Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro was being held in custody in New York on Saturday, hours after U.S. special forces reportedly seized him during an operation inside Venezuela and flew him out of the country, according to media reports.
The operation followed a pre-dawn assault in which U.S. commandos allegedly detained Maduro and his wife, while air strikes were reported at multiple locations in and around the capital, Caracas. U.S. President Donald Trump later said that Venezuela would come under effective U.S. control following the operation.
Details of the operation, including the exact circumstances of the arrest and the scope of the reported air strikes, have not been independently verified. Venezuelan authorities have not issued an official statement confirming the detention at the time of reporting.
The situation has raised serious international concerns, with analysts warning that the reported developments could significantly escalate tensions in the region.
