In the early hours of Saturday, January 3, the United States conducted air strikes in Venezuela, causing significant repercussions globally.
In a covert operation that lacked prior notification to British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, US forces seized Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores from their Fort Tiuna military base in Caracas, transporting them to the US.
The aftermath of the mission, which reportedly resulted in the deaths of over 40 civilians and military personnel, saw the ousted Maduro detained at the Metropolitan Detention Centre in Brooklyn. He is awaiting a court appearance in Manhattan, facing charges including Narco-Terrorism Conspiracy.
The White House’s response to this serious development has been notably informal, with the sharing of celebratory memes, one of which featured the slogan “FAFO” alongside an image of President Trump. The acronym, meaning “f*** around and find out,” was used by US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth during a press briefing discussing Maduro.
The escalation leading to the invasion traces back to tensions that have been mounting between the US and Venezuela since Trump’s return to office a year ago. The Trump administration has consistently refused to acknowledge Maduro as Venezuela’s legitimate leader and had previously offered a reward of $50 million for his capture.
The situation intensified in September when US forces started targeting ships suspected of smuggling drugs into the US from South America. According to BBC News, over 30 operations have been conducted in the Caribbean and the Pacific, resulting in more than 110 fatalities.
Trump has accused Maduro of being a prominent figure in the ‘Cartel de los Soles’ drug cartel, alleging drug trafficking into the US. Despite lacking evidence to support these claims, Trump emphasized the success of the operation in curbing drug flows into the country.
The US President reiterated his stance in an interview, highlighting concerns about migrants and criminals entering the US from Venezuela. Maduro has refuted these allegations, claiming the US aims to exploit Venezuela’s oil reserves, the largest in the world, exceeding 300 billion barrels.
The Venezuelan government has condemned the US actions, accusing them of targeting the country’s resources for their benefit. Trump has expressed intentions for significant US involvement in Venezuela’s oil industry, suggesting that his administration will oversee the country until a transition is secured.
This move is seen as an opportunity for Trump to exert influence in Latin America and reshape the region, aligning with his policies. Maduro is set to face multiple charges related to drug trafficking and arms dealings in a federal court appearance next week.
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