Massacre at Nigerian market leaves more than 30 dead as gunmen torch stalls, kidnap others

Dozens of people were killed and several others kidnapped when armed attackers raided a rural market in central Nigeria, police said Sunday.

"Over 30 victims lost their lives during the attack, and some persons were also kidnapped. Efforts are ongoing to rescue the kidnapped victims," police spokesperson Wasiu Abiodun said, according to Reuters.

Abiodun said the gunmen stormed the Daji market in Demo village in Nigeria’s Niger state at around 4:30 p.m. Saturday, torching stalls and seizing food supplies.

Witnesses reported seeing the gunmen ride into the area on motorcycles before opening fire.

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Locals said the assault followed earlier raids in neighboring villages, including Agwarra and Borgu, that began Friday.

Dauda Shakulle, who was wounded while fleeing, told Reuters that not even women or children were spared.

"There has been no presence of security forces since the attacks began. We are currently recovering corpses," said Shakulle.

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The Nigerian Police Force did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment about the incident.

The attack comes amid a wave of mass kidnappings across Nigeria in recent months, including the abduction of 25 girls from a boarding school in Kebbi State in November and the seizure of more than 300 children and 12 teachers from St. Mary’s Private Catholic School in Niger state.

The Sisters of Our Lady of Apostles (OLA), a Catholic religious congregation, later confirmed that all those abducted from the school have since been safely released. 

"From the first hours of the abduction, the OLA family—together with the local Church in the Diocese of Kontagora, the families of Papiri, and communities across Nigeria—was upheld by a remarkable global solidarity of prayer and advocacy. We extend our deepest and most heartfelt gratitude to all who stood with us during this painful time," said Sister Mary Barron, the congregation leader of the OLA Sisters.

Growing insecurity and insurgent violence in northern Nigeria are driving hunger to record levels, with nearly 35 million people projected to face severe food insecurity during the 2026 lean season, according to the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP).

The WFP warned in November that unchecked hunger during the lean season, the pre-harvest period when food supplies are often at their lowest, could further destabilize the region by allowing insurgent groups to exploit desperation and expand their influence.

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Billy Joel makes surprise comeback performance after brain condition forced show cancellations

Billy Joel kicked off the new year with a surprise performance for thousands of fans. 

On Friday, the 76-year-old Grammy Award winner took the stage for the first time since announcing his brain condition diagnosis in May, appearing at an amphitheater in Wellington, Florida, where the Billy Joel cover band Turnstiles was celebrating the city’s 30th birthday, according to The Palm Beach Post.

Joel, who was greeted with an enthusiastic crowd chanting his name, walked onto the stage with a cane and took a seat behind the piano. 

"I wasn't planning on working tonight," Joel told the crowd according to a video posted online, before performing "We Didn’t Start the Fire" with the band, followed by "Big Shot."

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In May, the five-time Grammy winner announced that he was canceling all his shows due to a brain disorder diagnosis, normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH). 

"This condition has been exacerbated by recent concert performances, leading to problems with hearing, vision and balance," the announcement on Joel’s website said. 

"Under his doctor’s instructions, Billy is undergoing specific physical therapy and has been advised to refrain from performing during this recovery period."

"He is grateful for the support from fans during this time and looks forward to the day when he can once again take the stage."

BILLY JOEL SPEAKS OUT ON 'SCARY' BRAIN DISORDER, DOESN'T WANT FANS TO WORRY 

Joel concluded, "I’m sincerely sorry to disappoint our audience, and thank you for understanding."

Joel's wife, Alexis Roderick Joel, shared a statement with Fox News Digital.

"Thank you for the outpouring of love and support. We are so grateful for the wonderful care and swift diagnosis we received. Bill is beloved by many, and to us, he is a father and husband who is at the center of our world. We are hopeful for his recovery. We look forward to seeing you all in the future," she said.

NPH occurs when cerebrospinal fluid builds up inside the skull and presses on the brain. This condition is most likely to occur in people over age 65. Treatment involves surgery to implant a shunt to drain excess fluid from the inside of the skull, according to the Cleveland Clinic. 

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Christie Brinkley sent love to her ex-husband, just days after the Grammy Award winner announced the devastating diagnosis. 

Brinkley – who was married to Joel from 1985 to 1994 – took to social media to share her support and offer words of encouragement as Joel prepared to battle normal pressure hydrocephalus.

