Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife have been indicted in the United States.
This was reported by the US Attorney General Pamela Bondi.
Among the charges: narco-terrorism, cocaine importation, illegal possession of machine guns and explosives, and conspiracy against the United States.
Meanwhile, CNN sources said that Maduro and his wife were seized in the middle of the night while they were sleeping. NYT sources said that their whereabouts were discovered thanks to stealth drones.
The US Vice President J.D. Vance said that President Donald Trump offered “several options for dealing with the situation” before the United States finally overthrew Maduro and launched a massive strike on Caracas.
Trump told Fox News that he watched Maduroʼs capture in real time, like a "television show".
"We had a room, and we watched everything that was happening. We were surrounded by a lot of people, including generals, and they knew everything that was happening. And it was very difficult, extremely difficult," the US president said.
He said the military broke down a steel door and carried out the operation “in a matter of seconds”. He also said Maduro and his wife were taken aboard the USS Iwo Jima, which is patrolling the Caribbean Sea. According to ABC News, Maduro is to be taken to New York for trial.
Trump added that no American service members were killed, but suggested that some were injured when their helicopter was attacked.
The American president also stated that Washington will decide what to do next with Venezuela.
"We will be actively involved in resolving the issue of who will run the country. We cannot take the risk of letting someone else run and simply taking over what he left behind," Trump said.
Reuters, citing sources, wrote that Venezuelan Vice President Rodriguez is in Russia. The Russian Foreign Ministry called this news "fake".
The US operation in Venezuela
At least seven explosions rocked Caracas, Venezuela, on the night of January 3. Several military installations in the country were targeted on the orders of US President Donald Trump, including the La Carlota and Fuerte Tiuna air bases, the La Guaira seaport, the home of the defense minister, and the El Volcán signal antenna.
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has declared a state of emergency across the country. At least 11 facilities are estimated to have been attacked, including the parliament building. CNN reported that the US Senate Defense Committee was not informed of the operation in advance.
According to Trump, Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores were detained and taken out of the country to the United States.
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