In a dramatic escalation of U.S. involvement in Latin America, former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife were captured during a U.S. military operation in Caracas and flown to New York, where they are being held ahead of federal court proceedings. President Donald Trump stated over the weekend that the United States is now “in charge” of Venezuela during a transitional period, saying Washington intends to stabilize the country and “get the oil flowing.” The operation was reportedly carried out by U.S. Army Delta Force following months of military buildup in the region, including the deployment of the USS Gerald R. Ford carrier strike group and interdictions targeting drug trafficking routes in the Caribbean.

While Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasized that the U.S. does not intend to directly govern Venezuela, he confirmed that an “oil quarantine” and continued pressure will be used to shape the country’s future leadership and policies. Maduro faces charges related to narcotics trafficking and alleged cooperation with terrorist-designated gangs—claims he denies. Regardless, the spectacle of a sovereign nation’s leader being removed and detained by a foreign power marks a significant shift in global norms. For prophecy watchers, this moment underscores the accelerating erosion of national sovereignty and the rise of interventionist authority structures, as geopolitical power increasingly consolidates in the hands of a few dominant actors on the world stage.

SOURCE: CBS