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Washington: President Donald Trump has declared himself the “Acting President of Venezuela” shortly after a U.S. military operation resulted in the detention of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
Trump posted an image on his social media platform, Truth Social, which resembled an edited Wikipedia entry, depicting himself as the “acting president” alongside his official portrait and title. The post also mentioned Vice President JD Vance as the “Vice President of Venezuela.”
However, Venezuela’s official Wikipedia page does not list Trump as acting president, and no international organization has recognized or supported this claim.
This announcement followed the U.S. operation that removed Maduro from power, after which he was flown to New York along with his wife to face federal drug trafficking charges. The strike came amid months of intense pressure, sanctions, and military actions targeting the oil-rich nation.
In a subsequent press conference, Trump stated, “This was one of the most impressive displays of American strength and skill in U.S. history.” He added that Washington would oversee the country’s oil resources until a proper transition is established.
During a court appearance on January 5, Maduro pleaded not guilty to four criminal charges, including narco-terrorism, conspiracy to import cocaine, and possession of illegal firearms and explosive devices. Maduro claimed he was “kidnapped” and declared his innocence.
Maduro is accused of running a cocaine trafficking network linked to violent groups such as Mexico’s Sinaloa and Zetas cartels, Colombian FARC rebels, and Venezuela’s Tren de Aragua gang.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed concern over the political instability in Venezuela and questioned the legality of the U.S. operation, describing it as the most significant U.S. intervention in Latin America since the 1989 Panama invasion. U.S. Special Forces reportedly entered Caracas by helicopter, broke through security barriers, and detained Maduro from a secure room.
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