Trump claims US will ‘run’ Venezuela following dramatic capture of Maduro: Is oil the real motive?

US President Donald Trump releases first photo of Nicolas Maduro on board the USS Iwo Jima.

What exactly happened?

Explosions were reported across Caracas in the early hours of Saturday as low-flying aircraft struck military targets. Smoke rose from a military base hangar, and parts of the city lost electricity for hours. US authorities later confirmed that special forces had seized Maduro and Flores, flown them to a US Navy ship offshore, and then transported them to the United States.

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Images released by US agencies showed Maduro handcuffed and blindfolded during transit. He is currently being held at a federal detention facility in New York and is expected to appear in court on charges including narco-terrorism conspiracy.

Trump announced the operation on social media and later told reporters that the US would “run the country” until a “safe, proper and judicious transition” could be arranged.

US Special Forces seized Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, and transported them via helicopter to a US Navy ship offshore before flying them to the US. (Al-generated graphic)

Why did US target Nicolás Maduro now?

The Trump administration has accused Maduro of leading a criminal state apparatus involved in drug trafficking to the United States, allegations Caracas has long denied. Over recent months, Washington ramped up pressure through expanded sanctions, seizure of oil tankers, and a military build-up in the Caribbean.

US officials have also repeatedly accused Maduro of rigging Venezuela’s 2024 election to remain in power, a claim backed by several Western governments but rejected by Maduro’s allies and his administration.

The capture follows weeks of Trump publicly urging Maduro to step aside, alongside missile strikes on what the US said were drug-running boats. Saturday’s raid appears to have been the culmination of that pressure campaign.

Is oil a central factor?

Trump made little effort to downplay oil’s role. Venezuela has the world’s largest proven oil reserves, though years of mismanagement and sanctions have crippled production.

The US President said major American oil companies would return to Venezuela to refurbish its energy infrastructure, arguing that any US presence would be paid for by “money coming out of the ground.” His remarks revived memories of US-led interventions in Iraq and elsewhere, where control over energy resources became a defining controversy.

Venezuela’s government and several international critics accused Washington of using oil as the real motive behind the operation.

Who is in charge in Venezuela now?

This remains unclear. While the US claims Maduro is in custody, Venezuelan officials have denounced the episode as a “kidnapping” and said the government remains functional. Vice President Delcy Rodríguez appeared on state television to condemn the attack, while a Venezuelan court named her interim president.

Soldiers were deployed in parts of Caracas, pro-government militias appeared in some neighbourhoods, and the government declared a “state of external disturbance,” granting expanded powers to the armed forces.

What are legal and political questions?

The legality of seizing a sitting foreign head of state without a declared war or UN mandate has been questioned by international law experts. In the US, lawmakers from both parties demanded clarity on the constitutional basis for the strikes.

Republican Senator Mike Lee said he was seeking justification for the operation, while Democrats accused the administration of misleading Congress during briefings.

The UN Secretary-General called the action a “dangerous precedent,” and an emergency Security Council meeting was scheduled. Russia and China, both close partners of Venezuela, strongly condemned the US move as a violation of sovereignty.

How has world reacted?

Venezuela’s allies, including China, Russia, Iran and Cuba, criticised the strikes, warning of destabilisation in Latin America. Colombia’s President called for an emergency UN meeting, while several regional leaders expressed alarm over the scale of the intervention.

Inside Venezuela, reactions were mixed. While some citizens expressed shock and fear, others celebrated what they saw as the end of an authoritarian era. Venezuelan migrants across Latin America and beyond held spontaneous celebrations.

What happens next?

Key questions remain unanswered: whether the US intends further military action, how it plans to oversee a transition in Venezuela, and whether it will deploy ground troops, something Trump said he was open to.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio has indicated that Washington anticipates no further action now that Maduro is in US custody. But with no clear authority established in Caracas, and with global powers divided, the risk of prolonged instability remains high.

The episode also carries political risks for Trump at home, ahead of the US midterm elections, with polls showing voters are more concerned about inflation than foreign military interventions.