies have also published the news of Maduro's arrest on the front page. त्यस्तै अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय समुदायमा पनि चासोको विषय भएका कारण विश्वव्यापी ‘कभरेज’ को विषय बनेको छ । अमेरिकाले यसलाई ‘न्यायिक कारबाही’ भनेको छ भने इरान, चीन, रुस र टर्किएका मिडियाहरूले यसलाई अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय कानुनको ठाडो उल्लंघन र ‘जंगल राज’ को संज्ञा दिएका छन् ।

यतिबेला विश्वका शक्ति राष्ट्रहरूबीच सञ्चार युद्ध सुरु भएको छ । विशेषगरी इरान, रुस, चीन र टर्किएका सञ्चारमाध्यमले अमेरिकाको यो कदमलाई आधुनिक विश्वको ‘खराब अध्याय’ भन्दै आलोचना गरेका छन् ।

इरानी सरकारी सञ्चारमाध्यमहरूले यसलाई सार्वभौमसत्तामाथिको नांगो हस्तक्षेप भनेका छन् । ‘तेहरान टाइम्स’ ले ‘जंगली कानुन’ शीर्षकमा समाचार प्रकाशित गर्दै अमेरिकाले अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय मर्यादालाई पूर्णतः बेवास्ता गरेको उल्लेख गरेको छ । त्यस्तै, ‘इरान इन्टरनेसनल’ र ‘मेहर न्युज’ ले इरानी विदेश मन्त्रालयलाई उद्धृत गर्दै यसलाई ‘आतंकवादी शैलीको अपहरण’ भन्दै मदुरोको समर्थनमा इरान दृढ रहेको सन्देश प्रवाह गरेका छन् ।

रुसको ‘आरटी’ र ‘तास’ ले यसलाई शासन परिवर्तनका लागि गरिएको सुनियोजित सैन्य हमला भनेका छन् । रुसी सञ्चारमाध्यमहरूले यस घटनालाई ‘सशस्त्र सैन्य आक्रामकता’ भन्दै मदुरोको तत्काल रिहाइको माग गरेका छन् । ‘द मस्को टाइम्स’ ले रुसी विदेश मन्त्रालयको भनाइ उद्धृत गर्दै लेखेको छ, ‘अमेरिकाले दिएका तर्कहरू आधारहीन छन् र यो विश्व शान्तिका लागि गम्भीर खतरा हो ।’

चिनियाँ सञ्चारमाध्यम ‘ग्लोबल टाइम्स’ र ‘साउथ चाइना मर्निङ पोस्ट’ ले यसलाई अमेरिकी आधिपत्यको पराकाष्ठा भनेका छन् । चीनले औपचारिक रूपमै मदुरो र उनकी पत्नीको तत्काल रिहाइको माग गरेको छ । चिनियाँ मिडियाहरूको विश्लेषणमा यो कारबाहीले ‘कुनै पनि सार्वभौम देशको राष्ट्राध्यक्ष अब सुरक्षित छैनन्’ भन्ने सन्देश दिएको छ । उनीहरूले यसलाई संयुक्त राष्ट्रसंघको बडापत्रविरुद्धको कार्य भन्दै भर्त्सना गरेका छन् ।

टर्किएको ‘हुर्रियत डेली न्युज’ ले अमेरिकी राष्ट्रपति ट्रम्पको भनाइलाई उद्धृत गर्दै अब अमेरिकाले नै भेनेजुएला चलाउने संकेत दिएको उल्लेख गरेको छ । ‘टर्किस मिनेट’ ले टर्किएका राष्ट्रपति रेचेप तैय्यप एर्दोआनको मौनतालाई ‘ट्रम्पसँगको डर’ का रूपमा व्याख्या गर्दै विपक्षी नेताहरूको आलोचनालाई प्रमुखताका साथ प्रकाशन गरेको छ ।

