Nicolas Maduro was seen dancing in public recently.
The former Venezuelan leader, who is now in exile, performed a rendition of John Lennon’s “Imagine” shortly before Operation Absolute Solution was set in motion, seemingly downplaying the seriousness of President Donald Trump’s military buildup near Venezuela.
During a rally in Caracas late last year, Maduro’s dance was intended as an anti-war gesture, attempting to brush aside Trump’s demands.
“As John Lennon used to say, we’ll do anything for peace, right?” he remarked while singing the well-known anthem, according to a translation from the Associated Press.
“This song is an inspiration for all time. It serves as an ode for every generation, a gift from John Lennon to humanity.”
Last August, the Trump campaign raised the bounty on Maduro to $50 million, and soon after began authorizing airstrikes against vessels suspected of drug smuggling near Venezuela.
The situation escalated, with Trump increasing military resources in the area. Just last month, he called for a blockade against oil tankers linked to Venezuela.
Despite multiple phone conversations between Trump and Maduro, where the U.S. president reportedly urged him to resign or face dire consequences, Maduro’s public displays and apparent disregard for Trump’s threats pushed the U.S. administration to initiate “Operation Absolute Solution” aimed at capturing him, as reported by The New York Times, citing unnamed sources.
The newspaper has reached out to the White House for a response.
Early Saturday morning, special forces conducted a raid in Caracas, apprehending Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, before transporting them to the United States on charges related to drug trafficking.
According to Venezuelan officials, the operation resulted in significant casualties among Maduro’s security team.
Following the raid, Maduro’s vice president, Delcy Rodriguez, assumed the role of acting president.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio has stated that he does not recognize the U.S. as Venezuela’s legitimate authority.
He has spoken with Rodriguez since the operation, indicating that if she doesn’t act accordingly, the consequences could be severe, perhaps even more so than those faced by Maduro.