"Dear Billy, the whole Brinkley gang is sending you lots of love and good wishes for a full and speedy recovery," she wrote in the Instagram caption alongside a video of her and daughter Sailor Brinkley Cook dancing at one of Joel's concerts. "I was looking for some cute photos of you and Alexa [Brinkley and Joel's daughter] to send you, when I came across this clip from a recent concert. It made me laugh... but it also reminded me of all the joy you create, and all the sensational sing-alongs you’ve [led]. You turn an arena of strangers into a living room full of friends as we all sway in unison."

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In July, Joel reassured his fans that he was "okay" following the diagnosis. 

"I know a lot of people are worried about me and my health, but I’m okay," Joel told People magazine. "What I have is something very few people know about, including me, no matter how much you try to research it. I’m doing my best to work with it and to recover from it."

While he said the diagnosis was "disturbing," he reassured fans not to be concerned about his health.

"It was scary, but I’m okay," he said. "I just wanted to let people know, don’t worry about me being deathly ill or anything."

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Rubio vows to eliminate Hezbollah, Iran operations from Venezuela after Maduro capture

The day after elite U.S. forces captured wanted narco-terrorist and former Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro in Caracas, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that the Iran-backed Lebanese terrorist movement Hezbollah will no longer have operations in the South American state.

The Iranian regime-backed Hezbollah terrorist organization is responsible for both the bombing of the U.S. embassy, which killed 63 people, and the Marine barracks bombing in Beirut in 1983, when 241 U.S. military personnel were killed.

Speaking on CBS' "Face the Nation," Rubio said, "It's very simple, OK? In the 21st century, under the Trump administration, we are not going to have a country like Venezuela in our own hemisphere, in the sphere of control and the crossroads for Hezbollah, for Iran and for every other malign influence in the world. That's just not gonna exist." He also told NBC's "Meet the Press" that, in regard to Venezuela, that meant, "No more Iran/Hezbollah presence there."

GOP SENATOR PREDICTS TRUMP'S NEXT MOVE IN VENEZUELA AMID HEZBOLLAH’S INFLUENCE: 'LONG PAST DUE'

Walid Phares, who has advised U.S. presidential candidates and is a leading expert on Hezbollah, told Fox News Digital, "Hezbollah has a long history in Venezuela and has emerged as a significant security concern in Latin America, particularly after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. The origins of Hezbollah’s presence in Venezuela date back to the mid-1980s, when the organization began recruiting members from segments of the local Lebanese diaspora."

He noted that Hezbollah gained greater traction following the late Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez’s consolidation of power in 2002. "During this period, Hezbollah’s presence became more visible, with reports indicating that some of its members gained access to Venezuelan state institutions, including security agencies, often through the acquisition of Venezuelan passports and legal documentation. These developments facilitated the expansion of Hezbollah-linked networks throughout Latin America, extending into Brazil, Argentina and Chile, and reportedly reaching as far as the U.S.–Mexico border."

Phares said, "Hezbollah is believed to maintain a substantial presence across Venezuela, including command-and-control elements in Caracas. Margarita Island has been frequently cited in open-source reporting as a logistical hub used for activities ranging from financial operations to intelligence gathering and alleged narcotics trafficking. Additional public reporting has suggested Venezuelan cooperation with Iranian and Hezbollah-linked operations targeting Iranian dissidents abroad, including attempted kidnappings and intimidation campaigns in the Western Hemisphere."

ON MADURO’S ‘TERROR ISLAND,’ HEZBOLLAH OPERATIVES MOVE IN AS TOURISTS DRIFT OUT

The U.S.-designated terrorist organization Hezbollah lashed out at the U.S. after it captured Maduro. Hezbollah said it "condemns the terrorist aggression and American thuggery against the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela" and "further affirms its full solidarity with Venezuela — its people, presidency and government — in confronting this American aggression and arrogance."

The thorny challenge of how to purge the Venezuelan state and society of embedded Hezbollah operatives was addressed by Phares. He said, "One option would be to rely on a post-Maduro transitional authority that has pledged to dismantle terrorist networks. In practice, however, it is likely that U.S. intelligence and counterterrorism agencies would play a leading role in identifying and disrupting pro-Iranian networks operating within Venezuelan territory."

Matthew Levitt, a scholar on Hezbollah from the Washington Institute, told Fox News Digital, "It will all come down to what kind of regime comes next. Trump’s statements leave that wide open. There is, however, an opportunity to address the long-standing Hezbollah presence in Venezuela, and the strategic relationship between Venezuela and Iran more broadly."

