WASHINGTON – US Republican Senator Mike Lee claimed that Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has been arrested and is now in US custody, where he will face criminal charges in American courts.
The explosive claim emerged after a phone call between Senator Mike Lee and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. According to Lee, Rubio believes that no further military action is expected inside Venezuela now that Maduro is allegedly under U.S. control.
US strikes were carried out to protect officials executing an arrest warrant, a justification that has already triggered intense controversy in Washington. Earlier, Lee himself questioned the legality of the move, asking how such an action could be constitutional without a formal declaration of war or congressional authorization.
If confirmed, this would mark the most direct US intervention in Latin America in decades, as American forces invaded Panama and removed military ruler Manuel Noriega from power in 90s. Observers say the alleged removal of Maduro would be a major victory for hardline factions in the US who have long pushed for regime change in Venezuela.
United States accuses Maduro of leading a drug trafficking organization, charges he has strongly denied. Washington also refuses to recognize him as Venezuela’s legitimate president following the 2024 elections, which the U.S. and others described as widely unfair.
Venezuela, however, has countered by accusing the US of seeking to seize control of its vast oil reserves, believed to be the largest in the world.
\The central question shaking the region is clear: If Maduro is truly out of power, what comes next for Venezuela?
Supporters of U.S. intervention argue that this could finally open the door for the Venezuelan opposition to take control, potentially led by Nobel Peace Prize winner María Corina Machado and 2024 opposition candidate Edmundo González.
But many analysts warn that the situation is far from simple. Venezuela’s military and paramilitary forces have remained loyal to Maduro, and even some of his critics have long feared that direct U.S. intervention could plunge the country into deeper instability.
Amid the turmoil, Venezuela’s Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López announced the immediate nationwide deployment of military forces.
In a fiery video address in Spanish, he declared that Venezuela is facing the “worst aggression in its history” and called on the nation to unite and resist. He confirmed that all armed forces are being deployed on Maduro’s orders, warning defiantly:
The alleged U.S. attacks have sparked strong condemnation across the region.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro expressed deep concern over reports of explosions and unusual aerial activity in Venezuela, warning that escalating tensions threaten regional peace. He urged immediate de-escalation, dialogue, and diplomacy.
Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel went further, condemning the events as a “criminal act of aggression” and calling for an urgent international response.
He warned:
