United States President Donald Trump has shared dramatic details about what he describes as a direct operation to capture Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro — a narrative that, according to Trump himself, “seemed more like a TV series than reality.”
According to Trump, Maduro was in a fortified residence, equipped with steel doors and a security area built entirely of resistant materials, designed to resist violent intrusions.
"It was more of a fortress than a house. It had steel doors and what's called a 'safety space,' surrounded by solid steel on all sides," Trump told Fox News.
Trump claims that Maduro attempted to enter this safe space, but was unable to.
"He was trying to get in there, but he got caught so fast that he couldn't make it. We were prepared. We had industrial torches and everything else needed to cut through steel, but it wasn't necessary. He didn't make it into that area of the house."
According to this account, Maduro and his wife were taken by surprise, dragged out of bed, and then fled Venezuela by helicopter. From there, they were reportedly transferred to a ship that took them to New York.
Trump added that he followed the operation in real time from his Mar-a-Lago residence.
"It felt like I was watching a TV movie ," he said.
A U.S. helicopter was hit during the operation in Venezuela, but no aircraft were lost. “Everybody came back ,” Trump said, noting that there were no American casualties, but “a few guys” were injured. “I don’t think there were any casualties; some guys were injured, but they came back and they seem to be doing pretty well,” Trump said.
Trump said the US will be "heavily involved" in Venezuela's oil industry in the future.
He added that he had spoken to Maduro "a week ago" and told him: " You have to surrender, you have to give up."
"We had to do something much more surgical, much more powerful, " Trump said.
US President Donald Trump told Fox News that " we will evaluate whether Maria Corina Machado can lead the country. Right now, they have a vice president."