Donald Trump has cautioned Venezuela’s new president Delcy Rodríguez that she could “face significant consequences, likely more severe than Maduro” if she “fails to act appropriately”.

His remarks to US publication The Atlantic arose as the ousted president Nicolás Maduro was to make an appearance in a New York court on Monday.

The US charges Maduro, who faces accusations of drug trafficking and arms violations, with operating a “narco-terrorist” state, a claim he refutes.

Rodríguez – who was Maduro’s vice president – took a gentler tone during her inaugural cabinet meeting on Sunday, extending an offer of collaboration with the US.

“We welcome the US government to work together with us on a collaborative agenda aiming for mutual development within the scope of international law,” she stated.

Supported by Venezuela’s Supreme Court and the military, she will be inaugurated as president on Monday in Caracas, at 08:00 local time (12:00 GMT).

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has stressed that the US is not waging war against Venezuela, following air strikes in Caracas on Saturday that resulted in the capture of Maduro and his wife, who were then relocated to the US.

Some Democratic legislators described the operation as an “act of war”.

In an interview with The Atlantic on Sunday, Trump remarked on Rodríguez: “If she fails to act correctly, she will face significant consequences, possibly even worse than Maduro.”

He added that for Venezuela, “Regime change, or however you want to label it, is preferable to what currently exists. It can’t get worse.”

On Saturday, Trump had committed that the US would “manage” the nation until “a secure, proper, and thoughtful transition” could be achieved.

Trump also asserted that US oil firms would enter the country to repair infrastructure “and initiate generating revenue for the nation”.

Despite the assertions made by the US president, Maduro’s supporters remain in control.

The Cuban government reported that 32 “valiant Cuban soldiers” lost their lives during the US forces’ raid that led to the apprehension of Maduro and his spouse. Cuba – a longstanding socialist ally of Maduro – declared two days of national mourning.

In multiple television interviews on Sunday morning, Rubio reiterated support for the US’s military engagement in Venezuela, emphasizing it does not signify that the US is at war with the South American nation.

“We are in conflict with drug trafficking syndicates. That does not equate to a war against Venezuela,” Rubio informed NBC’s Meet the Press on Sunday morning.

The Secretary of State also conveyed to CBS that if Venezuela does not “make the right choices”, the US “will maintain various forms of influence to ensure that our interests are safeguarded”.

This includes the “quarantine” imposed by the US on Venezuelan oil, he stated.

“We’re going to assess everything based on their actions, and we will observe what they do,” he added.

Trump also issued threats towards Colombia, speaking to journalists aboard Air Force One.

He did not dismiss the possibility of military measures against Colombia, expressing that “it sounds appealing to me”, and labeled Colombian President Gustavo Petro as “a disturbed individual”.

“Colombia is extremely unwell, too, governed by a deranged individual who enjoys producing cocaine and selling it in the United States, and he won’t be able to do it for long,” Trump stated.

Maduro, who heads the United Socialist Party of Venezuela and has held power since 2013, has been accused multiple times of suppressing opposition factions and silencing dissent in Venezuela, occasionally through violent means.

He is broadly viewed by adversaries both domestically and internationally as having illegitimately secured victory in Venezuela’s 2024 elections.

Venezuela’s leftist leader and his spouse, Cilia Flores, were apprehended at their residence and flown to the US, as part of a dramatic special forces operation in the early hours of Saturday that involved strikes on military installations.

The couple has since been charged with arms and drug-related offences and are due to appear in a New York court on Monday.

Maduro has denied being involved with drug cartels and has accused the US of utilizing its “war on drugs” as a pretext to attempt to overthrow him and acquire Venezuela’s oil resources.

While US officials have stated that no American soldiers were harmed during the operations, Venezuela’s Defence Minister Vladimir Padrino claimed that a “significant portion” of Maduro’s security force, along with “soldiers and innocent civilians” were killed in the US mission.

When queried why congressional approval was not sought prior to the US operation in Venezuela, Rubio explained to ABC that it “wasn’t necessary as this wasn’t an invasion”.

He classified it as a “law enforcement operation” and stated that Maduro was taken into custody on-site by FBI agents.

