Venezuela in Crisis After U.S. Captures Maduro; Interim Government Offers Cooperation

Deposed Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro appeared in a New York court on Monday, following a dramatic U.S. military operation in Caracas that captured him and his wife on narcotrafficking charges.

The operation, which took place on Saturday, involved U.S. commandos and air support. Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were subsequently transported to the United States. The Venezuelan defense minister reported casualties among Maduro’s security team, military personnel, and civilians, though no official death toll has been released.

In response to the swiftly unfolding crisis, Venezuela’s interim leader, Delcy Rodríguez, shifted from initial defiance to offering an agenda for cooperation with the United States. “We extend an invitation to the U.S. government to work together,” Rodríguez stated.

The capture has intensified focus on Venezuela’s vast oil reserves, the largest in the world. When asked about his demands of the interim government, President Donald Trump stated, “We need total access. We need access to the oil.” However, analysts note that significantly increasing the country’s oil production would be a complex and lengthy challenge.

The U.S. maintains a substantial naval presence near Venezuela and says it retains economic leverage. President Trump asserted that the U.S. was “in charge” of the nation, while Secretary of State Marco Rubio called discussions of immediate elections “premature.”

International reaction has been divided. China, Russia, and Iran condemned the U.S. action as a violation of international law and called for Maduro’s release. Some U.S. allies expressed concern, while neighboring Colombia’s president labeled it an “assault on sovereignty.”

Within Venezuela, the military has declared loyalty to the interim government. Meanwhile, leading opposition figure Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia cautioned that U.S. intervention alone was “not enough” without the release of political prisoners and recognition of electoral results.

The UN Security Council is scheduled to hold an emergency session on the matter at Venezuela’s request.