Nicolas Maduro Captured by US Special Forces Amid Ouster After 13 Years in Power
Nicolas Maduro, the former Venezuelan president, was captured by US special forces on a Saturday and is currently detained in US custody. He faces indictment in New York on narcotics charges. Maduro's roughly 13 years and eight months of rule ended with his ouster. Born on 23 November 1962, Maduro rose from being a bus driver and union activist to Venezuela's leader after Hugo Chávez named him successor in 2013.
During Maduro's presidency, Venezuela experienced severe economic decline characterized by hyperinflation, shortages, and oil production plummeting below 400,000 barrels per day. This economic crisis triggered mass emigration from the country. Protests from 2014 to 2017 against his government resulted in 43 deaths and prompted the International Criminal Court to open an investigation into alleged crimes against humanity.
The 2018 election under Maduro's rule was widely criticized. The opposition was barred from contesting, and several countries refused to recognize the results. The Trump administration imposed sanctions on his government. In the 2024 presidential poll, the National Electoral Council declared Maduro the winner despite disputed opposition tallies, allowing him to begin a controversial third term in January 2025 amid escalating tensions with the United States.
Concurrently, US actions in the Caribbean intensified to combat what it described as narco-terrorism. These operations included destroying boats suspected of drug trafficking and reportedly resulted in over 100 deaths. Additionally, Maduro's wife, Cilia Flores, who is regarded as a significant powerbroker, is reported to have been seized by the US.
