India on Saturday expressed deep concern over the rapidly escalating situation in Venezuela following United States military action and the capture of the country’s president, Nicolás Maduro, underscoring the risks to regional stability even as New Delhi said it was closely monitoring developments and extending support to its nationals on the ground.
India urges restraint, dialogue
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said the unfolding events in Venezuela were a matter of serious concern and reaffirmed India’s support for the well-being and safety of the Venezuelan people. New Delhi called on all concerned parties to pursue peaceful dialogue to preserve stability in the region.
The MEA added that the Embassy of India in Caracas remains in contact with members of the Indian community in Venezuela and will continue to provide all possible assistance as the situation evolves.
US confirms ‘large-scale strike’ and capture
US President Donald Trump earlier said American forces had carried out a “large-scale strike” against Venezuela and had “captured” President Maduro. In a post on Truth Social, Trump claimed that Maduro and his wife had been “captured and flown out of the country” following an operation conducted “in conjunction with US law enforcement”.
Washington launched strikes inside Venezuela early on Saturday, a dramatic escalation that many Venezuelans had feared for weeks amid mounting tensions between Caracas and the US administration.
‘A new dawn’, says Washington
Senior US officials framed the operation as a decisive break with Venezuela’s recent past. In a statement posted on X, US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau said the country was entering a new phase.
“The tyrant is gone. He will now – finally – face justice for his crimes,” Landau said.
Maduro, who has been indicted in the United States on drugs and weapons charges, was reported to be en route to New York by the time political authority in Caracas began to shift.
Power transfer and backlash in Caracas
Venezuela’s Vice President, Delcy Rodríguez, denounced the US intervention as “barbaric” and a “kidnapping”, even as Venezuela’s Supreme Court granted her all presidential powers in an acting capacity late on Saturday.
Trump, however, said Rodríguez would work with Washington to “make Venezuela great again”, signaling US involvement in the country’s political transition.
Opposition leader María Corina Machado called for an opposition-backed candidate to assume power, while Venezuelans at home and abroad reacted with a mixture of relief, hope, apprehension and anxiety about what comes next.
Maduro held in New York
Maduro is now being held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, where he is expected to face charges related to narcotics trafficking and weapons offenses, according to US officials.
Trump said the United States would “run the country” until a “judicious transition” could take place, adding that Washington intended to take control of Venezuela’s vast oil reserves — remarks that have intensified debate over the scope and legality of the operation.
Airspace reopens, uncertainty remains
In the immediate aftermath of the strikes, large sections of Caribbean airspace were temporarily closed. Flights were set to resume from midnight Eastern Time, with several airlines indicating they planned to restart services by Sunday.
