Trump's Aggressive Strategy Against Venezuela: The Capture of Maduro

Mon Jan 05 2026 00:35:09 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

In a significant escalation, President Trump claims the U.S. will 'run' Venezuela following the capture of Nicolás Maduro amid drug trafficking allegations. This analysis explores the motivations behind the U.S. action and its implications for U.S.-Venezuela relations.

U.S. forces have taken action against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, leading Trump to assert that the U.S. will manage the country until a controlled transition can be established. This intervention follows accusations against Maduro regarding drug smuggling and a migrant crisis fueled by his government's economic policies. The situation raises important questions about U.S. motives and the legality of military actions taken under the guise of drug enforcement.

US President Donald Trump says the US is going to 'run' Venezuela 'until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition.'

This declaration comes after US forces captured Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, who has been indicted on drug charges in New York.

The US strikes on Venezuela followed a pressure campaign against the Maduro government, which the Trump administration claims is responsible for flooding the US with drugs and contributing to a migration crisis.

Trump has specifically blamed Maduro for the influx of Venezuelan migrants into the US, stating that many Venezuelans fled the economic crisis and repression since 2013, with some amid accusations of pushing out prisoners and the mentally ill to the US.

The Trump administration has accused criminal organizations associated with Maduro, namely the Tren de Aragua and Cartel de los Soles, of being involved in drug trafficking. The same administration has doubled the reward for information leading to Maduro's capture and designated the Maduro government as a terrorist organization.

Maduro has denied the allegations linking him to drug trafficking and has characterized US actions as attempts to control Venezuela's vast oil reserves. The US has structured a major military presence in the Caribbean in response to what they call narco-terrorism, despite criticisms regarding the legality of their actions and the focus on Venezuela as a drug trafficking haven.

Recent US military operations that have targeted vessels accused of carrying drugs have raised international scrutiny, especially given incidents of attacking what were non-combatant targets. Critics of Trump's policies argue that Venezuela's role in global drug trafficking is overstated, noting its proximity to Colombia, the world's largest cocaine producer.

Despite sanctions and a lack of investment in the oil sector severely crippling Venezuela's oil revenues, Maduro maintains claims of U.S. intention to seize control of Venezuela's natural resources amid geopolitical tensions.