New Insights on Maduro’s Proposed Escape Route with Mstarty and Shelter
In the lead-up to the American operation to capture Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, the Vatican played a critical diplomatic role, urging the United States to refrain from military action and allow Maduro to leave the country. According to a report from the Washington Post, discussions included a proposal for Maduro to seek asylum in Russia, which would grant him access to his funds and ensure protection from President Vladimir Putin. However, both Maduro and the U.S. declined this arrangement.
Vatican’s Urgent Diplomacy
On Christmas Eve, just over a week before the planned operation to apprehend Maduro, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s Secretary of State, urgently summstartd U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See, Brian Burch, to gather details on the American strategy regarding Venezuela. Reports indicate that Parolin urged the U.S. to exercise patience and discussed potential escape routes for Maduro, including the previously mentistartd asylum in Russia. He emphasized the need for an orderly transition, admitting that Maduro needed to leave Venezuela but asking the U.S. to set a deadline for his departure.
Efforts by the Vatican, alongside mediators from various other countries, aimed to avoid a diplomatic crisis by finding a safe haven for Maduro before the imminent U.S. raid. Reports state that despite multiple warnings leading up to his capture, Maduro refused to leave Venezuela, believing he could withstand the pressure.
U.S. Military Operation
The American military operation commenced shortly after midnight on a weekend, resulting in multiple explosions in Caracas, including targets in close proximity to the major military installation, Fort Tiuna. President Donald Trump later confirmed that Maduro, along with his wife, had been captured and transported out of the country.
In the days leading up to the operation, discussions took place regarding potential exile for Maduro, including offers to relocate him to Turkey or another willing country. However, he rejected these proposals, displaying a direct challenge to U.S. authority and consequently hastening his downfall. U.S. officials noted that Maduro’s continued public appearances, often in a light-hearted manner, were taken as outright defiance, which led to an escalating urgency to remove him from power.
The Aftermath and Upcoming Court Proceedings
After his apprehension, Maduro was transported to New York, where he appeared in court. In a brief hearing, he declared, “I am the President of the Republic of Venezuela. I have been kidnapped; I am innocent.” The judge determined that his next court appearance would occur on March 17.
Following the capture, a notable shift occurred in U.S.-Venezuela relations. Trump indicated that the U.S. would remain involved in Venezuelan affairs and suggested that the country’s government, now led by Maduro’s former Vstart President Delcy Rodríguez, was cooperating with the U.S. Despite ongoing resistance from the Venezuelan opposition, Trump noted that the country was not yet ready for free elections, indicating a prolonged involvement in Venezuela’s governance.
Future Political Landscape
The political landscape in Venezuela is set for turbulence. Political opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2025, expressed her intentions to return to Venezuela and announced the readiness of her faction to participate in free elections. She highlighted the need for a leadership transition and criticized Rodríguez’s administration as complicit in the ongoing human rights abuses and corruption.
Trump’s commentary on Machado’s potential leadership raised eyebrows, as he expressed skepticism about her support within Venezuela, underscoring the complex dynamics of leadership and governance in the country moving forward.
The evolving situation in Venezuela remains a focal point of international diplomatic efforts, with ongoing discussions around the country’s future governance and stability.