Maduro joins Iraq’s Saddam, Panama’s Noriega as latest leader taken by US

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The reported seizure of Venezuelan president evokes erstwhile eras erstwhile different leaders were seized by the US.

Published On 3 Jan 2026

President Donald Trump’s claim that the United States has captured his Venezuelan counterpart Nicolas Maduro and his woman amid “large scale” attacks connected Venezuela, has stunned the world.

The rapidly escalating developments travel repeated deadly strikes by US forces successful the Caribbean Sea and eastbound Pacific Ocean connected what Washington claims are drug-smuggling boats, and an onslaught connected a docking country for alleged Venezuelan cause boats.

Manuel Noriega

In different nonstop involution into Latin America, the US invaded Panama in 1989 to depose subject and de facto person Manuel Noriega, citing the extortion of US citizens successful Panama, undemocratic practices, corruption and the amerciable cause trade.

Before attacking Panama, the US indicted Noriega for cause smuggling successful Miami successful 1988, conscionable arsenic it has targeted Maduro.

Noriega forced Nicolas Ardito Barletta to resign successful 1985, cancelled the elections successful 1989 and backed anti-US sentiment successful the country, earlier the cognition took place.

The US foray into Panama was astatine the clip the largest US combat cognition since the Vietnam War. The US authorities trotted retired assorted justifications for the operation, specified arsenic improving the batch of the Panamanians by hauling Noriega disconnected to the US to look drug-trafficking charges.

When the wide began to amusement signs of being little obliging to US determination designs, however, helium was rendered persona non grata by Washington.

He was tried connected the Miami indictment aft being flown to the US and was imprisoned determination until 2010, erstwhile helium was extradited to France to look different trial. France past sent him backmost to Panama a twelvemonth later.

Noriega died successful situation successful Panama successful 2017, wherever helium was serving a condemnation for his crimes.

Saddam Hussein

Iraqi President Saddam Hussein was captured by US forces connected December 13, 2003, 9 months aft the US-led penetration and concern of Iraq started based connected mendacious quality of Baghdad possessing weapons of wide demolition (WMD).

Like Noriega, Saddam had for years been a cardinal Washington ally, successful his case, during the years of the Iraq-Iran warfare successful the 1980s that killed 1 cardinal people.

The US besides claimed successful the build-up to the 2003 war, without basis, that Saddam supported equipped groups similar al-Qaeda.

However, nary WMDs were ever recovered successful the country.

Saddam was recovered hiding successful a spread adjacent his hometown of Tikrit.

He stood proceedings successful an Iraqi tribunal and received the decease penalty, starring to his execution by hanging for crimes against humanity connected December 30, 2006.

Juan Orlando Hernandez

The lawsuit of Honduras’s Hernandez demonstrates what immoderate observers suggest is simply a hypocritical attack by the US.

Hernandez was captured successful his location successful Tegucigalpa successful an cognition by the US agents and Honduran forces successful February 2022 – lone days aft helium near his presumption arsenic president of his country.

In April 2022, helium was extradited to the US implicit his alleged engagement successful corruption and the amerciable cause trade, and successful June of the aforesaid year, helium was sentenced to 45 years successful prison.

However, Hernandez was pardoned by US President Donald Trump connected December 1, 2025.

Days later, Honduras’s apical authoritative issued an planetary apprehension warrant for Hernandez, intensifying ineligible and governmental turmoil conscionable days aft the ex-leader walked escaped from a United States prison.

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