Carrie Filipetti, executive director of the Vandenberg Coalition and a deputy assistant secretary of state during Trump’s first administration, told Fox News Digital, "Among the many ways in which the Iranian regime and Maduro regime coordinated until Maduro's arrest was providing a safe haven for Hezbollah fighters. Hezbollah took advantage of the lack of rule of law in Venezuela and parts of Latin America more generally to engage in money laundering connected to the drug trade. They are also believed to have used connections within the Maduro regime to secure Venezuelan passports for members of Hezbollah."

"It isn't a surprise that the plot to kidnap Iranian American journalist Masih Alinejad involved taking her by speedboat to Caracas," she noted. "Hezbollah and Iran knew, under Maduro, they could operate with impunity there, spread anti-American propaganda and plan anti-American attacks. Whether there are any implications for the Maduro-Hezbollah relationship now that Maduro is gone will depend on whether regime insiders are allowed to remain in power or not."

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Giant whale surges through massive bait ball in rare feeding frenzy: Watch the video

A freediving instructor had an encounter of a lifetime with a massive whale while diving off Mexico’s Pacific coast.

Emily Marzilli, 27, was diving with friends near a large sardine bait ball when activity in the water suddenly intensified.

Moments later, a Bryde’s whale surged out of the cloudy water, took a massive bite of the bait ball — and then disappeared just as quickly, Marzilli told news agency SWNS.

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Bryde’s whales are large baleen whales commonly found in warm, tropical and subtropical waters. 

The species is considered one of the great whales, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration website.

The unexpected encounter left the divers momentarily frozen.

Marzilli said it took several seconds to process what had happened, as the group had been focused on watching fish just moments earlier.

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"Half of it was honestly in shock because you are expecting to see fish, and then all of a sudden there's this 20-, 30-ton whale that's right in front of you," she said.

The encounter lasted only about two minutes, but Marzilli said it felt unforgettable.

The dive took place in November in Magdalena Bay off Baja California Sur, an area known for intense marine activity during sardine season, SWNS said.

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Marzilli said the bait ball her group was observing was unusually large.

The divers were keeping a safe distance of roughly 15 to 20 meters when the feeding frenzy escalated. 

As fish began attacking the bait ball more aggressively, visibility dropped as the water filled with foam.

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After the whale vanished and the bait ball was quickly consumed, the five divers surfaced in silence, exchanging looks of disbelief.

Marzilli said the experience was something she never expected to witness firsthand.

"Those are types of interactions that you can only dream of and wish to happen," she said.

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Maduro-backed TdA gang’s expansion into US cities emerges as key focus of sweeping DOJ indictment

The U.S. military carried out a "large-scale strike" on Venezuela Saturday morning, capturing the nation's dictatorial leader, Nicolás Maduro, who will face sweeping criminal charges on U.S. soil, according to an unsealed indictment released by Attorney General Pam Bondi. 

Maduro, who was elected in 2013 and served as Hugo Chavez's vice president, is facing charges of narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, possession of machine guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices against the U.S.

"It's just it was an amazing thing, the amazing job that these people did. There's nobody else could have done anything like it," Trump said of the operation.

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The unsealed indictment focuses on how Maduro allegedly enriched himself and "political elites" by reportedly partnering with vicious gangs and drug cartels that have established syndicates across the Western Hemisphere, including in the U.S., such as New York. The indictment lists six individuals as defendants, including Maduro, his wife, his son and Héctor Rusthenford Guerrero Flores, the leader of a vicious Venezuelan gang, Tren de Aragua. 

The indictment alleges that Maduro "sits atop a corrupt, illegitimate government that, for decades, has leveraged government power to protect and promote illegal activity, including drug trafficking."

President Donald Trump has railed against drug cartels for spreading deadly narcotics such as fentanyl in U.S. communities, leading to hundreds of thousands of overdose deaths since 2000. Trump has directed his ire at gangs such as Tren de Aragua, which Trump designated a Foreign Terrorist Organization last year. 

The indictment accuses Maduro and his co-conspirators — including Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello and former Interior Minister Ramón Rodríguez Chacín — of partnering with narco-terrorists, including the Tren de Aragua gang and its leader, to distribute cocaine since at least 1999.