You cannot inform Congress of an operation of this nature because “it will leak”, he added.

In conversations with US media, Rubio was asked if the US acknowledges Rodríguez as the rightful president of Venezuela.

He replied that “this isn’t about the legitimate president” since the US does not perceive the regime as legitimate.

Numerous Democratic legislators have criticized the administration’s actions.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries remarked that the covert military operation, which took place without congressional authorization, “was not merely a narcotics operation”.

“It was an act of war,” Jeffries stated during NBC’s Meet the Press.

“This was a military endeavor involving Delta Force, the army, clearly involving thousands of personnel, utilizing at least 150 military aircraft, possibly involving numerous ships off the shores of Venezuela and South America.”

Jim Himes, the highest-ranking Democrat on the House intelligence committee, informed CBS Face the Nation that he had received “no outreach” from the Trump administration, adding “no Democrat that I’m aware of has had any outreach”.

In an interview with ABC This Week, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer questioned the legality of the US operation.

Schumer indicated that while he considers Maduro to be a terrible figure, “You don’t address lawlessness with further lawlessness”.

“We’ve learned over the years that when America attempts regime change and nation building in this manner, the American people bear the consequences in terms of both blood and dollars,” Schumer commented.

Both Schumer and Jeffries pledged to support a resolution which, if passed by both legislative chambers, would prevent Trump from taking any further action in Venezuela without Congressional consent.

In a joint statement, the governments of Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Uruguay, and Spain asserted that the military interventions by the US “constitute an exceedingly perilous precedent for peace and regional stability and jeopardize the civilian population”.

Further reporting by Laurence Peter

In the wake of the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, Donald Trump has emphatically underscored his conviction in the strength of his will, supported by sheer U.S. military might. By his directive, Maduro is now incarcerated, and the U.S. will “manage” the situation in Venezuela.

The U.S. president declared this in a striking news conference with significant ramifications for global U.S. foreign policy, held at his club and residence in Florida, Mar-a-Lago. Trump stated the U.S. would oversee Venezuela “until we can facilitate a safe, proper, and prudent transition”.

He noted that Secretary of State Marco Rubio had communicated with Venezuelan Vice-President Delcy Rodríguez, who conveyed “we’ll do whatever you require… She seemed gracious, but she genuinely has no alternative”.

Trump was vague on specifics, saying that “we’re not hesitant about boots on the ground should it be necessary.”

But does he genuinely think he can govern Venezuela from afar? Will this assertion to support rhetoric with military action, which was positively received at Mar-a-Lago by both Rubio and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, suffice to transform Venezuela and compel Latin American leaders to comply?

It would seem he harbors some belief in that possibility.

Evidence indicates the endeavor will face significant challenges.

The reputable think tank, the International Crisis Group, cautioned in October that Maduro’s ouster could instigate violence and instability in Venezuela.

In the same month, The New York Times revealed that defense and diplomatic officials from Trump’s initial administration had conducted scenarios regarding the aftermath of Maduro’s fall. Their conclusion pointed to a likelihood of violent disorder as armed groups vied for control.

The elimination and imprisonment of Nicolás Maduro represents a notable demonstration of American military strength.

The U.S. mobilized a substantial naval force and achieved its objective without incurring any American casualties.

Maduro disregarded the wishes of the Venezuelan populace by dismissing his own electoral loss, and undoubtedly, many citizens will welcome his exit.

However, the ramifications of U.S. actions will resonate far beyond Venezuela’s borders.

The atmosphere at the Mar-a-Lago news conference was celebratory, as they acknowledged the success of what was clearly a well-executed operation by highly trained U.S. military forces.

This military initiative is only the initial phase.

America’s track record of achieving regime change through military force over the past 30 years has been dismal.

The subsequent political maneuvers determine the outcome of such interventions.

Iraq plunged into a horrific disaster following the U.S. invasion in 2003. In Afghanistan, two decades of investments in nation-building evaporated in days after the U.S. withdrawal in 2021.

Neither nation was close to America’s borders.

The haunting memories of past interventions in Latin America, coupled with the looming threat of future ones, offer little optimism.

