Sudden attack shocks the world, Trump: The United States will temporarily "take over" Venezuela

President Donald Trump held a press conference at his private residence, Mar-a-Lago in Florida, announcing that the United States has launched a large-scale raid on Venezuela, successfully capturing President Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores, and stating that the US will temporarily take over the governance of Venezuela.

Trump emphasized that the United States will “manage this country until we can achieve a safe, appropriate, and cautious transition of power.” He did not disclose specific methods of takeover or future leadership candidates but pointed out that the US will govern jointly with “a team” and “appoint various personnel” to assist in operations.

The military operation was successful and described by the US as “one of the most shocking military exercises in history.”

Trump praised the operation as “one of the most astonishing, effective, and powerful displays in US military history.” He proudly stated, “No US soldiers were killed, no US equipment was damaged, and a large number of helicopters, aircraft, and personnel were used.”

According to Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine, more than 150 military aircraft were mobilized, taking off simultaneously from across the Americas, successfully achieving a tactical surprise, and deploying US intervention forces into the city center of Caracas, Venezuela, accomplishing the primary mission.

Maduro and his wife have been transferred to the US; both have already been indicted in the Southern District of New York federal court on drug trafficking charges. Trump stated that Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez has sworn in as acting president and is in contact with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

Trump said, “She is basically willing to cooperate with our plan to make Venezuela great again.” However, there are doubts whether Rodríguez genuinely supports US actions.

Rubio admitted that the military operation was not pre-communicated to Congress, sparking dissatisfaction and legal questions from many Democratic lawmakers.

Congress and academia strongly oppose: Will this repeat the Iraq tragedy?

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer sharply condemned Trump for launching military action without congressional authorization, calling it “reckless,” and warned, “Trump now plans to ‘govern’ Venezuela, which should make all Americans uneasy. We have experienced this before and paid a painful price.”

International law and conflict resolution expert and Notre Dame Law School professor Mary Ellen O’Connell compared this operation to the 2003 US invasion of Iraq.

She stated, “Trump’s initial intention to combat drug crimes is commendable, but the current actions in Venezuela are not effective.” She emphasized that successful nations require “independent judiciary, fair judicial systems, and respect for the rule of law,” which are fundamental principles that Trump’s actions violate.

Unclear developments ahead; Venezuela may fall into chaos

The US has not yet announced specific next steps or clarified which international or local forces it will cooperate with to govern Venezuela. Although Trump claims this is a “safe and orderly” regime change process, the international community and domestic and foreign experts are skeptical about its long-term stability and legality.

O’Connell bluntly said, “If history is any guide, the future of Venezuela is likely to follow Iraq’s path, heading toward chaos.”

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