By Gloria Nosa
United States President Donald Trump has announced that Washington will assume direct administrative control of Venezuela and place its oil industry under the management of American companies following what he described as the overthrow of President Nicolás Maduro.
Trump made the statement on Saturday, January 3, during a press appearance at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Palm Beach, Florida. He said Venezuela’s energy sector would be rebuilt and operated by major US oil firms as part of a broader US-led intervention.
“The oil industry in Venezuela has been completely mismanaged for a very long time,” Trump said. “We’re going to bring in the biggest oil companies in the world from the United States, invest billions of dollars, fix the infrastructure, and start producing again.”
Remarks Follow Claimed Military Operation
The comments came hours after Trump claimed that US forces carried out a large-scale overnight strike on Venezuela, resulting in the capture of President Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. According to Trump, the two were taken into custody in connection with drug-trafficking indictments filed in the Southern District of New York.
No independent or international confirmation of the operation or arrests was available at the time of the announcement.
‘We Will Run the Country for a Period’
Trump said the United States would temporarily govern Venezuela during what he described as a controlled transition process.
“We will run the country until there is a safe, proper, and orderly transition,” he stated, adding that American oversight would remain in place until new leadership structures are established.
Oil Central to US Transition Plan
Venezuela possesses some of the largest proven oil reserves in the world, but production has plummeted in recent years due to sanctions, infrastructure collapse, and political instability.
Trump positioned US involvement as both a stabilisation effort and an economic reset, with American oil companies expected to play a central role in restoring output and revenue.
The announcement has already sparked global reaction, with analysts questioning the legality, implications for sovereignty, and potential geopolitical fallout of such a move.
Inside the Night Raid That Led to the Arrest of Venezuela’s President and First Lady
New details have emerged about the covert military operation that reportedly led to the arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, during a late-night raid at their residence.
According to senior US military officials, the mission—code-named Operation Absolute Resolve—was the result of months of secret planning and intelligence gathering. The operation allegedly involved more than 150 military aircraft and a tightly coordinated network of intelligence and special forces.
Months of Surveillance Before the Final Move
Officials said multiple intelligence agencies, including the CIA and NSA, worked quietly for months to monitor the movements, routines, and security patterns surrounding Maduro. Analysts reportedly focused on identifying a moment when resistance would be minimal and civilian exposure reduced.
By early December, US forces had quietly moved into position, waiting for favourable weather conditions and confirmation that the target location was secure enough for a rapid extraction.
Final Order Came Late Friday Night
Military sources said the decisive moment came at 10:46 p.m. Washington time, when President Donald Trump authorised the operation to proceed. Within hours, special forces reportedly entered the compound where Maduro and his wife were staying.
According to accounts shared at the briefing, the couple was asleep at the time of the raid, allowing operatives to take them into custody without resistance or exchange of fire.
Precision Operation, Minimal Disruption
Commanders involved in the mission said the operation was designed to be swift and precise, avoiding collateral damage and limiting any wider confrontation. The arrest was carried out before dawn, with both Maduro and Flores reportedly flown out of the country shortly afterward under heavy military escort.
Official Briefing Reveals Scope of Mission
Details of the operation were disclosed by General Dan Caine, the most senior officer in the US armed forces, during a press briefing held on Saturday. He described the mission as one of the most complex covert operations conducted in recent years, citing the scale of coordination required across air, intelligence, and ground units.
Questions and Reactions Follow
While the account has generated intense global attention, questions remain over the broader implications of the operation, its legality under international law, and its impact on regional stability.
As investigations and diplomatic reactions continue, the dramatic overnight raid has become one of the most consequential developments in the ongoing crisis surrounding Venezuela.
