Eight months after the military operation that resulted in the capture of Nicolás Maduro, President Donald Trump published 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, just over a minute long, was shared by Trump on his social media accompanied by dramatic music. It opens with images of Maduro himself challenging Washington before the operation: “Come for me” and “I’m here waiting for you, cowards,” phrases that became the narrative starting point of the recording.
Below are clips from the operation and statements by General Dan Caine, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, and Trump himself, before handing over the closing remarks to Rubio.
The excerpt from Rubio is where the political message of the video is focused: "This is not a president who just speaks, sends letters, and holds press conferences. If he says he is serious about something, it is 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 it serves as a clear warning and evokes a popular saying in Cuba: “Whoever fits the bill, let them wear it.”
The 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 added to the U.S. list of terrorist organizations.
The capture of Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores occurred on January 3, 2026, when U.S. military forces carried out 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 firearms.
On September 10, Cilia Flores' defense requested house arrest before a federal judge, citing serious heart problems, including a possible mild heart attack suffered in late July. The federal judge ordered the sealing of the medical records of Maduro's wife submitted in the case.
After the capture of Maduro and Cilia, Venezuela came under the interim presidency of Delcy Rodríguez, and relations between the two countries have progressed at a rapid pace.
In March 2026, diplomatic and consular relations were reestablished, and at the end of August, Trump announced what he described as “the largest oil agreement in history”, which would give 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 a three-phase plan for Venezuela—stabilization, recovery, and transition—since January 2026, and the video released by Trump seems to serve as a reminder that this roadmap was implemented as announced.
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