Earlier on Saturday, the United States carried out large-scale strikes against a range of military and civilian targets in at least four Venezuelan states, including the capital, Caracas.

U.S. President Donald Trump later wrote on his Truth Social platform that Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife had been detained and flown out of the country. As of now, the Venezuelan authorities have not confirmed this claim.

In response, Venezuela’s Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López appeared in a broadcast on state television, calling for unity and resistance. “Today we clench our fist in defense of what is ours. Let us unite, because the strength of the people lies in unity, and through it we will resist and prevail,” he said.

Timing: a calculated mix of media tactics and psychological messaging

As much of the world was still emerging from New Year celebrations, news of the U.S. strikes caused shock. According to Sun Taiyi, associate professor of political science at Christopher Newport University, the timing of Trump’s actions is rarely coincidental and often reflects a deliberate blend of media calculation and psychological signaling.

Sun pointed to an earlier example from early 2025, when Trump announced a global tariff war. The proclamation was reportedly postponed from April 1 to April 2 to avoid the risk of being dismissed as an April Fools’ joke.

Trump, Sun explained, places great emphasis on the seriousness of his directives. He cited another case: recent U.S. operations in Nigeria were deliberately scheduled for Christmas Day so they could be framed symbolically as a “Christmas gift” to local militant groups.

The Venezuela strikes follow the same pattern, Sun said. By acting as the New Year holiday period was ending, the administration avoided the traditional holiday news lull and ensured the operation would dominate the media agenda as the first major international story of the year.

Strategic objectives behind the operation

Beyond the question of timing, Sun argued that the Trump administration is pursuing several overlapping strategic goals.

“Although official rhetoric often emphasizes the fight against drug trafficking, Venezuela is not a major source of drugs entering the United States,” Sun noted. “These arguments mainly serve as domestic justification for broader intervention.” He added that U.S. actions in Latin America are increasingly framed as efforts to curb illegal migration.

According to Sun, the real geopolitical focus is the region’s left-wing governments, particularly Venezuela and Cuba. He pointed to the updated U.S. National Security Strategy, which places renewed emphasis on the Western Hemisphere and identifies Venezuela as a major obstacle in what Washington considers its strategic backyard.