As Nicolas Maduro counts his first hours in United States (U.S.) custody, the political situation in Venezuela is becoming increasingly confusing. U.S. President Donald Trump has laid out plans that surprised many analysts, announcing direct U.S. administration over the country while at the same time rejecting the long-standing opposition leader.
“The U.S. will run the country”
On Saturday, Trump stated that the U.S. would “run the country until we can carry out a safe, proper, and reasonable transition.” Although he did not specify details, he emphasized that it would be a “group effort.”
The biggest surprise is the role of Delcy Rodriguez, the current vice president of Venezuela and one of Maduro’s most loyal associates.
Legal maneuver: In the meantime, Venezuela’s Supreme Court appointed Rodriguez as interim president.
Secret negotiations: Trump claims that Secretary of State Marco Rubio has already spoken with her and that she expressed readiness to do “whatever the U.S. asks.”
Public performance: Contrary to Trump’s claims, Rodriguez appeared on state television with sharp rhetoric, demanding Maduro’s release and calling him “the only president.”
Trump turns his back on the opposition
In an unexpected geopolitical turn, Trump said that he had not spoken with opposition leader Maria Corina Machado. He described her as a person who “has neither the support nor the respect within Venezuela to become its leader.”
This is a direct blow to the opposition, given that Machado rallied enormous support for Edmundo Gonzalez in the 2024 elections; the results suggest he won by a landslide. Machado had earlier called on Gonzalez to take power, but Trump’s stance now complicates their plans.
Maduro’s journey: From Iwo Jima to Brooklyn
While a struggle for power is unfolding in Caracas, Nicolas Maduro has traveled the path from the presidential palace to a prison cell.
Arrest and transfer: After a Delta Force operation, he was transported by helicopter to the U.S. aircraft carrier USS Iwo Jima, where a photograph was taken that Trump shared on the Truth Social network.
Flight to New York: Via Cuba, he was transferred to the U.S.
DEA and detention: Upon landing, he was taken to the DEA offices in Manhattan, and footage recorded his arrival under heavy escort.
He is currently being held at the notorious Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) in Brooklyn, a prison known for housing high-profile inmates.
Maduro is expected to appear in court as early as Monday, where he will face charges of narco-terrorism and drug and weapons trafficking. Although he previously denied being a cartel leader, he will now have to present that defense before a U.S. judge.
