WASHINGTON DC: Former US President Donald Trump has said that American forces carried out strikes in Venezuela and detained President Nicolás Maduro.
Maduro and his wife have reportedly arrived at Stewart Air National Guard Base in New York. Earlier, Trump released an image showing Maduro blindfolded aboard the USS Iwo Jima.
Trump stated that the United States intends to oversee Venezuela “until a safe, orderly and carefully managed transition can take place.”
However, analyst Tom Bateman writes that Trump’s remarks suggest the focus is less on restoring democracy and more on gaining control over Venezuela’s oil resources.
In a televised address, Venezuelan Vice-President Delcy Rodríguez rejected the US claims, insisting that Nicolás Maduro remains the country’s legitimate president.
Maduro has been indicted in New York on drug trafficking and weapons-related charges, allegations he has consistently denied, including claims that he leads a drug cartel.
In response, Venezuela has declared a national emergency, condemning what it described as an “extremely serious military escalation” by the United States.
(Inputs from BBC)
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