A supporter of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro stands on a median strip waving a national flag in Caracas, Venezuela, Saturday, January 3, after U.S. President Donald Trump announced that Maduro had been captured and flown out of the country. AP/PTI
NYT, WaPo knew in advance about US’ Venezuela raid but delayed publishing: Report
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were captured by US special forces in Venezuela’s capital, Caracas, on Saturday, and brought to New York
Two American newspapers knew of a US military operation in Venezuela before it was to happen on Saturday (January 3) but did not publish the news due to security reasons, a report said on Sunday.
According to a report on the American news website Semafor, The New York Times and The Washington Post learned of the US raid on Venezuela. Still, they stayed quiet to “avoid endangering US troops”.
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The report cited two people familiar with the communications between the Trump administration and the news organisations.
“The decisions in the New York and Washington newsrooms to maintain official secrecy is in keeping with longstanding American journalistic traditions — even at a moment of unprecedented mutual hostility between the American president and a legacy media that continues to dominate national security reporting. And it offers a rare glimpse at a thread of contact and even cooperation over some of the highest-stakes American national security issues,” the report added.
Narco-terrorism charges
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were captured by US special forces in Venezuela’s capital, Caracas, on Saturday, and brought to New York.
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“The United States of America has successfully carried out a large-scale strike against Venezuela and its leader, President Nicolas Maduro, who has been, along with his wife, captured and flown out of the Country. This operation was done in conjunction with US Law Enforcement,” US President Donald Trump said in a post on Truth Social, after the military operation labelled ‘Operation Absolute Resolve’.
Later, addressing the media, Trump said, “At my direction, the US Armed Forces conducted an extraordinary military operation in the capital of Venezuela...This was one of the most stunning, effective, and powerful displays of American military might and competence in American history.”
“Maduro and his wife will soon face the full might of American justice and stand trial on American soil,” Trump said.
As per the Trump administration, Maduro and his wife, Flores will face criminal court proceedings on multiple charges, including narco-terrorism and drug trafficking.