U.S. forces yanked Venezuela’s leader from power overnight, and President Donald Trump quickly claimed Washington will run the country and sell its oil, according to The Associated Press.
Trump said the U.S. will temporarily govern Venezuela after troops captured Nicolás Maduro and flew him to New York to face federal drug-trafficking charges. He framed the operation as a blow against narco-terrorism and a chance to fix Venezuela’s oil industry.
The surprise military raid sparked explosions in Caracas, killed Venezuelan civilians and soldiers, and triggered protests at home and celebrations among exiles abroad. Legal experts and members of Congress immediately questioned the operation’s legality, which lacked congressional approval.
The U.N. Security Council plans an emergency meeting as global backlash builds.
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