President Donald Trump announced on Saturday that Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro had been captured and flown out of the country, opening up a power vacuum.
Writing on Truth Social, he said: "The United States of America has successfully carried out a large scale strike against Venezuela and its leader, President Nicolas Maduro, who has been, along with his wife, captured and flown out of the country. This operation was done in conjunction with U.S. Law Enforcement."
A contender who could replace Maduro is Edmundo González, who was recognized by the U.S. as the winner of the disputed 2024 presidential election.
Maduro's party nevertheless claimed victory and the country's highest court upheld his re-election. An arrest warrant was later issued for González, and he fled to Spain amid concerns for his safety.
Meanwhile María Corina Machado, the true opposition leader and head of the Vente Venezuela party, could also take over. Machado overwhelmingly won a 2023 presidential primary, but was blocked from running for president by the Supreme Tribunal of Justice.
Machado won the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize and appeared in Oslo after escaping Venezuela. She had been in hiding since 2024.
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