Global News Podcast – Special Edition: "Trump says US will 'run' Venezuela"

Host: Alex Ritson, BBC World Service
Date: January 3, 2026
Episode Focus: The episode covers the dramatic US-led operation to capture Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and President Donald Trump’s announcement that the US will “run” Venezuela until a new transition government is in place. It features a mix of analysis, expert reactions, on-the-ground reports, and discussion of the legal and political ramifications of the intervention.

Main Theme

A special emergency episode covering the US military raid that captured Nicolás Maduro, President Trump’s sweeping declarations regarding direct US governance of Venezuela, reactions from Venezuelan and international figures, and analysis of the operation’s legality and the complexities of the Venezuelan political landscape.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The US Raid and Capture of Nicolás Maduro

• Details of the Operation

  • A pre-dawn raid involving 150 US military aircraft and special forces resulted in the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Celia Flores.
  • Maduro was apprehended in a highly fortified compound in Caracas before reaching a secure “safety space.”
  • Quote (Trump, 03:48):

    “He was trying to get into [the safety space] but he got bum rushed so fast that he didn’t get into that. We were prepared. We had, you know, massive blow torches and everything else…but we didn’t need it.”

• Aftermath

  • President Trump released a photo showing Maduro handcuffed and blindfolded aboard the USS Iwo Jima, en route to New York to face drug trafficking and terrorism charges (04:31).
  • US authorities indicted Maduro, his wife, their son, two other politicians, and a cartel leader for running a “violent cocaine trafficking empire.”

2. President Trump’s Announcements on Venezuela

• Trump declared the US will “run” Venezuela until a “safe, proper, and judicious transition” is possible ([02:07], [05:19]):

  “We’re going to run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper, and judicious transition. And it has to be judicious… We want peace, liberty, and justice for the great people of Venezuela.”

• US oil companies will be brought in to “fix the badly broken infrastructure, and start making money for the country” ([05:19]):

  “Our very large United States oil companies…are going to go in, spend billions of dollars, fix the badly broken infrastructure… and start making money for the country.”

• Trump also threatened further action if opposition persists:

  “We are ready to stage a second and much larger attack if we need to do so.” (05:19)

3. Internal and International Responses

A. Venezuelan Government & Military

• Vice President Delcy Rodriguez, now sworn in as leader, insisted Maduro remains president and warned against US "armed aggression" ([10:14], [10:37]):

  “There is a government here. We are ready to defend Venezuela. We are ready to defend our natural resources…history and justice will make them pay.” (10:37)

• Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello urged Venezuelans not to cooperate with “the enemy” ([09:28]):

  “No one should make things easier for our invading enemy. After these attacks, we will win in the end. May the country win.”

B. Venezuelan Opposition

• Opposition leader Maria Corina Machado hailed the moment as the arrival of freedom (10:14), while doubts lingered about who might assume leadership and whether the army would shift loyalties.

C. US Democrats

• US Democrats have condemned any prolonged American military involvement, signaling likely domestic political friction ([08:58]).

D. International Law & Analysis

• Tarek William Saab (Venezuelan Attorney General) condemned the attack as “vile and cowardly” and claimed innocent civilians were among the victims ([14:26]).
• Brian Finucan (International Crisis Group) described the operation as a likely “flagrant violation of international law, Article 2.4 of the UN Charter,” drawing parallels to the US invasion of Panama in 1989 ([15:07]):

  “These US criminal charges…provide no legal justification [under] international law for this military intervention in Venezuela.” (15:36)

4. Questions About Governance and Feasibility

Who Will Govern Venezuela?

• Trump gave no details on what the transitional government might look like or if US troops would be deployed on the ground ([08:32], [11:16]).
• The US claims actions are for the benefit of Venezuelans; however, deep skepticism persists, especially regarding American interests in oil.

Loyalty of Venezuelan Military

• The military is considered the “backbone” of Maduro’s hold on power, presenting a significant obstacle to effective regime change.
• Intimidation, repression, and the potential for further violence or military resistance loom large in future scenarios ([11:16]-[14:14]).

Opposition’s Divisions and US Skepticism

• The opposition is divided, some wary of US involvement and its historic ties to coups and regime changes in Latin America ([18:52]):

  “There are some who don’t like Maria Corina Machado’s alliance with Donald Trump. Some…are skeptical of US intervention, not least because of the US’s history in the region…” (18:52)

5. Legal and Historical Context

• Trump’s justification for intervention mirrors the US operation in Panama to capture Manuel Noriega.
  • Anniversary of Noriega’s capture (36 years prior) is noted as symbolic ([19:43], [19:50]).
• Brian Finucan reiterates the lack of credible threat as justification under international law ([16:10]):

  “…there is no threat that exists in reality…any legal justification…is extremely weak.” (16:10)

6. Potential for Destabilization

• Acknowledgement that previous US regime-change interventions (e.g., Iraq, Libya) have had destabilizing aftershocks ([19:50]-[20:09]).
• It remains uncertain what “running” Venezuela will mean in practice, or if the US can truly control the situation given internal power structures, national sentiment, and regional ramifications.

Memorable Quotes & Notable Moments

• Trump on the raid’s execution:
  “It was like watching a television show.” (03:48)

• Reaction to symbolism of Maduro’s arrest:

  • Ione Wells highlighting the fall of a “man with so much power, running all the institutions…now pictured powerless” ([16:44]).

• Ione Wells on the US's ambiguous next steps:
  “We just don’t know what [running Venezuela] means… Are they going to send in troops? Are they going to try and force elections?” (17:33)

Important Segment Timestamps

• [01:38] – Breaking news announcement of US-led raid, details of Maduro’s capture
• [02:07, 05:19] – Trump’s statements on US authority in Venezuela, oil plan, transition
• [07:34] – Sean Dilley (Washington correspondent) analysis: escalation, legal proceedings
• [10:14] – Opposition leader Maria Machado’s response & new interim Venezuelan leadership
• [11:16] – Mimi Swaby (global affairs): challenges to US ‘running’ Venezuela
• [14:26] – Venezuelan Attorney General’s condemnation
• [15:07] – Brian Finucan (International Crisis Group): international law implications
• [16:44] – Ione Wells: The fall of Maduro and uncertainties ahead
• [18:37] – Opposition’s divided response and Trump’s evolving relationship with Machado

Conclusion

The episode documents an extraordinary turning point for Venezuela, marked by the US’s direct removal of President Maduro and the vow by President Trump to personally oversee the country’s transition. Experts and correspondents voice skepticism about the operation's legality, practicality, and the prospects for peace or stability, referencing both the deeply entrenched military-political alliances in Venezuela and the long, troubled history of US interventions in Latin America. The specter of instability and questions about legitimacy, sovereignty, and international law loom large over Trump’s dramatic announcements, leaving the world watching for what comes next.