Inside Donald Trump's daring Nicolas Maduro raid: The tangled facts behind a day of drama
Why has the US captured Venezuela's president?
On the surface it's about drugs. Donald Trump has repeatedly blamed Nicolas Maduro for flooding the US with narcotics and criminals, accusing him of heading a 'narco-terrorist' organisation and placing a $50 million (£37 million) bounty on his head. On Saturday, Maduro and his wife were charged over their alleged role in narco-terrorism conspiracy.
Is it really about oil?
Quite possibly. Maduro has long accused Washington of wanting control of his country's oil reserves, the largest of any nation. The US President may well want the oil – but another concern is that Venezuela sells it mostly to China. On Saturday, Trump said the US will be 'strongly involved' in Venezuela's oil industry, saying the nation 'stole' it from the US and that American oil giants would fix infrastructure 'and start making money'.
When did it all start to go wrong?
Relations between the US and Venezuela began deteriorating when socialist Hugo Chavez came to power in 1999. He built closer ties with US adversaries including Cuba, Iran and Russia. In response, the US imposed sanctions on Venezuela.
Where does Maduro come in?
The rift deepened when Maduro replaced Chavez in 2013, inheriting hyperinflation, food shortages and poverty. Maduro imprisoned political rivals and his government has been accused of extrajudicial killings and torture. Maduro is also widely accused of rigging two elections, sparking unrest.
And what about Trump?
During Trump's first term, US sanctions escalated dramatically. In his second, he has repeatedly called for the ousting of Maduro and overseen the biggest military build-up in the Caribbean since the end of the Cold War. That force has been attacking boats accused of drug trafficking since September, hitting 35 vessels and killing at least 115 people. We learned Maduro's capture was months in the planning with a complex intelligence operation tracking his movements.
A picture issues by the White House Press Office showing President Donald Trump (right) and CIA Director John Ratcliffe (left) watching 'Operation Absolute Resolve' from Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida on January 3
Is Maduro's capture unprecedented?
Yes and no. While Trump's actions have sparked serious questions of international law, there are striking parallels with another US operation. In 1989, Washington accused Panama's president Manuel Noriega of drug-trafficking. In 'Operation Just Cause', the US invaded and Noriega surrendered. He was flown to Miami, convicted of trafficking and racketeering and sentenced to 40 years in prison.
What happens next?
That's uncertain. Maduro and his wife will face charges in New York, while Trump says the US is 'ready' to stage a second 'and much larger' attack on the nation if needed. Meanwhile the US will 'run' Venezuela until there is 'a safe, proper and judicious transition' – although there are few details of how this will work. Trump says he is 'not afraid' of putting boots on the ground. What it will mean for Venezuela, and its 30 million people who were already living through an unimaginable crisis, remains to be seen.
