Eight months after the military operation that resulted in the capture of Nicolás Maduro, President Donald Trump posted a video without text or explanation about that operation in Caracas, featuring a warning that stands out above all else: the voice of Secretary of State Marco Rubio delivering a direct message to those who might underestimate the current U.S. administration.
The video, lasting just over a minute, was shared by Trump on his social media accompanied by dramatic music and opens with images of Maduro himself challenging Washington before the operation: "Come for me" and "I'm waiting for you here, in Miraflores, cowards," phrases that became the narrative starting point of the recording.
Below are clips from the operation and statements from General Dan Caine, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, and Trump himself, before handing over the closing to Rubio.
The excerpt from Rubio is the one that conveys the political message of the video: “This is not a president who just talks, sends letters, and holds press conferences. If he says he is serious about something, it’s because he means it. Don’t play around. Don't mess with this president who is in office, because it won't end well.”
The message is not directed at any specific government or leader, but serves as a clear warning and evokes a popular saying in Cuba: “He who fits the garment, let him wear it”.
Relations between the United States and Venezuela
The publication arrives at a time of active evolution in the relations between Washington and Caracas, and also with the announcement of new groups included in the U.S. list of terrorist organizations.
The capture of Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores took place on January 3, 2026, when U.S. military forces launched an operation in the Venezuelan capital.
Both remain detained in Brooklyn, awaiting a trial set for June 1, 2027 on charges of narcoterrorism, drug trafficking, and possession of weapons.
On September 10, Cilia Flores' defense requested her house arrest before a federal judge, citing severe heart problems, including a possible mild heart attack she suffered at the end of July. The federal judge ordered the sealing of the medical record of Maduro's wife submitted in the file.
After the capture of Maduro and Cilia, Venezuela is now under the acting presidency of Delcy Rodríguez, and relations between both countries have progressed at an accelerated pace.
In March 2026, diplomatic and consular relations were restored, and at the end of August, Trump announced what he described as “the largest oil deal in history”, which would grant the United States control over more than 65 billion barrels of proven Venezuelan reserves and 55% of effective production for 25 years.
Rubio had outlined since January 2026 a three-phase plan for Venezuela —stabilization, recovery, and transition— and the video published by Trump seems to serve as a reminder that this roadmap was implemented as announced.
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