US Raided Venezuela After Maduro's "One Dance Too Many": Report

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro's public dancing and apparent nonchalance against US threats gave way to an American operation that ended with his capture in a pre-dawn raid in Caracas, The New York Times reported.

Footage broadcast on Venezuelan state television in late November showed Maduro bouncing to an electronic beat during a rally, his voice repeating in English, “No crazy war. Peace, peace, yes peace.”

In November, Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro tried to prevent being from removed from power by dancing to a musical remix of his own "No War, Yes Peace" speech.

Yes, this is real.pic.twitter.com/cS3Kxj7oNl

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Following a US strike on a Venezuelan dock accused of drug trafficking, officials saw Maduro's dancing as a provocation and as a way of him mocking Washington's warnings.

“It was one dance move too many,” the NYT quoted two sources familiar with confidential discussions.

In response, a special task force carried out a military offensive on Saturday, capturing Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, and transporting them to New York to face drug trafficking charges. At least 40 Venezuelans, civilians and soldiers, died in the operation. No Americans were harmed.

US President Donald Trump declared that the United States intends to “run” Venezuela for an unspecified period to secure American oil interests. Before the raid, US officials identified Vice President Delcy Rodríguez as an acceptable interim replacement.

The operation came after weeks of escalating US pressure. Over a month ago, Maduro danced at a Student Day rally, telling Venezuelans to reject Washington's threats. At the same time, the US expanded its Caribbean military presence under Operation Southern Spear, deploying the USS Gerald R. Ford strike group, over a dozen warships, a nuclear attack submarine, around 15,000 personnel, and ten F-35 jets to Puerto Rico. The Pentagon framed the buildup as targeting drug-trafficking routes.

A Venezuelan cartel was also designated a foreign terrorist organisation. Maduro responded by mobilising troops and equipment, warning US action could be like “another Gaza,” “a new Afghanistan,” or “Vietnam again.”