Tel Aviv [Israel], January 4: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday publicly endorsed the United States’ military action in Venezuela, describing it as a decisive step to restore freedom and justice in the region.
“Regarding Venezuela, I want to express the entire Government’s support for the determined decision and action of the United States to restore freedom and justice to that part of the world as well,” Netanyahu said in a post on X.
He highlighted a broader regional context, noting a shift in Latin American political alignments. “I must say that across Latin America right now, we are seeing a transformation; several countries are returning to the American axis and, not surprisingly, to a connection with the State of Israel,” he added.
Netanyahu congratulated US President Donald Trump and praised the American military for its execution. “We welcome this. We congratulate President @realDonaldTrump on his decision. We also salute the American military forces who carried out a perfect operation. We know how to appreciate such things,” he said.
The remarks came following dramatic developments in Venezuela, where deposed dictator Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were captured by US authorities. Video footage released by the United States showed Maduro in handcuffs during a staged ‘perp walk,’ wishing reporters and Drug Enforcement Administration agents a Happy New Year and Good Night.
Amid the leadership vacuum, Venezuela’s Supreme Court ordered Vice President Delcy Rodriguez to assume the powers and duties of acting president. The order, announced late Saturday night, stated that Maduro was in a “material and temporary impossibility to exercise his functions.” Rodriguez will “assume and exercise, as acting president, all the powers, duties, and faculties inherent to the office of president of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, in order to guarantee administrative continuity and the comprehensive defense of the nation,” according to the ruling read by Justice Tania D’Amelio on state television, CNN reported.
The country’s constitution provides that in the event of a temporary or absolute absence of the president, the vice president must take over.
Former US National Security Advisor John Bolton revealed that a plan to remove Maduro had been presented to Trump during his first term but did not proceed due to difficulties keeping the president “focused” on the issue. Bolton noted that Trump had been “very interested in Venezuelan oil” at the time. The opposition then believed sustained economic pressure would be sufficient to fracture Maduro’s regime.
The US later carried out what Trump described as a “large-scale strike against Venezuela,” capturing Maduro to face charges, with the operation reportedly conducted without congressional approval. (ANI)
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