Trump claimed that President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, had been captured and relocated abroad, describing the operation as “very well planned”
By Amjad Qaimkhani
WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump has released an image of Venezuela’s detained president following a high-profile operation in the country. He confirmed on social media that the United States had carried out a large-scale mission targeting Venezuela and its leadership.
Trump said both President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were captured and moved out of the country. He added that the operation had been “very well planned.” Meanwhile, Venezuela’s vice president demanded proof of life, saying officials were unaware of Maduro and Flores’s current whereabouts and calling for confirmation that both are alive.
US media reports indicate that Maduro and his wife were apprehended by American forces in their bedroom, marking a dramatic escalation in tensions between Washington and Caracas. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Iran’s government was under severe pressure, suggesting military intervention now represents its “last hope.”
Speaking to a foreign news agency, Pompeo, who also previously served as CIA director, said protests were continuing across Iranian cities and described the leadership as facing a critical moment. Pompeo drew a symbolic comparison, noting that the Islamic Republic is in its 47th year while Donald Trump is serving as the 47th US president, asking whether the timing was “a coincidence.”
In a controversial remark, Pompeo wished a “happy new year” to Iranians protesting on the streets and to what he described as Mossad agents accompanying them — a claim that has not been independently verified. His comments followed recent statements by President Trump, who has threatened intervention in support of Iranian protesters.
Trump warned that if Iranian authorities open fire on demonstrators or kill them, the US would step in to protect what he called peaceful protesters. He added that the US has “locked on to its targets” and is prepared for any course of action, further escalating rhetoric amid growing unrest in Iran and rising tensions between Washington and Tehran.
