The United States has dramatically escalated its involvement in Venezuela by capturing President Nicolás Maduro and his wife in a nighttime special forces raid, transporting them to New York to face charges of narco-terrorism and drug trafficking. The operation, months in the making and involving elite commandos, cyberattacks, and extensive surveillance, marks a bold return to gunboat diplomacy and has sent shockwaves through the Americas and beyond. While the United States insists it is not occupying Venezuela, it has installed Maduro's vice president as interim leader and is maintaining a military presence in the Caribbean to influence the country's direction, with President Trump openly stating intentions to secure American access to Venezuela's oil reserves. The legality of the intervention is widely questioned, drawing condemnation from several governments and international bodies, while reactions within Venezuela and abroad remain deeply divided over the future of the country's democracy and resources.