Reactions are already playing out right outside Mar-a-Lago on Saturday after President Donald Trump announced the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.Trump insisted the U.S. government would run the country at least temporarily and would tap Venezuela’s vast oil reserves to sell “large amounts” to other countries. The action marked the culmination of an escalating Trump administration pressure campaign on the South American country that consisted of months of strikes on boats officials said were smuggling drugs to the U.S. Behind the scenes, U.S. officials tracked Maduro’s behavioral habits, including what he ate and where he slept, in preparing to execute an operation that resulted in one of the more stunning regime changes in modern history.Maduro and his wife, taken overnight from their home on a military base, were aboard a U.S. warship on their way to New York, where they were to face criminal charges.As that news spread, people started to gather outside Mar-a-Lago in both support and opposition to the action.Some Venezuelan Americans who WPBF spoke with said that this feels like a turning point and a “moment of hope” after years of corruption and authoritarian rule.Others strongly disagreed with the action, asking why Maduro was singled out when other adversaries like Russian President Vladimir Putin haven’t faced similar consequences.Watch the video above to see the scene.The Associated Press contributed to this report
Reactions are already playing out right outside Mar-a-Lago on Saturday after President Donald Trump announced the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.
Trump insisted the U.S. government would run the country at least temporarily and would tap Venezuela’s vast oil reserves to sell “large amounts” to other countries.
The action marked the culmination of an escalating Trump administration pressure campaign on the South American country that consisted of months of strikes on boats officials said were smuggling drugs to the U.S. Behind the scenes, U.S. officials tracked Maduro’s behavioral habits, including what he ate and where he slept, in preparing to execute an operation that resulted in one of the more stunning regime changes in modern history.
Maduro and his wife, taken overnight from their home on a military base, were aboard a U.S. warship on their way to New York, where they were to face criminal charges.
As that news spread, people started to gather outside Mar-a-Lago in both support and opposition to the action.
Some Venezuelan Americans who WPBF spoke with said that this feels like a turning point and a “moment of hope” after years of corruption and authoritarian rule.
Others strongly disagreed with the action, asking why Maduro was singled out when other adversaries like Russian President Vladimir Putin haven’t faced similar consequences.
Watch the video above to see the scene.
The Associated Press contributed to this report
