Chevron Corp. is the only big oil company from the United States operating in Venezuela, which put it in a unique situation after the Trump administration captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Saturday. The energy giant has already enjoyed unrestricted oil flow from Venezuela, while the US startedseizing tankersandsanctioningVenezuelan oil companies and vessels. Ahead of the US military operation to oust Maduro, Chevron gained 2.29% at the closing bell on Friday and is currently up over 5% in six months.
US President Donald Trump said US oil companies will "spend billions of dollars" in Venezuela to fix its infrastructure and then "take a tremendous amount of wealth out of the ground." However, an unnamed oil executive told the Wall Street Journal that it is unclear whether a transitional government in Venezuela could provide enough security and stability to attract new foreign investors, leaving Chevron with an important advantage as an already established player.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called for the United States to detain Russian President Vladimir Putin — after US forces capturedousted Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduroin an overnight operation.
Zelensky didn’t hold back when pressed about the US toppling Maduro’s regime after President Trump ordered airstrikes on military sites around the Venezuelan capital of Caracas early Saturday morning.
“How should I react to this? What can I say?” the Ukrainian leader told reporters after meeting with European national security advisers Saturday.
Volodymyr Zelensky called for the United States to detain Russian President Vladimir Putin after ousted Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro was captured.Getty Images
“If it’s possible to deal with dictators this way, then the US knows what to do next,” he added, suggesting that Trump should handle Putin the same way, as Russia continues its attacks on Ukraine three years after invading the war-torn country.
Russia was among several nations Saturday that demanded the Trump administration release Maduro and his wife, Celia Flores, after they were captured from their home in the South American country.
“In view of the confirmed reports about Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his spouse being in the United States, we strongly urge the US leadership to reconsider their position and release the legitimately elected president of a sovereign country and his spouse,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said.
Nicolás Maduro was captured in a overnight operation conducted by the US Military.Donald Trump/ Truth Social
“We highlight the need to create conditions for resolving any existing issues between the United States and Venezuela through dialogue.”
The couple arrived in New York City Saturday night to face federal narco-terrorism charges.
Trump said the couple will face the “full wrath of American justice.”
Maduro and Flores will be held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, sources said.
They are expected to appear in federal court as early as Monday.
The socialist pol said he called President Trump personally to let him know he vehemently opposed the arrest of the notorious dictator and his wife Cilia Flores – who’ve been fugitives since 2020 — on narcoterrorism charges.
“I called the president and spoke with him directly to register my opposition to this act, and to make clear that it was an opposition based on being opposed to a pursuit of regime change, to the violation of federal international law, and a desire to see that be consistent each and every day,” Mamdani told reporters during an unrelated Brooklyn news conference
NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani ripped the Trump administration on Saturday over the U.S military’s capture of Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro and his wife, condemning the act as an overly aggressive “an act of war.”Andrew Schwartz / SplashNews.com
President Donald Trump plans to have the U.S. temporarily “run” Venezuela until there’s “proper” transition into new leadership.REUTERS
“I registered my opposition. I made it clear, and we left it at that,” added Mamdani, referring to his first confrontation with Trump since being sworn in as mayor on Wednesday.
Mamdani slammed the raid hours earlier on X after being briefed by NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch and other city honchos on the planned NYC imprisonment of Maduro and Flores.
“Unilaterally attacking a sovereign nation is an act of war and a violation of federal and international law,” he said.
“This blatant pursuit of regime change doesn’t just affect those abroad, it directly impacts New Yorkers, including tens of thousands of Venezuelans who call this city home.”
Socialist “Squad” Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, suggested that illegal drug trafficking, which Trump has said results in 300,000 U.S deaths a year, was not the real motive for the raid.
“It’s not about drugs. If it was, Trump wouldn’t have pardoned one of the largest narco traffickers in the world last month,” the Queens native wrote on X, “It’s about oil and regime change.
Socialist “Squad” Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, suggested that illegal drug trafficking, which in President Trump said results in 300,000 U.S deaths a year, was not the real motive for the Maduro raid.AP
“And they need a trial now to pretend that it isn’t. Especially to distract from Epstein + skyrocketing healthcare costs.”
Gov. Kathy Hochul ripped the Trump-sanctioned raid as a “flagrant abuse of power by acting without Congressional approval.”
“New York is home to a vibrant Venezuelan community, and I stand with families here and abroad in their hopes for a better, more stable future,” she wrote on X.
House Majority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer issued a joint statement saying Trump’s plan to have the U.S. temporarily “run” Venezuela until there’s “proper” transition into new leadership is “unacceptable.”
“It is critical that the Trump administration provide an immediate ‘Gang of Eight’ briefing, followed by briefings for all Members of the House and Senate early next week,” said the New York Dems, referring to the group of bipartisan pols who deal with classified intelligence matters.
Britain and France carried out a joint airstrike on an ISIS-linked underground weapons facility north of Palmyra, with the UK Defense Ministry saying no civilians were at risk.
Britain and France on Saturday conducted an airstrike on an underground facility in the mountains north of Palmyra, Syria, which ISIS terrorists "likely" used to store weapons and explosives, the British Defense Ministry confirmed in a statement.
Western aircraft have been conducting patrols to stop a resurgence of the terror group, the ministry noted.
"The area around the facility is devoid of any civilian habitation," the statement clarified.
"Our aircraft used Paveway IV guided bombs to target a number of access tunnels down to the facility," the ministry added, noting that initial indications are that the target was successfully engaged, and that no civilians were put at risk by the strikes.
"This action shows our UK leadership and determination to stand shoulder to shoulder with our allies, to stamp out any resurgence of ISIS and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the Middle East," British Defense Secretary John Healey commented following the announcement.
"I want to thank all the members of our Armed Forces involved in this operation – for their professionalism and their courage," he added.
"This operation, to eliminate dangerous terrorists who threaten our way of life, shows how our Armed Forces are ready to step up, all year round, keeping Britain secure at home and strong abroad," he concluded.
ISIS's December attack on US forces in Palmyra
ISIS was responsible for an attack on US personnel in the same area on December 13."Two US service members and one US civilian were killed, and three service members were injured as a result of an ambush by a lone ISIS gunman in Syria. The gunman was engaged and killed," CENTCOM said.
As a result, Syria's Interior Ministry, the following day, arrested five suspects with links to the attack.
United States Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said that US President Donald Trump "sets the terms" for the Venezuelan government after the US captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. "Ultimately, we're going to control what happens next because of this brave decision. President Trump has shown American leadership," Hegseth told CBS News.
Hegseth also noted that the military personnel involved in the operation "got the job done despite any obstacles in front of them," adding that they "dedicated their lives to defending our country and to accomplish that mission."
South Korea's Office of National Security condemned on Sunday North Korea's latestballistic missile launchas a "provocative act," stating that it violates United Nations Security Council resolutions and urging it to stop further missile tests.
The Office of National Security held an emergency meeting after the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff reported that multiple missiles were fired from an area near the North Korean capital of Pyongyang. They flew approximately 900 km before crashing into the water.
The British Defense Ministry said that the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force carried out a strike with the French military targeting a former Islamic State (ISIS) underground facility in Syria. The operation was based on intelligence reports suggesting that the terrorist organization previously used the site to store weapons and explosives. The facility is located several miles north of Palmyra, in an uninhabited area.
The ministry said preliminary reports indicate the strike was successful and that more detailed analysis is underway. It added that "there is no indication" of any risk to local civilian population.