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"In sum, MADURO MOROS and his co-conspirators have, for decades, partnered with some of the most violent and prolific drug traffickers and narco-terrorists in the world, and relied on corrupt officials throughout the region, to distribute tons of cocaine to the United States," the indictment states. 

The indictment alleges that Maduro "participates in, perpetuates, and protects a culture of corruption in which powerful Venezuelan elites enrich themselves through drug trafficking and the protection of their partner drug traffickers." The indictment describes that defendants worked in coordination with cartels and gangs such as Mexico's the Zetas, Mexico's Sinaloa Cartel, Colombian group ELN, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia—People's Army, and Tren de Aragua. 

"TdA has expanded its criminal network throughout the Western Hemisphere and established a presence in the United States, including New York," the indictment said. "TdA's criminal activities include human smuggling and other illicit acts. TdA has developed additional revenue sources through a range of other criminal activities, including drug trafficking, firearms trafficking, commercial sex trafficking, kidnapping, robbery, theft, fraud, and extortion. TdA members also commit murder, assault, and other acts of violence to enforce and further the organization's criminal activities."

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Trump has repeatedly accused Maduro of working with cartels, while underscoring how the foreign gangs have infiltrated the U.S. and spread violence and addiction. 

"TdA operates in conjunction with Cártel de los Soles, the Nicolás Maduro regime-sponsored, narco-terrorism enterprise based in Venezuela, and commits brutal crimes, including murders, kidnappings, extortions, and human, drug, and weapons trafficking," Trump wrote in a March 2025 presidential proclamation. 

He doubled down in his press conference on Saturday, warning that "all political and military figures in Venezuela should understand what happened to Maduro can happen to them."

Venezuela has argued that Tren de Aragua is no longer an active cartel and was effectively wiped out in 2023, Reuters previously reported. 

Maduro and 14 other current and former Venezuelan officials were previously charged by U.S. federal prosecutors in 2020 on narco-terrorism, corruption and drug trafficking allegations. The January 2025 indictment expands on the 2020 document, including adding Maduro's son and wife as defendants. 

The Venezuelan government said in a statement following the Saturday strike that "the civilian and military localities of the city of Caracas, capital of the Republic, and the states of Miranda, Aragua and La Guaira" were impacted by the attack.

The nation accused the U.S. of committing a "very serious military aggression" against Venezuela and carrying out "imperialist aggression."

"The objective of this attack is none other than to seize Venezuela's strategic resources, particularly its oil and minerals, attempting to break the Nation's political independence by force," the Government of Venezuela said in a statement. "They will not succeed. After more than two hundred years of independence, the people and their legitimate Government remain steadfast in defense of sovereignty and the inalienable right to decide their own destiny."

Trump said on Fox News that Maduro and his wife were flown by helicopter to a U.S. military ship. The couple will be transported to New York City, where the dictator is expected to stand trial. 

"Yes, the Iwo Jima," Trump said on Saturday morning on Fox News. "They'll be heading into New York. The helicopters took them out, and they went by helicopter on a nice flight. I'm sure they loved it, but they've killed a lot of people."

The president said he watched the operation from Mar-a-Lago, where he spent the Christmas holiday, and praised the military for its efforts.

Democrats have taken issue with a lack of notice to Congress over the strike, while MAGA Republicans have rallied around Trump's decision. 

Trump held a press conference from Mar-a-Lago on Saturday, where he said the U.S. will "run" Venezuela until there is a safe transition of power. 

"We're going to run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition. So we don't want to be involved with having somebody else get in. And we have the same situation that we had for the last long period of years. So we are going to run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition. And it has to be judicious because that's what we're all about. We want peace, liberty and justice for the great people of Venezuela," he said.

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The capture and strike follows the U.S. military carrying out dozens of strikes on suspected narco-boats since September. Trump campaigned in-part on ending the flow of deadly narcotics such as fentanyl from other nations – which has lead to surges in overdose deaths across the last two decades – including leveling tariffs on China to curb the flow of such drugs and strengthening the U.S. borders. 

Democrats have slammed the Trump administration over its strikes on the suspected narco-boats, with Trump defending that the U.S. is engaged in an "armed conflict" with drug cartels after the groups evolved into transnational terror organizations. Officials previously argued the strikes were necessary to curb the flow of opioid deaths in the U.S., while experts said the pressure campaign on Venezuela is likely aimed to also oust Maduro as leader of the oil-rich nation.

