Comment from, impact on Vermont
By Guy Page
U.S. military forces early this morning, in a precision raid on Caracas, Venezuela, captured Pres. Nicholas Maduro and his wife. U.S. authorities are extraditing them to the U.S. to face American justice on drug and weapons charges.
Video from Venezuela shows rocket fire raining down on Caracas, bombs exploding in at least two separate locations, and several large helicopters flying over Caracas in the early morning hours.
At a pre-noon press conference, President Donald Trump said the U.S. will take over running the country until a peaceful transition can be made. He also said a second, much larger wave had been planned but will probably not be necessary.
“We’re not afraid of boots on the ground,” the president said.
Attorney General Pam Bondi wrote at about 8 AM this morning:
“Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, have been indicted in the Southern District of New York. Nicolas Maduro has been charged with Narco-Terrorism Conspiracy, Cocaine Importation Conspiracy, Possession of Machineguns and Destructive Devices, and Conspiracy to Possess Machineguns and Destructive Devices against the United States.
“They will soon face the full wrath of American justice on American soil in American courts. On behalf of the entire U.S. DOJ, I would like to thank President Trump for having the courage to demand accountability on behalf of the American People, and a huge thank you to our brave military who conducted the incredible and highly successful mission to capture these two alleged international narco traffickers.”
Possible Vermont angles and impact:
Vermont F-35 involvement? It is not known if the Green Mountain Boys, the F-35 fighter jets stationed in South Burlington, participate in the raid. The unit was recently moved to Puerto Rico in anticipation of supporting military activity and drug interdiction in South America. VDC has inquired of Vermont National Guard leaders and will publish a reply as soon as it is received.
President Donald Trump told news media this morning that fighter jets were involved in the operation. Gen. ‘Raisin’ Cain said F-35s and National Guard aircraft supported helicopter and ground forces. However it is not clear if Vermont’s F-35s were among them.
Trade impact: Uncertain. Venezuela is not among Vermont’s top 10 export nations. Mexico and Canada are the two leading export nations in North America, accounting for 38% of all exports. As for imports, almost certainly Venezuela’s large export to Vermont is illegal drugs, notably cocaine.
Cocaine consumption up in Vermont: Venezuela is a major exporter of cocaine to the United States. Compass Vermont reports that federal officials say Vermont cocaine consumption is on the rise: ‘More concerning is the explosive growth of Vermont’s cocaine market. In 2023, cocaine was present in 60% of opioid-related deaths. In 2024, that figure rose to 70%. Burlington Police seized a combined 2.7 kilograms of powder and crack cocaine in 2024—significantly outweighing the volume of fentanyl seizures, indicating that cocaine is currently flooding the Vermont market.”
Vermont official reaction to capture of Maduro: Rep. Becca Balint (D-VT) said on MSNow this morning: “I’m angry….This was not necessary, it was not legal and we saw this coming. This has been the plan the entire time. It was never about narco-drug trafficking, this was about oil, this was about minerals, this was about regime change.”
As of 11:12 AM today, neither Gov. Phil Scott, Sen. Bernie Sanders, nor Sen. Peter Welch have commented on social media.