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‘This Was Surgical’: The Tactics Behind the Maduro Mission
The Trump administration claims the seizure of Maduro was a brief law-enforcement action under Article II, citing precedents like Noriega and rejecting need for congressional approval.
- On January 5, 2026, President Donald Trump announced Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro was seized Saturday by U.S. forces and brought to Manhattan Federal Court, where he faces federal criminal charges.
- The White House invoked Article II of the U.S. Constitution commander-in-chief powers, saying Congress needed notification but not prior approval, and officials argued Maduro was `not the head of state` and an indicted drug trafficker, supporting the arrest rationale.
- Helicopters skimmed the water at 100 feet to avoid detection, and by 3:29 a.m. the U.S. military force had left the compound with Maduro and his wife, Gen. Dan Caine said.
- The administration pointed to the Noriega precedent to justify court jurisdiction, noting DOJ records show Noriega was indicted before capture and U.S. courts declined to dismiss charges.
- Historically, presidents have reclaimed similar authority for quick operations, but President Trump's comment that the U.S. would temporarily `run` Venezuela raises occupation concerns under international law.
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10 Articles
10 Articles
Venezuela's head of state Nicolás Maduro is imprisoned in New York, now the US wants to lead the country temporarily. The SPIEGEL documentation gives an assessment of whether this is permitted under international law.
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Coverage Details
Total News Sources10
Leaning Left1Leaning Right4Center5Last UpdatedBias Distribution50% Center
Bias Distribution
- 50% of the sources are Center
50% Center
C 50%
R 40%
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