Venezuela live updates: interim president offers to ‘collaborate’ with US after Trump warns of further strikes
Key eventsShow key events onlyPlease turn on JavaScript to use this featureA UK minister would not commit to stating whether his government believes the US capture of Venezuela’s president was prompted by the nation’s abundant oil reserves.Asked on Sky News for his thoughts on why Donald Trump had apprehended Nicolás Maduro and claimed America would “manage” Venezuela, Home Office minister Mike Tapp replied: “That is a question for Donald Trump to answer, and I believe he addressed that in his press conference, which I found interesting regarding narco-terrorism and the associated threat.”When pressed by the broadcaster about whether Venezuela’s significant oil wealth may have swayed the operation, Tapp stated: “At this moment, it’s not for me or the British government to delve into those specifics. The United States should clarify its legal justification for this operation.”Tapp also refrained from indicating whether the British government believed Washington had violated international law, emphasizing the necessity of having “all the facts” amidst the “fog of war”.ShareOil price tumbles following US assault on VenezuelaMarkets are reacting to the disruptions in Venezuela and US actions as investors flock to the security of gold and accumulate shares in defense firms. However, with Donald Trump prioritizing Venezuela’s oil resources in his plans for the country, crude oil prices are declining. You can track market responses on our business blog with my colleague, Graeme Wearden, here:ShareProsecutors assert that Nicolás Maduro leads a cartel of Venezuelan political and military figures who have conspired for many years alongside drug trafficking groups and US-designated terrorist entities to inundate America with vast amounts of cocaine.As reported by Reuters, Maduro was first indicted in 2020 amidst a long-standing narcotics trafficking inquiry involving current and former Venezuelan officials and Colombian guerrillas.In a newly unsealed indictment from Saturday, prosecutors claim that Maduro personally oversaw a state-sponsored cocaine trafficking operation that collaborated with some of the world’s most brutal and prolific drug trafficking organizations, including Mexico’s Sinaloa and Zetas cartels, the Colombian paramilitary group FARC, and the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua.Maduro faces charges of narco-terrorism, conspiracy to import cocaine, possession of automatic weapons and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess automatic weapons and destructive devices. If found guilty, he could face sentences ranging from decades to life in prison on each charge.Legal analysts indicated that prosecutors face a significant challenge, needing to provide evidence of Maduro’s direct involvement in drug trafficking to achieve a conviction.Maduro has denied all allegations and it may take several months before he is tried.ShareUpdated at 07.57 GMTNicolás Maduro is expected to appear in Manhattan federal court later today to confront narco-terrorism charges.Maduro, 63, and his spouse, Cilia Flores, are currently incarcerated in Brooklyn following their capture by US forces.They both are scheduled to appear at the hearing set for Noon EST (5pm GMT) presided over by US District Judge Alvin K Hellerstein.It remains uncertain if either of them has secured legal representation, or if they will submit pleas.ShareVenezuela’s president was apprehended, transported to the US, and now faces trial in New York. What implications does the bold removal of Nicolás Maduro hold for the nation – and the globe?Discover more in our podcast here:ShareUpdated at 07.21 GMTPetro tells Trump to ‘stop slandering meColombian president Gustavo Petro has dismissed threats from Donald Trump and the US president’s claims that he is a drug trafficker.Trump on Sunday warned Colombia of similar military action to the raid against Venezuela, asserting that Colombia was “run by a sick man who enjoys producing cocaine and selling it to the United States” but that he “will not be doing this for much longer”.Petro countered the accusations, stating his “name does not appear in court files”.“Stop slandering me, Mr. Trump,” Petro remarked on X on Sunday. That’s not how you intimidate a Latin American president who rose from armed conflict and the people of Colombia’s quest for Peace.Petro has vehemently condemned the military actions of the Trump administration in the region and accused Washington of abducting Maduro “without legal justification”, as reported by Agence France-Presse. In a subsequent post on X on Sunday, Petro added that “friends do not bomb”.ShareUpdated at 06.56 GMTAnalysis: European leaders appear divided in response to new global realitiesPatrick WintourEuropean leaders emerged fragmented and conflicted as they attempted to welcome the removal of Venezuela’s authoritarian president while still upholding principles of international law that do not seem to permit Donald Trump to seize Nicolás Maduro, let alone proclaim that the US will govern Venezuela and oversee its oil sector.Europe focused on the principle of a democratic transition, emphasizing that the continent has not recognized Maduro as Venezuela’s legitimate leader since what were widely perceived as illegitimate elections in June 2024.However, Trump’s dismissal of the Nobel prize-winning Venezuelan opposition leader, María Corina Machado, was somewhat awkward. Trump stated she lacked support or respect in Venezuela, though European leaders have supported her as a prominent opposition figure deserving of power.You can read the complete analysis here:ShareDonald Trump has threatened a second American strike on Venezuela if remaining members of its government do not cooperate with his initiatives to get the country “fixed”.In remarks made aboard Air Force One, the president also mentioned that the US is now “in charge” of Venezuela and praised the US forces involved in what he termed a “very perilous operation” to apprehend Maduro.