美国军事行动俘获委内瑞拉总统尼古拉斯·马杜罗

"...Venezuela's abrupt awakening took two forms...."

"...Its residents were woken abruptly to the sound of deafening booms: the sound of its capital Caracas under attack from US strikes targeting military infrastructure...."

"...Its government has now woken up from any illusion that US military intervention or regime change was just a distant threat...."

"...The forcible removal of Maduro will be hailed a major victory by some of the more hawkish figures within the US administration, many of whom have argued that only direct intervention could force Maduro from power...."

"...For Venezuela's government, this intervention confirms what it has long claimed: that Washington's ultimate goal is regime change...."

"...Venezuela has also accused the US of wanting to "steal" its oil reserves, the largest in the world, and other resources – an allegation it felt was vindicated after the US seized at least two oil tankers off the coast...."

"...Any doubts that remained that those operations were at least in part about regime change too have now been dashed by today's actions...."

"...Some fear US intervention could trigger violent fragmentation and a prolonged power struggle...."

"...Even some who dislike Maduro and want to see him gone are wary of US intervention being the means – remembering decades of US-backed coups and regime change in Latin America in the 20th century...."

"...It's not clear what the US's next move is...."

"...As for Trump, his administration has become increasingly muscular in the region what with a financial bailout for Argentina, tariffs whacked on Brazil to try to influence the coup trial of Trump's ally and former right-wing Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro, and now the military intervention in Venezuela...."

"...He benefits from having more allies in the region now - with the continent shifting Right in recent elections such as in Ecuador, Argentina and Chile...."

"...But while Maduro has few allies in the region, there are still big powers like Brazil and Colombia who do not support US military intervention...."

"...And some of Trump's own MAGA base in the US are also not happy at his growing interventionism after promising to put 'America First.'..."

"...For Maduro's closest allies, Saturday's events raise urgent questions and fears about their own futures...."

"...Many may not want to give up the fight or allow a transition unless they feel they could receive some kind of protection or reassurance from persecution themselves...."