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'Like a TV show': Donald Trump says he watched Maduro's capture live
This comes after US strikes in Venezuela’s Caracas, and an Army Delta Force team flew Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, out of the country.
US President Donald Trump said on Saturday that he watched live as US special forces captured Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro in a daring raid, saying it looked "like a television show”.
This comes after US strikes in Venezuela’s Caracas. An Army Delta Force team flew Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, out of the country in a raid, sending the region into turmoil.
"I mean, I watched it, literally, like I was watching a television show. And if you would have seen the speed, the violence," Trump said in a telephone interview with Fox News.
He also lauded the “professionalism” of the US armed forces. “I've never seen anything like this. I was able to watch it in real-time, and I watched every aspect of it. It was amazing to see the professionalism — the quality of leadership... amazing," he added.
Earlier in the day, Donald Trump confirmed the US strikes on Venezuela and that the country's President Nicolas Maduro was “captured”, through a post on Truth Social. Trump stated that the operation was conducted in conjunction with US law enforcement.
"The United States of America has successfully carried out a large-scale strike against Venezuela and its leader, President Nicolas Maduro, who has been, along with his wife, captured and flown out of the Country. This operation was done in conjunction with US Law Enforcement. Details to follow. There will be a News Conference today at 11 AM at Mar-a-Lago. Thank you for your attention to this matter! President DONALD J. TRUMP," the US President posted on Truth Social," he had said in the post.
US Attorney General Pamela Bondi later announced that Maduro had been charged with Narco-Terrorism and would face US justice.
"Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, have been indicted in the Southern District of New York. Nicolas Maduro has been charged with Narco-Terrorism Conspiracy, Cocaine Importation Conspiracy, Possession of Machineguns and Destructive Devices, and Conspiracy to Possess Machineguns and Destructive Devices against the United States. They will soon face the full wrath of American justice on American soil in American courts. On behalf of the entire U.S. DOJ, I would like to thank President Trump for having the courage to demand accountability on behalf of the American People, and a huge thank you to our brave military who conducted the incredible and highly successful mission to capture these two alleged international Narco- traffickers," Bondi wrote on X.
"We were surrounded by lots of people, including Generals and they knew everything that was happening. It was extremely complex- the whole manoeuvre -- the landing, number of aircraft, helicopters, different kinds of fighter jets. They just broke in, and into places which were not really able to broke into," he added.
'We can't take a chance…'
Trump also said the US wants liberty for the people of the South American country. Asked what's next for Venezuela after Maduro would face charges in the US, Trump told Fox News, "We can't take a chance of letting somebody else run and just take over where he left off... We want liberty for the people."
He said that the people of Venezuela were very happy with the action. "Tremendous number of people were being killed through drugs and what they did to our country in sending prisoners, people from mental institutions, drug lords. They sent hundreds and thousands of people and that is just unforgivable."
