Venezuela Declares Emergency After U.S. Forces Take President Maduro; Officials Call It a "Kidnapping"

Hours after President Nicolás Maduro was captured and flown out of Venezuela in what President Trump described as a "large scale strike," top Venezuelan officials condemned the operation and vowed resistance, setting up a tense confrontation with claims from Washington that it will temporarily oversee the country’s transition.

U.S. Operation and Trump’s Remarks

President Trump said early Saturday that Maduro had been removed from Venezuela and is expected to face drug-trafficking charges. Trump told reporters at Mar-a-Lago that the United States intends to "run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition," though he provided few concrete details about the arrangements or which Venezuelan figures would participate.

Vice President Denounces Operation

Delcy Rodríguez, Maduro’s handpicked vice president, called the seizure "barbaric" and an "illegal and illegitimate kidnapping" in a speech broadcast on state television. Rodríguez demanded the "immediate release" of President Maduro and his wife and insisted that Maduro remains "the only president of Venezuela."

"We will never again be slaves, that we will never again be a colony of any empire," Rodríguez said, accusing Venezuela’s "enemies" of trying to "enslave us."

Military Mobilization and State Response

The Venezuelan government announced that national defense plans had been activated and that Maduro had declared a "State of External Disturbance," an effective state of emergency. Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López said military forces were being deployed across the country on Maduro’s orders and urged citizens to resist what he called the "worst aggression" Venezuela has faced.

Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello posted a video urging calm and warning citizens not to make it easier for what he called an invading enemy. Attorney General Tarek William Saab described the operation as a "vile and cowardly attack," telling state media that some civilians had been "mortally wounded," according to official reports.

Diplomatic Fallout

Venezuelan diplomats requested an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council and sent a letter asking the body to condemn the U.S. action. Foreign Minister Yván Gil accused the United States of seeking to seize Venezuela’s natural resources — an allegation echoed in public comments about U.S. interest in restoring oil production.

Opposition Reaction and Questions Over Leadership

Opposition leader María Corina Machado celebrated Maduro’s ouster and called for recognition of Edmundo González as Venezuela’s legitimate president, urging supporters to press for control of the armed forces and a democratic transition. González responded on social media that he and his allies were ready to begin national reconstruction.

President Trump expressed skepticism about Machado’s ability to lead immediately, saying she lacked sufficient support among some groups. Trump also said Marco Rubio had spoken with Rodríguez and suggested she might be willing to cooperate under U.S. direction, comments Rodríguez dismissed as coerced.

What Comes Next

The unfolding standoff — with the U.S. asserting control and Venezuelan officials calling for mobilization and legal action — raises urgent questions about short- and long-term governance in Venezuela, the role of international institutions, and the humanitarian and security implications for Venezuelans already suffering under years of crisis.