Trump Arrests Venezuelan President! China and the EU Condemn Violation of International Law, Bitcoin Surges Past 93,000

U.S. Executes Decapitation Operation, Captures Venezuelan President Maduro, Trump Announces Temporary Takeover of Government. The move sparks condemnation from China and Russia for violating international law, gold prices rise accordingly, and Bitcoin also gains.

Trump captures Venezuelan President alive, U.S. temporarily takes over government

Last weekend, the U.S. surprise “decapitation operation” against Venezuela shocked the world! On December 3, Trump confirmed the successful execution of an operation codenamed “Operation Absolute Resolve,” which involved raiding the official residence in Caracas, capturing Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife alive, and transporting them to New York for trial.

Trump later announced that the U.S. would temporarily “take over” the Venezuelan government, causing a global shock. How did the process of capturing the Venezuelan President, the current situation in Venezuela, international reactions, and the prices of gold, oil, and Bitcoin—what are the dynamics? This article summarizes it for you!

Venezuela President Capture Quick Guide: U.S. Decapitation Operation Timeline

According to BBC reports, this decapitation operation was described by the U.S. military as a rare military action since World War II, planned meticulously over several months.

The U.S. military not only used drones and informants to monitor Maduro’s daily routine but also knew every detail about his pets. Special forces even built a 1:1 model of Maduro’s residence for repeated drills beforehand.

The operation finally commenced in the early hours of December 3 (Eastern Time), with Trump watching the live broadcast from Mar-a-Lago in Florida along with Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

Image source: El Media Trump captures Venezuelan President alive, U.S. temporarily takes over government

That night, the U.S. military deployed over 150 aircraft, including bombers and electronic reconnaissance planes, and used technical means to cut off power in Caracas, plunging the city into darkness.

Witnesses reported loud explosions and flashes in the night sky. Elite Delta Force troops immediately stormed the residence. Although Maduro tried to escape to an anti-explosion bunker with steel doors, he was unable to react in time and was subdued just before closing the door.

Trump later described the entire operation as precise and deadly, likening himself to watching an exciting TV show. Currently, Maduro and his wife have been taken to New York and face serious charges such as drug terrorism and smuggling.

Image source: AI-generated image created with Nano Banana Pro, for reference only

Trump’s Capture of Venezuelan President Sparks Condemnation and Public Celebrations

The U.S. decapitation operation against Venezuela has elicited polarized reactions worldwide. According to The Guardian, Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez condemned it as imperialist kidnapping, emphasizing that Venezuela will never become a colony and will replace Maduro as the new president; China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Russia strongly condemned the U.S. for violating sovereignty, calling this act a breach of the UN Charter.

While the EU, France, and Spain do not recognize the legitimacy of Maduro’s regime, they also warned that military intervention violates international law. Chilean President Boric expressed concern, saying: “Today the U.S. is targeting Venezuela; tomorrow it could be any country.”

Image source: Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs Chinese Communist Party Chairman Xi Jinping previously met with Venezuelan President Maduro

However, public reactions among civilians are quite different. According to Sankei Shimbun, after the news broke, millions of Venezuelans in exile erupted in joy.

In Florida, Peru, and Chile, large numbers of Venezuelan expatriates took to the streets, waving national flags, singing the national anthem, and holding signs saying “Thank you, Trump,” celebrating what they see as the fall of a dictator.

Inside Venezuela, although Vice President Rodriguez was sworn in as interim president, Trump claimed that Rodriguez had privately expressed willingness to cooperate, indicating internal unrest within Maduro’s remaining regime.

How Will the Venezuela Action Affect Gold, Oil, and Bitcoin?

This geopolitical storm quickly swept through global financial markets. Brent crude oil initially fell by 1.1% in Asian morning trading, then rebounded to rise 0.6%; gold prices surged by 2%, breaking through $4,400 per ounce; silver also soared by 4.8%. Investors worried that instability in Latin America could escalate, prompting a rush into precious metals for safe-haven assets.

Bitcoin also surged in the past 24 hours, jumping from below $91,000 to over $93,000 at one point, currently trading at $92,900.

Image source: CoinMarketCap Bitcoin trend

Regarding Latin American politics, the Venezuelan government views the decapitation operation as an attempt to seize Venezuela’s strategic resources, especially oil and many mined minerals, forcibly undermining the country’s political independence. Future movements by the U.S. military and subsequent actions by other countries remain closely watched.

Further reading:
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