World
Venezuela: Casualties mount to 80 after US Forces invasion of Maduro
The death toll from Saturday’s United States invasion of Venezuela has risen to 80, according to a report by The New York Times.
The newspaper quoted a senior Venezuelan official as saying the casualties include civilians and members of the country’s security forces, adding that the figure could rise as rescue and recovery efforts continue.
Explosions rocked Caracas, Venezuela’s capital, in the early hours of Saturday, triggering panic across several neighbourhoods before US President Donald Trump announced on social media that American forces had successfully captured President Nicolás Maduro and his wife.
Hours later, Trump confirmed the operation during a press briefing, declaring that the United States would assume control of Venezuela’s affairs pending a political transition.
“We don’t want to be involved with having somebody else get in and end up with the same situation we’ve had for a long period of years,” Trump said, adding that any transition “has to be judicious”.
He described the military operation as “an incredible thing to see,” stressing that no American soldiers were killed and that no US military equipment was lost during the strike.
However, Venezuela’s Defence Minister on Sunday rejected suggestions that the United States would “run” the country, insisting that Venezuela remained sovereign despite the capture of its leader.
The White House, on its part, said it expects Venezuela’s interim leadership under Delcy Rodríguez to comply with US demands following Maduro’s removal.
Trump also warned that further military action could follow, particularly against alleged drug trafficking networks operating within Venezuela, noting that additional land strikes could begin soon.
In October, Trump disclosed that he had authorised the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) to operate inside Venezuela to curb the flow of illegal migrants and narcotics from the South American nation.
Saturday’s strikes came after months of increased US military buildup and heightened strategic presence in the region.
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