Trump’s announcement followed a predawn raid in which commandos grabbed Maduro and his wife while air strikes pounded sites in and around Caracas. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro is escorted down a hallway at the offices of the US Drug Enforcement Administration in New York on Saturday. Trump said he was “designating people” from his Cabinet to be in charge in Venezuela, but gave no further details. One aspect that became clearer was Trump’s interest in Venezuela’s vast oil reserves. Trump was surprisingly cold about expectations that Machado could become Venezuela’s new leader, saying she does not have “support or respect” there.

Source: Taipei Times January 04, 2026 16:01 UTC