Trump Announces Major Victory in Venezuelan Drug War |
President Donald Trump celebrated the capture of Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela, explaining how U.S. forces extradited the dictator and brought him to the U.S. to face narcoterrorism charges.
“All Venezuelan military capacities were rendered powerless,” as U.S. forces “successfully captured Maduro in the dead of night,” he announced.
Trump said both Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, had been captured and would face legal charges in the Southern District of New York.
He called the operation “one of the most stunning, effective, and powerful displays of American military might and competence in American history.”
“It was an assault against a heavily fortified military fortress in the heart of Caracas,” Venezuela’s capital. He said no operation like it has been “seen since World War II.”
“Not a single American service member was killed and not a single piece of American equipment was lost,” Trump added.
.@POTUS: "We're going to make sure it's run properly. We're going to rebuild the oil infrastructure… We're going to make sure the people that were forced out of Venezuela by this thug are also taken care of." pic.twitter.com/NB6J9UJdhr
The president announced that the United States would “run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper, and judicious transition.”
“We want peace, liberty, and justice for the great people of Venezuela,” he added. “We can’t take a chance that somebody else takes over Venezuela that doesn’t have the good of the people of Venezuela in mind.”
TRUMP: "Maduro is finally gone and Venezuela people are free." pic.twitter.com/5XCSt0tGBV
He said U.S. forces were ready to stage a second and larger attack, but that seems unnecessary at this point.
“Will make the people of Venezuela rich, independent, and safe,” Trump pledged. He said the operation is part of his policy of “reasserting American power in a very powerful way.”
The president did not rule out ground forces, saying, “We’re not afraid of boots on the ground.”
He mentioned Jocelyn Nungaray, a 12-year-old girl who was sexually assaulted and killed in Houston, Texas, in 2024. Two illegal immigrants from Venezuela face murder and kidnapping charges in the case.
“Now Maduro will never again be able to threaten an American citizen,” Trump said.
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