Trump introduced a new term, the Donroe Doctrine, in reference to President James Monroe’s declaration in 1823 warning other nations not to interfere in the U.S.’s sphere of influence in the Western Hemisphere.

“The Monroe Doctrine has substantial importance, but we’ve far surpassed it,” Trump remarked at Mar-a-Lago. “With our new national security approach, American supremacy in the Western Hemisphere will never be questioned again.”

He indicated that Colombia’s President, Gustavo Petro, ought to “be cautious”.

Later, he informed Fox News that “something must be addressed regarding Mexico”.

Cuba is certainly also on the U.S. agenda, influenced by Rubio, whose family background is Cuban-American.

The U.S. has a longstanding history of military intervention in Latin America.

I was present in Haiti in 1994 when President Bill Clinton deployed 25,000 troops and two aircraft carriers to enforce regime change. At that time, the Haitian government fell without a shot fired. However, the subsequent 30 years have been characterized by almost uninterrupted suffering for the Haitian populace. Haiti is currently a failed state dominated by armed factions.

Donald Trump spoke of restoring Venezuela to greatness, but did not mention democracy. He dismissed the notion that María Corina Machado, the Venezuelan opposition leader who received the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize, should take the reins of the country.

“I believe it would be extremely difficult for her to lead, as she lacks support… She doesn’t have the respect,” he asserted.

He overlooked Edmundo González, whom many Venezuelans consider the rightful victor of the 2024 elections.

For now, the U.S. is backing Maduro’s Vice-President Delcy Rodríguez.

While there must have been some level of internal cooperation that provided U.S. military with the necessary intelligence to oust Maduro, the system established by his predecessor, Hugo Chávez, appears to remain intact.

It is doubtful that the Venezuelan military, regardless of any disgrace its leaders may feel for their failure to oppose the U.S. incursion, will comply with American intentions.

The military and the regime’s civilian backers have prospered through corrupt networks that they will be reluctant to relinquish.

Civilians armed by the regime, along with various other militant factions, further complicate the situation.

These groups include criminal organizations and Colombian guerrillas who supported the Maduro administration in exchange for asylum.

The U.S. intervention in Venezuela sharply highlights some essential aspects of Trump’s worldview.

He is unabashed in his desire for the mineral riches of other nations.

He has previously sought to gain benefits from Ukraine’s resources in exchange for military support.

Trump is transparent about his intentions to seize Venezuela’s vast mineral assets, as well as his belief that U.S. oil firms were deprived when the oil sector was nationalized.

“We are going to extract vast wealth from the ground, and this wealth will benefit the people of Venezuela, along with those from abroad who once were in Venezuela, and it will also go to the United States of America as reimbursement.”

This will likely amplify anxieties in Greenland and Denmark regarding his potential interest in the north as well as the south.

The U.S. continues to harbor ambitions of claiming Greenland for its strategic location in the Arctic and the accessible natural resources becoming available due to melting ice from global warming.

The Maduro operation signifies yet another substantial setback for the notion that global governance should adhere to an agreed framework of rules, as established by international law.

The principle was already in tatters before Trump’s presidency, but he has shown time and again, both domestically and internationally, that he believes he can disregard laws that do not align with his preferences.

European allies, eager to avoid his ire, including Prime Minister Keir Starmer, are grappling with how to express support for international law while simultaneously condemning the Maduro operation as a flagrant breach of the United Nations Charter.

The U.S.’s rationale that its military was simply assisting in the execution of an arrest warrant for a drug lord posing as Venezuela’s president is flimsy, particularly in light of Trump’s assertions that the U.S. will now oversee the nation and its oil sector.

Just hours prior to the detention of Maduro and his spouse, he met with Chinese diplomats at his palace in Caracas.

China condemned the U.S. action, stating that “the hegemonic behaviors of the U.S. severely violate international law and Venezuela’s sovereignty, posing threats to peace and security in Latin America and the Caribbean”.

The U.S. ought to “cease compromising other nations’ sovereignty and security”.

Conversely, China might recognize a precedent established by this U.S. move.

