US launches military strikes on Venezuela, Trump says Maduro captured and flown out of the country!

The political reaction in Washington has been swift and largely divided along predictable lines, though the audacity of the operation has stunned even seasoned diplomats. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, a long-time and vocal hawk on Venezuelan affairs, has reportedly been in close contact with congressional leaders. According to a high-ranking Republican senator, Rubio indicated that the administration “anticipates no further action in Venezuela,” suggesting that the mission was strictly a “capture and extract” operation rather than an attempt to occupy the country or engage in long-term nation-building.¹¹ The strategy appears to be focused on removing the Maduro leadership and allowing the domestic political vacuum to be filled by internal forces, under the shadow of the massive U.S. naval presence still lurking off the coast.

However, the international community has reacted with a mixture of disbelief and profound concern. While many Western allies have long criticized Maduro’s human rights record and his disputed reelection, the use of direct military force to abduct a sitting head of state—no matter how contested his legitimacy—has raised serious questions about international law and the future of regional stability. Proponents of the move, including Attorney General Bondi, argue that the “courage to demand accountability” outweighs the traditional diplomatic protocols, particularly when dealing with what they categorize as an international narco-trafficking organization masquerading as a government.

The humanitarian and social implications within Venezuela remain the most volatile variable in this unfolding drama. With the Maduros gone, the power structure in Caracas is in a state of total flux. The military strikes on infrastructure and dock areas have undoubtedly disrupted the daily lives of millions, and the sudden absence of the central executive could lead to either a peaceful transition to the opposition or a descent into chaotic infighting among the remaining regime loyalists and various paramilitary groups.

As the sun sets on the first day of the post-Maduro era, the world’s attention turns to the United States federal court system. The logistical and security challenges of holding a former head of state in a New York jail are unprecedented. The trial, should it proceed, promises to be one of the most significant legal events in the history of international relations, potentially revealing the inner workings of the alleged “Cartel of the Suns” and the complex web of drug trafficking, money laundering, and illicit arms deals that the U.S. claims defined the Maduro presidency. Continue reading…