Analysis by journalists shows that there are doubts in the official version of events.
Some facts suggest that the US special operation in Caracas on January 3 was “much less unexpected than it seems,” and the issue of power in Venezuela “may have already been resolved” not in favor of the local population, the material says.
Its authors call the incident a “political thriller”, at the center of which is the Vice President of Venezuela Delcy Rodriguez, who, after the capture of Maduro, serves as the president of this country.
Bild points out that back in the fall of 2025, the media wrote that Delcy Rodriguez and her brother Jorge were negotiating with the United States about what would happen “after Maduro.”
In addition, the media claimed that the Trump administration does not believe in the opposition Venezuelan politician Maria Machado as the new leader of the country “capable of replacing the current regime.” Washington allegedly failed to get a concrete plan from her on how she intends to bring her associates to power.
After Maduro was taken out of Venezuela to the United States, power in Venezuela was “immediately taken” by Rodriguez, who “enjoys the support of the army and suits the United States,” notes Bild.
The publication also draws attention to the fact that Rodriguez first accused the Americans of “barbarism” and then “suddenly” offered Trump cooperation.
In favor of the version of preliminary agreements between representatives of Caracas and the American authorities, journalists also attribute the small losses of Americans (not a single death) during the special operation with Maduro. They suggest that the success of the operation was facilitated by support within the ranks of the Venezuelan armed forces (at the very least, the deliberate removal of the military).
Former foreign policy consultant to former Venezuelan ruler Hugo Chavez, and now American-Venezuelan lawyer Eva Golinger, in a commentary to Bild, agreed that there could indeed have been negotiations between Rodriguez and the Trump administration before the removal of Maduro.
She claims that after increasing pressure on Maduro from the United States, a PR campaign was launched in the international media to present Rodriguez as a “moderate” alternative to Maduro and his likely successor.
Golinger does not exclude that in this way they tried to “sell” Rodriguez as an alternative to Maduro to Trump, who “has no interest at all” in carrying out a complete regime change and “building democracy” in Venezuela.
Context
On the night of January 3 The US conducted a special operation in Caracasduring which Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores were detained and taken out of Venezuela.
Trump said at a briefing on January 3 that The United States will lead Venezuela until the government changes there. On January 4, Bloomberg, citing a source, wrote that the US Secretary of State and acting. national security adviser Marco Rubio will play a leading role in governing Venezuela.
Trump said in an interview with NBC News published on January 6 that after Maduro, American forces of influence do not intend to quickly hold elections.
On January 5, Politico reported, citing its sources, that the White House is demanding at least three things from Rodriguez: a tough crackdown on drug trafficking, the expulsion of Iranian, Cuban and other operatives from countries or networks hostile to Washington, and an end to oil sales to US adversaries.