‘We’re in charge’: Trump reinforces that the US will oversee Venezuela following Maduro’s removal – videoShareUpdated at 06.40 GMTKeir Starmer stated that when questioned whether he would denounce the US action in Venezuela, he wishes to wait to “establish the facts” and consult Donald Trump, while asserting that the UK would “shed no tears” over the fall of Maduro’s regime.However, some of the British prime minister’s own MPs have been more vocal, criticizing America’s actions as a violation of international law.Labour MP Kim Johnson questioned whether “we as a nation still advocate for international law and sovereignty,” while her colleague Richard Burgon referred to Starmer’s comments as “shameful and reckless”.Former shadow chancellor John McDonnell stated that “effectively our country has been rendered as a Trump colony,” accusing the government of “prevarication”.In a comment on X, Labour MP Clive Lewis observed of the US action: “A clear violation of the Nuremberg principles – which the UK helped establish. Now a [Labour government] won’t even uphold them. This silence isn’t diplomacy. It’s akin to waving a white flag.”ShareOpening summaryHello and welcome to our live coverage following the seizure of Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro by US forces in Caracas, who have transported him to the US to face drug charges.Donald Trump stated after the military operation early on Saturday that the US would “manage” Venezuela and cautioned on Sunday that the US might enact a further strike if the remaining members of the government failed to cooperate with his endeavors to get the country “fixed”.Venezuelan vice-president and Maduro ally Delcy Rodríguez has been appointed acting president and expressed her willingness “to collaborate” with the Trump administration, which could signify a significant shift in relations between the two governments.In a conciliatory post on Instagram on Sunday, she stated her hope to establish “respectful relations” with Trump.“We invite the US government to cooperate with us on an agenda focused on shared development within the framework of international law to bolster enduring community coexistence,” Rodríguez mentioned.Venezuelan acting president Delcy Rodriguez (C) alongside Vladimir Padrino (L) and Diosdado Cabello during the council of ministers meeting in Caracas on Sunday. Photograph: Marcelo Garcia/Miraflores press office/AFP/Getty ImagesIn a televised address earlier, Rodríguez did not indicate any willingness to cooperate with Trump, labeling the actions taken against Venezuela as “an atrocity that contravenes international law,” referring to Trump’s administration as “extremists” while affirming that Maduro is Venezuela’s legitimate leader.However, Trump later warned that if Rodríguez didn’t comply, “she will face a very substantial price, potentially greater than Maduro’s”.In other significant developments:
Rodríguez announced the formation of a commission aimed at securing the release of Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores.
Maduro is presently held in a New York detention facility awaiting a court appearance on Monday regarding drug charges.
Senior officials within Maduro’s government characterized the capture of Maduro and his wife as a kidnapping. “Let no one succumb to the enemy’s provocations,” interior minister Diosdado Cabello stated.
Trump’s administration characterized Maduro’s capture as a law enforcement operation intended to compel him to confront US criminal charges levied in 2020, including charges of narco-terrorism conspiracy. Maduro has refuted any criminal involvement.
Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro is escorted from a US federal aircraft in Newburgh, New York, on Saturday, while flanked by US drug enforcement officers. Photograph: Reuters
Maduro’s son, Nicolás Ernesto Maduro Guerra, reportedly indicated that his father’s supporters are more determined than ever to back Maduro, and the deposed president will return. “We will take to the streets; we will rally the people.”
Trump hinted that Colombia and Mexico could also face military action if they do not reduce the illicit drug flow to the US, declaring: “Operation Colombia sounds appealing to me.”
Images of the 63-year-old Maduro, blindfolded and handcuffed, shocked Venezuelans. The operation represented Washington’s most contentious intervention in Latin America since the invasion of Panama 37 years ago.
Venezuelan defense minister Gen Vladimir Padrino stated on state television that the US assault resulted in casualties among soldiers, civilians, and a “significant part” of Maduro’s security detail “in cold blood.” He claimed that Venezuela’s armed forces had been mobilized to secure sovereignty.
The Cuban government reported that 32 of its nationals were killed during the operation.
The governments of Spain, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, and Uruguay released a joint statement asserting that the US actions “represent an extremely dangerous precedent for regional peace and security and endanger the civilian population”.
All EU member states except Hungary issued a statement urging restraint from “all parties” and respect for the will of the Venezuelan people to “restore democracy”.
UK prime minister Keir Starmer stated that Britain was not implicated in the assault but declined to denounce it. British cabinet minister Darren Jones – a close ally of Starmer – called for a prompt and peaceful transition of power in Venezuela.
Trump indicated that the US would not advocate for immediate elections to form a new government but would instead collaborate with the remaining members of Maduro’s administration to combat drug trafficking and reform its oil sector. He insisted that US oil firms required “total access” to the country’s abundant resources.
Hundreds of supporters of Chavismo assembled in Caracas on Sunday to demand the liberation of Maduro and Flores.With news agencies
ShareUpdated at 06.13 GMT
Published: 2026-01-05 07:57:00
source: www.theguardian.com
