Netanyahu Backs US Venezuela Operation, Hails "Perfect" Military Action

"Regarding Venezuela, I want to express the entire Government's support for the determined decision and action of the United States to restore freedom and justice to that part of the world as well," Netanyahu said in a post on X.

Placing the developments in a broader regional context, the Israeli Prime Minister said Latin America is currently witnessing a shift in political alignments.

"I must say that across Latin America right now, we are seeing a transformation; several countries are returning to the American axis and, not surprisingly, to a connection with the State of Israel," he said.

Welcoming this shift, Netanyahu congratulated US President Donald Trump and praised the American military for its role.

"We welcome this. We congratulate President @realDonaldTrump on his decision. We also salute the American military forces who carried out a perfect operation. We know how to appreciate such things," he added.

Netanyahu's remarks came amid dramatic developments surrounding Venezuela's leadership, following the capture of deposed dictator Nicolas Maduro by US authorities.

Video footage released by the United States showed Maduro in handcuffs during a 'perp walk', during which he was seen wishing reporters and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents a Happy New Year and Good Night.

As the situation unfolded, Venezuela's Supreme Court ordered Vice President Delcy Rodriguez to assume the powers and duties of acting president after the US removed Nicolas Maduro, CNN reported.

The order, announced on Saturday night (local time), concluded that Maduro is in a "material and temporary impossibility to exercise his functions."

It stated that Rodriguez would "assume and exercise, as acting president, all the powers, duties, and faculties inherent to the office of president of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, in order to guarantee administrative continuity and the comprehensive defense of the nation," according to the order read by Justice Tania D'Amelio during a session broadcast on state television channel VTV, as reported by CNN.

Venezuela's constitution provides that in the event of a temporary or absolute absence of the president, the vice president must replace them.

Details of earlier US deliberations on Venezuela have also resurfaced following the latest developments.

A plan to remove Maduro was presented to Trump during his first term but did not materialise, as administration officials were unable to keep the president "focused" on the issue, his former National Security Advisor John Bolton told CNN.

Bolton said Trump was already "very interested in the Venezuelan oil" during his first term.

While Trump and his team were able to get interested in the idea of removing Maduro, they "couldn't keep him focused on it," Bolton said.

He added that Venezuela's opposition at the time believed economic pressure alone would be sufficient to split Maduro's regime.

The US has since launched what Trump described as a "large scale strike against Venezuela" and captured Maduro to face charges, according to CNN.

The report said the regime change effort was carried out without the approval of the US Congress.

- ANI