By Abdullahi Mukhtar Algasgaini
A U.S. military operation to apprehend Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro resulted in airstrikes across the country on Saturday, killing and injuring an undetermined number of Venezuelan civilians and military personnel.
The attacks have drawn international condemnation and plunged the nation deeper into crisis.
The strikes, which targeted locations including the capital Caracas, successfully led to the capture of Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. They have been flown to New York to be held in a Manhattan prison. The mission has polarized U.S. politics, with Democrats roundly criticizing President Donald Trump’s decision.
Venezuela’s government declared a state of emergency, condemning the action as “imperialist aggression.” The European Union stated it is closely monitoring the volatile situation.
The airstrikes mark an escalation of prolonged U.S. pressure on Venezuela. In preceding months, U.S. operations against vessels allegedly linked to Venezuelan drug trafficking had already resulted in multiple deaths at sea.
The incident occurs against a backdrop of severe domestic violence in Venezuela, where state security forces have long been implicated in extrajudicial killings and crackdowns.