Maduro's fate remains uncertain: Venezuela demands proof of life from Washington following reports of his arrest
In a dramatic turn of events in Caracas, Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez asserted on Saturday that she has no idea where President Nicolás Maduro is located, directly and urgently demanding that the United States provide “concrete proof that Maduro is still alive.” These fiery remarks came after former US President Donald Trump announced a large-scale nighttime military attack on Venezuela.
“In the face of this brutal attack on our country, we want to assure the people and the world that we do not know the whereabouts of President Nicolás Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores at this moment,” a visibly concerned Rodríguez said in an exclusive interview broadcast on Venezuelan state television. “We demand that the government of President Donald Trump provide immediate proof that they are alive.” These statements further deepen the political uncertainty in the country following Trump’s announcement that U.S. forces had captured Maduro.
A history of tension and escalating conflict
This rapidly unfolding event cannot be separated from the long history of strained relations between Washington and Caracas. Since the rise of the Chavista movement to power, the United States has viewed the Venezuelan regime with suspicion. Hostility has escalated to unprecedented levels in recent years, with Washington imposing a series of crippling economic sanctions targeting the vital oil sector and key figures in the Venezuelan government in an attempt to pressure Maduro to step down.
The US Department of Justice had previously filed formal charges against Maduro and several of his top aides for involvement in “narco-terrorism,” and offered a substantial reward of up to $15 million for information leading to his arrest. The US administration, along with much of the international community, considers the elections that kept Maduro in power to have lacked integrity, creating a political legitimacy crisis that has persisted for years.
Potential regional and international repercussions
This American announcement and the statements of the Venezuelan vice president carry serious implications that could reshape the geopolitical landscape of Latin America. Maduro's absence from the scene, whether through arrest or otherwise, could create a power vacuum that threatens to plunge the country into security chaos, especially given the presence of armed militias and the deep divisions within Venezuelan society.
Internationally, this US move is expected to provoke mixed reactions, particularly from Venezuela's traditional allies such as Russia, China, and Cuba, who have long condemned US interference in Caracas's affairs. The most pressing question now is the fate of the Venezuelan president and whether Washington will provide the evidence Rodríguez is demanding, or whether the region is heading toward a new chapter of unpredictable escalation.