It views Taiwan as a breakaway province and has declared that its reunification with Beijing is a national priority.

In Washington, this fear is notably shared by the Democratic vice-chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, Senator Mark Warner. He issued a statement observing that China’s leaders and others will be watching closely.

“If the United States claims the right to employ military force to invade and seize foreign leaders it accuses of criminal behavior, what prevents China from asserting the same authority over Taiwan’s leadership? What stops [Russian President] Vladimir Putin from claiming similar rationale to capture Ukraine’s president? Once this threshold is crossed, the constraints that maintain global order begin to disintegrate, and authoritarian regimes will be the first to capitalize on this.”

Donald Trump appears to believe he establishes the rules, and what applies to the U.S. under his leadership does not mean others should expect the same privileges.

However, this is not how power dynamics function globally.

His actions at the onset of 2026 hint at another year of international upheaval.

For several months, American intelligence operatives had been surveilling the Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro’s actions.

A select group, which included a source from the Venezuelan government, had been tracking the 63-year-old’s sleeping arrangements, dietary habits, wardrobe choices, and even, as noted by senior military officials, “his pets”.

Then, in early December, a carefully orchestrated mission known as “Operation Absolute Resolve” was finalised. This was the culmination of months of detailed planning and rehearsals, which included elite US forces crafting a precise full-scale model of Maduro’s secure residence in Caracas to practice their access tactics.

The strategy – representing a remarkable US military intervention in Latin America not witnessed since the Cold War – was kept under wraps. Lawmakers were neither notified nor consulted prior to the operation. With the exact plans in place, senior military leaders simply needed to bide their time for the ideal moment to proceed.

They aimed to enhance the element of surprise, officials indicated on Saturday. There was a false start four days prior when President Trump gave the green light, but they chose to delay for improved weather and clearer skies.

“Throughout the weeks leading up to Christmas and the New Year, the personnel of the United States military were on standby, patiently awaiting the right conditions to be met and for the president to instruct us to act,” General Dan Caine, the highest-ranking military official in the country, remarked at a press briefing on Saturday morning.

The directive from the president to initiate the operation finally arrived at 22:46 EDT on Friday. “We intended to proceed with this four days ago, three days ago, two days ago, and then suddenly the circumstances changed. And we said: Go,” Trump conveyed to Fox & Friends on Saturday in the hours following the overnight incursion.

“He expressed to us, and we are thankful… good luck and Godspeed,” Gen Caine stated. Trump’s order was issued just before midnight in Caracas, granting the military a significant portion of the night to function in darkness.

What transpired was a two-hour and twenty-minute operation via air, land, and sea that left many in Washington and across the globe astonished. In terms of magnitude and accuracy, it was nearly unprecedented. It also drew swift condemnation from numerous regional leaders, with Brazil’s President Lula da Silva stating that the aggressive apprehension of Venezuela’s leader established “yet another extremely hazardous precedent for the entire international community”.

Trump did not monitor the operation from the White House situation room. Rather, he was accompanied by his advisers at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, where he observed a live feed of the mission alongside CIA Director John Ratcliffe and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

“It was remarkable to witness,” Trump remarked on Saturday. “If you had viewed what took place, I mean, I literally watched it as if I were seeing a television program. And if you had seen the speed, the ferocity… it was just, it was an incredible event, a tremendous job accomplished by these individuals.”

In recent months, a significant number of US troops have been dispatched to the area, joining an aircraft carrier and numerous warships in the largest military buildup in many years, as President Trump has accused Maduro of drug trafficking and narco-terrorism while destroying multiple small vessels allegedly transporting drugs through the region.

However, the initial indicators of Operation Absolute Resolve were identified in the airspace. More than 150 aircraft – comprising bombers, fighter jets, and reconnaissance planes – were eventually utilized throughout the night, said US officials.

“It was highly complicated, incredibly complex, the entire maneuver, the landings, the quantity of aircraft,” Trump told Fox News. “We had a fighter jet prepared for every conceivable scenario.”

