U.S. arrests Venezuela’s Maduro in raid

The Trump administration on Jan. 3 local time raided a safe house used by Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, arresting him and his wife and transferring them to New York, according to U.S. officials. The overnight operation was carried out by U.S. special forces that entered Venezuelan territory. Maduro, who had ruled the country for 13 years since 2013, was removed from power within about five hours of the start of the operation.

Speaking at a news conference after the operation concluded, U.S. President Donald Trump said the United States would administer Venezuela until power is properly transferred. Maduro has faced sustained criticism over allegations of election fraud, the repression of political opponents and involvement in drug trafficking. Even so, the arrest of a sitting foreign head of state in a manner resembling a domestic criminal apprehension has sparked controversy, with critics questioning whether the operation violated international law.

U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Dan Caine said at the Trump-led news conference that the operation, named Absolute Resolve, was covert and precise. He said more than 150 aircraft deployed from across the Western Hemisphere took part. The mission to apprehend Maduro was carried out by elite U.S. Army special operations units, including Delta Force, along with the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, which operates aircraft dedicated to special warfare missions. According to media reports, the forces pulled Maduro and his wife from their bedroom and arrested them at dawn while they were asleep.

Trump later released a photograph of Maduro during his transfer on Truth Social. The image showed Maduro wearing a gray Nike tracksuit, with his hands bound and his eyes and ears covered by blackout goggles and a headset. According to CNN and other outlets, Maduro and his wife traveled for about 16 hours before arriving in New York later that day. The couple are now being held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn and are expected to appear in federal court in Manhattan next week. Maduro was indicted in 2020 during Trump’s first term on charges including drug trafficking.

Trump described the arrest as the most shocking and effective operation in U.S. history and stressed that no U.S. service members were killed. He said the United States would govern Venezuela until a safe and orderly transfer of power is completed. Trump also said U.S. oil companies would move to make large-scale investments in Venezuela and warned that Washington is prepared to carry out a second and much larger attack if necessary. The remarks were widely interpreted as a warning against the return of any government hostile to U.S. interests and as a signal that Washington could further intervene in Venezuela’s internal affairs. Some analysts said the move reflects an intention to secure control over Venezuela’s oil industry and protect economic interests.

International criticism followed swiftly. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed deep concern, saying the United States had failed to comply with international law, according to a statement released by his spokesperson the same day.


Jin-Woo Shin niceshin@donga.com