Maduro ‘perp walked’ after U.S. capture; Delcy Rodriguez named Venezuela’s interim President

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro was flown to New York early Saturday after a dramatic U.S. military operation in Caracas that led to his capture and removal from the country. The pre-dawn strikes, ordered by U.S. President Donald Trump, included air attacks on key sites around the capital to create a diversion while American special forces seized Maduro and his wife and evacuated them by aircraft.

Soon after his arrival in the United States, visuals released by U.S. authorities showed Maduro handcuffed and escorted by federal agents. He is expected to be arraigned on long-standing charges related to narco-terrorism, cocaine trafficking and weapons offences. U.S. prosecutors allege that Maduro worked with powerful drug cartels to allow thousands of tonnes of cocaine to transit through Venezuela into the United States, accusations he and his government have repeatedly rejected.

The operation caused widespread disruption across the Caribbean region, with hundreds of flights cancelled after airspace restrictions were imposed around Venezuela. Airlines suspended services to several island destinations before U.S. authorities announced that restrictions would be lifted within hours and normal operations could gradually resume.

In Caracas, the sudden removal of Maduro created immediate political uncertainty. Venezuela’s Supreme Court ordered Vice-President Delcy Rodriguez to assume the role of interim President, saying the decision was aimed at guaranteeing administrative continuity and the defence of the state. Under the constitution, Rodriguez is next in line in the president’s absence.

However, confusion persists over the balance of power. Rodriguez appeared on state television alongside senior figures from Maduro’s inner circle, asserting that Maduro remains Venezuela’s only President, even as international reactions poured in. While some Western leaders welcomed the end of Maduro’s rule, others warned that the U.S. action risked violating international law and destabilising Latin America. As Maduro prepares to face court proceedings in New York, Venezuela enters a tense and uncertain phase with its leadership and future direction unresolved.