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This was not a sudden move. This operation traces back more than 25 years of escalation, indictments, and pressure.

Here’s why this happened 👇

1) How Venezuela became a problem (1999–2013)

In 1999, Hugo Chávez came to power.

From that point:

Venezuela shifted toward authoritarian control.
Military influence over the economy increased.

• Institutions weakened
• Corruption spread across state systems

During this period, Venezuela became a major transit route for cocaine.

Drug trafficking did not start with Maduro but it became embedded inside the state over decades.

2) The military drug link

By the mid-2000s:

Senior military officials controlled airports, ports, and borders.
Drug shipments moved with protection.

Profits flowed upward through political and military ranks.

Not a street cartel but a state protected trafficking system.

3) Maduro inherited the same system in 2013

After Chávez died in 2013, Nicolás Maduro took power.

Under Maduro:

• The economy collapsed
• Oil production fell sharply
• Sanctions increased
• Corruption deepened

As legal revenue disappeared, illegal revenue mattered more.

Drug transit became more valuable to the regime.

4) Why the U.S. moved legally first (2020)

In March 2020, the U.S. Department of Justice indicted a sitting head of state.

Maduro was charged with:

• Narco-terrorism
• Cocaine trafficking
• Conspiracy to move drugs into the U.S.

A $15 million bounty was placed on him.

This created a legal foundation.

From that moment, Maduro was no longer treated as a normal foreign leader by the U.S.

5) The pressure phase (2020–2024)

After the indictment:

• Sanctions increased
• Diplomatic pressure grew
• Maduro was isolated

6) The U.S. drug crisis (2024–2025)

By 2024–2025:

Drug deaths remained a major U.S. issue.
Trump campaigned on restoring law and order.

Mexican cartels were politically sensitive.
Venezuela was not.

Venezuela had:

• An active U.S. indictment
• No strong international protection
• No legitimacy after disputed elections

7) Oil changed the stakes

Venezuela holds the largest proven oil reserves on Earth.

Maduro reportedly offered oil concessions to stop pressure.

Trump rejected that.

Negotiating with an indicted leader:

• Limits leverage
• Locks in bad terms

Pressure first. Control later.

8) Why this happened now

By late 2025:

• Sanctions failed to remove the regime
• Drug routes continued
• Maduro remained in power

From the U.S. view:

Legal pressure without enforcement does not end a criminalized system.

9) Today’s sequence

• 10:20 PM ET – Chinese officials arrive in Venezuela
• 1:10 AM ET – Explosions reported
• 1:30 AM ET – U.S. Chinook helicopters over Caracas
• 2:45 AM ET – Maduro declares national emergency
• 3:05 AM ET – Forces ordered to mobilize
• 4:23 AM ET – Trump confirms Maduro and his wife captured
• 7:25 AM ET – U.S. confirms narco-terrorism charges will proceed

10) Trump's Conference and Consequences

Just now, President Trump announced that the US will run Venezuela until there's a safe, proper, and judicious transition.

He also said that large US oil companies will go into Venezuela and get oil.

This will push more oil supply into the markets and push prices lower.

Also, it will put more pressure on Russia to end the war as lower oil prices will diminish their revenue.

Needless to say, but this incident has changed a lot of things, and the consequences will be seen for decades.