An innocent dance by Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro to a peace-themed remix may have been the final trigger for a dramatic US military operation that led to his capture, according to sources cited in a report. The incident, which saw an elite American team raid Caracas and detain Maduro, appears to have roots in a moment of televised levity that Washington perceived as mockery.
The Viral Dance That Crossed a Line
US President Donald Trump and his advisers were already frustrated with Maduro's casual response to escalating tensions. However, a specific televised moment last month proved to be the tipping point. In a now-viral video, Maduro was seen enthusiastically dancing and bouncing to a remix of his own speech. The song, titled "No War, Yes Peace," featured his recorded voice repeating in English, "No crazy war."
For the Trump administration, this performance felt like open ridicule. It came just days after the United States conducted a strike on a Venezuelan dock, alleging it was linked to drug trafficking. While Maduro had danced to the same song at public events before—including one a month earlier with lyrics like "Victory! Forever, forever, forever. Not crazy war! Peace!"—officials stated the repeated acts convinced the White House he was trying to call their bluff.
The Midnight Raid and Arrest in Caracas
Within days of the dance video gaining traction, the US administration decided to take decisive action. On a recent Saturday, an elite US military team carried out a midnight raid in Venezuela's capital, Caracas. The operation destroyed several military installations and resulted in the detention of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores.
The detained couple was swiftly flown to New York to face a series of serious charges. The indictments include narco-terrorism conspiracy, weapons offences, and cocaine-importation conspiracy. Interestingly, even in custody, Maduro maintained a defiant posture, wishing drug enforcement agents a "Happy New Year" and posing with his thumbs up during the transfer. He and his wife are now held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn.
US Plans for Venezuela's Future and Oil
Following the successful operation, President Trump addressed the media at his Mar-a-Lago estate. He announced that Washington intended to take charge of Venezuela in Maduro's absence. "We’re going to run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition," Trump declared.
While he made no direct mention of the provocative dance, the US President focused significantly on Venezuela's vast oil resources. He outlined plans for American companies to invest billions in fixing the country's broken oil infrastructure. "We’re going to have our very large United States put up companies, the biggest anywhere in the world, to go in... and start making money for the country," Trump stated.
US officials revealed they had already identified an interim replacement to work with the remnants of the Venezuelan government. Their preferred candidate was Vice President Delcy Rodríguez, who had previously overseen the nation's critical oil policy. This move signals a clear intent to stabilize and control Venezuela's primary economic engine in the wake of the dramatic regime change.