"We've knocked out 97% of the drugs coming in by sea … each boat kills 25, on average, 25,000 people. We knocked out 97%. And those drugs mostly come from a place called Venezuela," Trump said on Saturday of the boat strikes. 

US MILITARY DESTROYS NARCO-TERROR CONVOY OF THREE VESSELS AT SEA IN KINETIC STRIKES

Foreign adversaries condemned the U.S. over the strike, including the Chinese Foreign Ministry, which reported Saturday that the country is "deeply shocked and strongly condemns the use of force by the U.S. against a sovereign country and the use of force against the president of a country." 

Russia, which is a crucial ally to Venezuela, also condemned the strike and capture in public statements. 

"This morning, the United States committed an act of armed aggression against Venezuela. This is deeply concerning and condemnable," the Russia Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Saturday. "The pretexts used to justify such actions are unfounded. Ideological animosity has prevailed over business pragmatism and the willingness to build relationships based on trust and predictability."

Bondi warned on X that Maduro and his wife "will soon face the full wrath of American justice on American soil in American courts."

"On behalf of the entire U.S. DOJ, I would like to thank President Trump for having the courage to demand accountability on behalf of the American People, and a huge thank you to our brave military who conducted the incredible and highly successful mission to capture these two alleged international narco traffickers," Bondi wrote. 

Fox News Digital's Michael Sinkewicz contributed to this report. 

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Notre Dame head coach goes ballistic, rushes after official in wild scene following controversial loss

A wild scene unfolded following a 72-71 loss by the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, as head coach Micah Shrewsberry and sophomore guard Cole Certa appeared to charge after an official at the end of the game.

Fighting Irish players and coaches had to hold them back, as the broadcast picked up on the moment and speculated on what led to the frustration.

"It looked like he was going after one of the officials. My guess? His frustration on the and-one, four-play by Dai Dai Ames," the broadcaster commented.

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This game came down to the final seconds, as Certa’s layup made it a 67-63 lead, but the Cal Golden Bears responded quickly to cut the lead to two points.

The game ultimately came down to a crucial possession for the Golden Bears, where Ames shot a three-pointer, and as he made it, a foul was called — a massive mistake that allowed a free throw for Cal to take the lead.

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Officials initially reversed the call, but upon review, the reversal was then reversed, allowing Ames to head to the free throw line.

Notre Dame had the final shot of the game, but it fell short and the Golden Bears came back to victory.

In the heat of the moment, though, Certa was clearly walking after one of the officials, but Shrewsberry came barreling in as the official turned around to see the commotion. The official walked off the court without getting involved in the confrontation.

Certa is in an expanded role in his second season in South Bend, playing 20.3 minutes per game compared to 8.1 last season. He’s averaging nine points and 1.4 rebounds per game, while shooting 37.9% from the field.

Shrewsberry has been coaching the Fighting Irish since the 2023-24 season, owning a career 38-43 record over parts of three seasons. He has yet to lead them to a NCAA Tournament bid. 

The Fighting Irish are 10-5 on the season, including 1-1 in conference play. 

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Trump vows US will 'run' Venezuela until 'safe' transition of power

President Donald Trump said the United States is "going to run the country" in Venezuela until what he described as a safe, proper and judicious transition can take place.

Trump framed the role as temporary but necessary, saying the U.S. does not want to allow "somebody else get in" before conditions are stable. He said the goal is peace, liberty and justice for Venezuelans, including those who have fled to the United States and hope to return home.

"We’re going to run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition," Trump said. 

He also warned the U.S. is prepared to escalate further if needed, saying, "We are ready to stage a second and much larger attack," and that American forces remain in position. "We’re there now, and we’re going to stay until such time as the proper transition can take place," Trump said.

Trump spoke during a news conference Saturday hours after U.S. special forces bombed Caracas and captured dictator Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores, taking them to New York to face drug trafficking charges. 

LIVE UPDATES: TRUMP CONFIRMS OVERNIGHT STRIKES IN VENEZUELA, SAYS US HAS ‘CAPTURED’ MADURO

Trump said the U.S. plans to directly manage Venezuela alongside partners while rebuilding the country’s oil sector. "We’re going to be running it with a group, and we’re going to make sure it’s run properly," Trump said. "We’re going to rebuild the oil infrastructure, which will cost billions of dollars. It’ll be paid for by the oil companies directly… and we’re going to get the oil flowing the way it should be." He said the U.S. would ensure Venezuelans are "taken care of," including those "forced out of Venezuela by this thug."