रोचक त के छ भने, अमेरिकी संस्थापन पक्षकै प्रभावशाली अखबार ‘न्युयोर्क टाइम्स’ ले यस सैन्य कदमको खुलेर विरोध गरेको छ । सम्पादकीय नै लेखेर अखबारले यसलाई ‘अवैध र अविवेकी’ कदम भनेको छ । उक्त मिडियाले मदुरो दमनकारी नेता भए तापनि उनलाई पक्राउ गर्न अपनाइएको सैन्य बाटोले अमेरिकाको अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय साख गिराएको र यसले ल्याटिन अमेरिकामा नयाँ द्वन्द्व निम्त्याउने चेतावनी दिएको छ ।

चौतर्फी आलोचनाबीच ट्रम्पले भेनेजुएलामा अर्को हमलाका लागि पनि अमेरिका तयार रहेको बताएका छन् । ‘आवश्यक परे हामी फेरि अर्को हमलाका लागि तयार छौं । तर त्यस्तो आवश्यक पर्दैन होला,’ उनले भने । अहिले काराकासको अवस्था शान्त देखिए पनि आगामी दिनहरू कता मोडिनेछन् भन्नेमा अनिश्चितता कायमै छ । 

अमेरिकी सेनाको यो कदमले भेनेजुएलामा लोकतन्त्र बहाली गर्छ वा नयाँ द्वन्द्व निम्त्याउँछ भन्नेमा विश्व समुदायको ध्यान केन्द्रित छ । 

मिल्दोजुल्दो नोरिएगा–मदुरो घटना भेनेजुएलाका राष्ट्रपति निकोलस मदुरोको पछिल्लो गिरफ्तारी तीन दशकअघि पानामाका सैन्य शासक मानुएल नोरिएगाको पतनसँग अनौठो समानता देखिएको छ । अमेरिकाले ल्याटिन अमेरिकामा अपनाउने प्रत्यक्ष हस्तक्षेपको शैली नोरिएगा र मदुरो प्रकरणमा मिल्दोजुल्दो देखिन्छ ।

१९८९ मा अमेरिकाले ‘अपरेसन जस्ट कज’ अन्तर्गत पानामामा सैन्य हमला गरी नोरिएगालाई सत्ताबाट हटाएको थियो । वासिङ्टनले त्यतिबेला आफ्ना नागरिकको सुरक्षा, अलोकतान्त्रिक अभ्यास, भ्रष्टाचार र लागूऔषध व्यापारलाई हस्तक्षेपको प्रमुख कारणका रूपमा अघि सारेको थियो । कुनै समय अमेरिकी गुप्तचर एजेन्सीसँग निकट सम्बन्ध राखेका जनरल नोरिएगा वासिङ्टनको क्षेत्रीय रणनीतिमा असहयोगी बन्दै गएपछि अमेरिकाका लागि ‘अवाञ्छित पात्र’ बनेका थिए । उनले १९८५ मा राष्ट्रपति निकोलस अर्दितो बारलेटालाई राजीनामा दिन बाध्य पारेका थिए । १९८९ को आमनिर्वाचनसमेत रद्द गरिदिएका थिए ।

पानामामा अमेरिका विरोधी भावना बढ्दै जाँदा र नोरिएगाको शासन थप निरंकुश बन्दै गएपछि अमेरिकाले उनीविरुद्ध कानुनी दबाब तीव्र बनायो । १९८८ मा मियामीको संघीय अदालतले नोरिएगाविरुद्ध लागूऔषध तस्करीको अभियोग दर्ता गर्‍यो । त्यही शैली, जसरी अहिले मदुरोविरुद्ध ‘नार्को टेररिज्म’ को मुद्दा लगाइएको छ । पानामा हस्तक्षेपलाई भियतनाम युद्धपछिको अमेरिकाको सबैभन्दा ठूलो सैन्य परिचालनमध्ये एक मानिन्छ । अमेरिकाले पानामाका जनताको अवस्था सुधार्ने र नोरिएगालाई कानुनी कठघरामा उभ्याउने तर्कका साथ सैन्य कारबाही गरेको थियो । अन्ततः नोरिएगा पक्राउ परे र अमेरिकामा लगिए ।

