The social media post made by American President Donald Trump announcing the capture of Venezuela’s authoritarian President, Nicolás Maduro, and his wife, Cilia Flores, posted on the morning of Jan. 3, was a shock to many. 

“The United States of America has successfully carried out a large scale strike against Venezuela and its leader,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “This operation was done in conjunction with U.S. Law Enforcement.”

Venezuela responded to the incident through their account on X, stating, “The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela rejects, condemns and denounces before the international community the extremely grave military aggression carried out by the current Government of the United States of America.” 

The US has been attacking Venezuela for months, gathering on the coast and blowing up alleged drug trafficking boats while also planning to remove Maduro from the country. Then, during the night, Trump gave the official order to capture Maduero, where he and his wife were taken from their home in a military base in Caracas, Venezuela.

First taken aboard a U.S. warship, Maduro and Flores were both flown to New York and taken to the Metropolitan Detention Center to await their trial, where they were accused of participating in narco-terrorism and drug trafficking.

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth told the media, “What I witnessed last night was sheer guts and grit, gallantry and glory of the American warrior. This is about the safety, security, freedom and prosperity of the American people.”

However, this capture has raised the question of whether this act was legal.

“This is clearly a blatant, illegal and criminal act,” said Notre Dame University law school professor and former assistant U.S. Attorney Jimmy Gurule to The Washington Post.

“This act constitutes a flagrant violation of the Charter of the United Nations, particularly Articles 1 and 2, which enshrine respect for sovereignty, the legal equality of States, and the prohibition of the use of force,” said the Venezuelan government.

Furthermore, Trump has since stated that temporarily, the United States will run Venezuela and sell oil from their reserves to other countries.

“I am innocent,” Maduro pleaded. “I am not guilty. I am a decent man, the constitutional president of my country.”