Pressed on whether U.S. forces would remain inside the country, Trump did not rule out a sustained troop presence. "They always say boots on the ground — so we’re not afraid of boots on the ground if we have to," he said, confirming U.S. troops were already involved "at a very high level" during the operation. 

Trump repeated that the U.S. intends to stay and retain control, saying, "We’re there now. We’re ready to go again if we have to. We’re going to run the country… very judiciously, very fairly." He added that the U.S. was prepared to launch another attack if necessary and accused Venezuela’s former leadership of stealing American-built oil infrastructure, saying, "We’re late, but we did something about it."

Asked whether the U.S. would back opposition leader María Corina Machado or work with Venezuela’s newly sworn-in vice president, Trump signaled flexibility. He noted the vice president had been "picked by Maduro," but said U.S. officials were already engaging with her. "She’s essentially willing to do what we think is necessary to make Venezuela great," Trump said, adding that the issue was being handled directly by his team.

Trump continued, "She was quite gracious, but she really doesn't have a choice. We're going to have this done right. We're not going to just do this when they leave like everybody else, leave and say, you know, let it go to hell. If we just left, it has zero chance of ever coming back. We'll run it properly. We'll run it professionally. We'll have the greatest oil companies in the world go in and invest billions and billions of dollars and take out money. Use that money in Venezuela. And the biggest beneficiary are going to be the people of Venezuela."

MADURO MET CHINESE ENVOY HOURS BEFORE US CAPTURE FROM CARACAS AS BEIJING SLAMS OPERATION

Trump was asked by another reporter, "Why is running a country in South America ‘America first’?"

Trump replied: "We want to surround ourselves with good neighbors. We want to surround ourselves with stability. We want to surround ourselves with energy. We have tremendous energy in that country. It's very important that we protect it."

U.S. efforts to run or oversee political transitions in foreign countries have frequently encountered setbacks in recent years, highlighting the uncertainty surrounding Trump’s approach to Venezuela.

The last time the U.S. intervened militarily to remove a leader in Latin America was Panama in 1989, when American forces ousted dictator Manuel Noriega. While the operation succeeded quickly, it was followed by long-term challenges in stabilizing governance.

While the invasion quickly removed Manuel Noriega, it resulted in significant civilian harm. Estimates of civilian deaths vary widely, and entire neighborhoods — most notably El Chorrillo in Panama City — were heavily damaged, leaving thousands homeless. This complicated post-invasion stabilization and fueled lingering resentment among parts of the population.

MARÍA CORINA MACHADO EMERGES AS TOP POTENTIAL SUCCESSOR AFTER MÁDURO’S FALL

But after years of soaring hyperinflation that wiped out savings, hollowed out wages and fueled mass migration, some U.S. officials — and many Venezuelans — believe virtually anyone who comes to power would be better than Nicolás Maduro. Venezuelans inside the country and those who fled to the United States were seen celebrating in the streets during moments of heightened U.S. pressure, according to videos that circulated widely on social media.

Venezuelan opposition leaders Edmundo González Urrutia and his running mate Machado have positioned themselves as the alternative to President Nicolás Maduro, insisting they won last year’s presidential election despite the government’s declaration of Maduro as the victor.

Machado, who was barred from holding office by the Maduro-appointed high court, threw her support behind González as a unity candidate, while the opposition and several international observers rejected the official results as fraudulent.

González has since left Venezuela amid pressure from the Maduro government, while Machado's present whereabouts is unknown, urging continued domestic and international pressure to force a political transition.

After the capture, Machado called on Venezuela’s armed forces to recognize opposition candidate Edmundo González Urrutia as the country’s "legitimate president" and commander-in-chief, while declaring the opposition is prepared to "assert our mandate and take power." In a defiant statement, she said "the hour of freedom has arrived," argued President Nicolás Maduro now faces international justice, and urged Venezuelans at home and abroad to mobilize as what she described as the final phase of a democratic transition.

Asked about the U.S.'s track record of ousting dictators, Trump replied: "That's when we had different presidents ... That's not with me. We've had a perfect track record of winning. We win a lot and we win. If you look at Soleimani, you look at al-Baghdadi, you look at the Midnight Hammer, Midnight Hammer was incredible ... So, with me, you've had a lot of a lot of victory. You've had only victories, you've had no losses yet."

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