मियामीमा चलेको मुद्दापछि नोरिएगा २०१० सम्म अमेरिकी जेलमा रहे । त्यसपछि उनलाई फ्रान्स सुपुर्दगी गरियो । २०११ मा पुनः पानामा फर्काइएपछि उनले आफ्नै शासनकालमा भएका अपराधको सजाय पानामाकै जेलमा काटे । २०१७ मा पानामाकै कारागारमा उनको मृत्यु भयो ।

दुवै घटनाक्रमको तुलना गर्दा अमेरिकाले ‘लागूऔषध मुद्दा’ लाई मुख्य रणनीतिक औजार बनाएको प्रस्ट देखिन्छ । पानामामा नोरिएगाको अन्त्य जेलमै भएझैं, अहिले अमेरिकाको नियन्त्रणमा रहेका मदुरोको भविष्य पनि कानुनी चक्रव्यूहमा फस्ने विश्लेषणहरू सतहमा आएका छन् । ल्याटिन अमेरिकी राजनीतिमा अमेरिकी प्रभाव र हस्तक्षेपको विरासतबारे मदुरो र नोरिएगाबीचको तुलना बहसको केन्द्रमा आएको छ ।

बस चालकदेखि राष्ट्रपतिसम्म

मदुरोको जीवनयात्रा कुनै फिल्मी कथाभन्दा कम रोचक छैन । राजधानी काराकासको सामान्य परिवारमा जन्मिएका मदुरो बस चालकबाट राष्ट्रपतिसम्मको उकालो चढ्ने दुर्लभ पात्रमध्ये पर्छन् ।

२३ नोभेम्बर १९६२ मा काराकासमा जन्मिएका मदुरोको सुरुवाती जीवन सामान्य थियो । राजनीतिमा प्रवेश गर्नुअघि उनी काराकासमै बस 

चालक थिए । पछि उनी मेट्रो युनियनको नेता चुनिए, जसले उनको राजनीतिक यात्राको जग बसाल्यो । मजदुरका हकहितका लागि प्रदर्शनको नेतृत्व गरे र वामपन्थी वृत्तमा परिचित बने ।

उनको जीवनमा निर्णायक मोड १९९२ को असफल सैन्य विद्रोहपछि आयो । विद्रोहको नेतृत्व गरेका ह्युगो चाभेज पक्राउ परेपछि मदुरोले तत्कालीन सरकारविरुद्ध चाभेजको रिहाइका लागि ठूलो अभियान चलाए । यही भूमिकाले उनलाई चाभेजको विश्वासपात्र बनायो । चाभेज प्रशासनभित्र उनी ‘प्रिय पात्र’ का रूपमा चिनिन्थे ।

१९९९ मा चाभेज राष्ट्रपति बनेपछि मदुरोले विदेशमन्त्री र उपराष्ट्रपतिको महत्त्वपूर्ण जिम्मेवारी सम्हाले । यही अवधिमा उनले आफूलाई ‘जनताको मान्छे’ का रूपमा प्रस्तुत गरे । राजनीतिक यात्राको सुरुवातमा भने धेरैले उनको ‘बस चालक’ पृष्ठभूमिलाई लिएर व्यंग्य र खिल्ली उडाएका थिए । २०१२ मा क्यान्सरसँग संघर्ष गरिरहेका चाभेजले मदुरोलाई सार्वजनिक रूपमै आफ्नो उत्तराधिकारी घोषणा गरे । २०१३ मा चाभेजको निधनपछि भएको निर्वाचनमा विजय हासिल गर्दै उनी राष्ट्रपति बने ।