US Takes Another Leader: Maduro Joins Noriega and Saddam in Detention

US Claims Capture of Venezuelan President Amid Escalating Tensions

The US government has claimed to have captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores, amid reports of “large-scale” attacks on Venezuela. According to Vice President Delcy Rodriguez, the government is demanding proof that Maduro and Flores are still alive.

The development follows a series of incidents involving US forces in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean, targeting alleged drug-smuggling boats and a docking area for Venezuelan vessels. The US has also indicted Maduro for drug smuggling, similar to its actions against former Panamanian leader Manuel Noriega.

In 1989, the US invaded Panama to depose Noriega, citing concerns over corruption, undemocratic practices, and the illegal drug trade. Noriega was later tried in the US and extradited to France before being returned to Panama, where he died in prison in 2017.

Similarly, former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein was captured by US forces in 2003, nine months after the US-led invasion of Iraq. He was found hiding in a hole near his hometown and received the death penalty for crimes against humanity.

In another case, Honduras’s Hernandez was captured by US agents and Honduran forces in 2022, just days after leaving office. He was later extradited to the US and sentenced to 45 years in prison, but was pardoned by President Trump in 2025.

The reported capture of Maduro has sparked international attention, with some observers noting a pattern of US intervention in Latin America. The situation remains unfolding, with no further information available at this time.

Source: Al Jazeera