Loud detonations were reported in Caracas around 02:00 local time, and thick smoke was visible rising over the city. “I heard an enormous noise, a loud explosion,” reported Ana Vanessa Herrero to the BBC. “It rattled all the windows. Immediately afterward, I witnessed a massive cloud of smoke that nearly obscured all visibility.”

“Aircraft and helicopters were soaring all over the city,” she said.

Shortly thereafter, videos depicting various aircraft in the skies – along with others showing the apparent aftermath of explosions – began to spread widely across social media. One captured a convoy of helicopters skimming low over Caracas as smoke billowed from identifiable blasts.

“We awoke around 01:55 to the sound of explosions and the buzz of planes overhead in Caracas,” a witness named Daniela recounted to the BBC. “Everything was thrown into total darkness, lit only by the flashes from nearby explosions.”

“Neighbors were texting in the community group chat, all puzzled and unaware of what was occurring [and] terrified by the blasts,” she added.

BBC Verify has investigated a variety of videos depicting blasts, fire, and smoke in different areas of Caracas to pinpoint which locations were attacked.

Thus far, it has confirmed five sites, including Generalissimo Francisco de Miranda Air Base, an airfield known as La Carlota, and Port La Guaira, which serves as Caracas’ main passage to the Caribbean Sea.

Some of the US attacks focused on air defense systems and additional military objectives, officials indicated. Trump also hinted at the US disabling the power in Caracas prior to the operation, though he did not provide specifics.

“The lights of Caracas were mostly extinguished due to a specific expertise we possess,” he stated. “It was dark and it was lethal.”

As the strikes echoed across Caracas, US forces advanced into the city. This included members of the elite Delta Force, the US military’s premier special operations unit, sources relayed to CBS, a US affiliate of the BBC. They were heavily armed and carried a blowtorch in case they needed to breach the metal doors of Maduro’s safe shelter.

The troops reached Maduro’s site shortly after the strikes commenced at 02:01 local time, according to General Caine. Trump characterized the safe house as a heavily fortified military “stronghold” situated in the heart of Caracas. “They were on high alert, anticipating our arrival. They were aware we were coming,” he remarked.

The troops encountered gunfire upon their arrival, and one of the American helicopters was struck but managed to continue flying. “The apprehension unit infiltrated Maduro’s compound and acted with speed, accuracy, and discipline,” General Caine described.

“They simply broke in, overcoming barriers that were designed specifically to prevent entry, such as steel doors placed explicitly for this very purpose,” Trump stated.

It was only as the mission – which also resulted in the capture of Maduro’s wife, Cilia Flores – was unfolding that Secretary of State Rubio began to inform Congress about the operation, a choice that has incited frustration among some lawmakers.

“Let me be clear: Nicolas Maduro is an illegitimate dictator. However, initiating military action without congressional approval and without a solid strategy for what follows is irresponsible,” stated leading Democrat Chuck Schumer, head of the Senate party.

Advising Congress in advance would have jeopardized the operation, Rubio informed reporters at the Saturday press conference. “Congress tends to leak information,” Trump added. “This would not be favorable.”

In Maduro’s complex, as elite American forces surged in, Trump noted that the Venezuelan president – who has reportedly enhanced his dependence on Cuban security personnel recently – tried to escape to a secure room. “He was attempting to reach a safe area, which was not actually safe, because we would have breached the door in about 47 seconds,” he remarked.

“He reached the door but could not shut it,” Trump explained. “He was overwhelmed so quickly that he didn’t manage to get into that [room].”

When queried whether the US could have killed Maduro, an authoritarian figure who assumed the presidency in 2013, had he resisted capture, Trump replied: “It could have occurred.” He mentioned that “a couple of individuals were hit” on the US side, but no American military personnel lost their lives. Venezuelan authorities have yet to verify any casualties.

The US had previously offered a reward of $50 million for information leading to Maduro’s capture. However, by 04:20 local time on Saturday, helicopters were departing Venezuelan airspace with Maduro and his wife aboard, under the custody of the Department of Justice and bound for New York, where they are anticipated to face criminal charges.

Almost exactly an hour later, Trump communicated the news of his capture to the public. “Maduro and his wife will soon confront the full force of American justice,” he stated.

With additional reporting from Cristobal Vasquez