Originally published Jan. 4, 2025
NOTE: If you are short on time, watch the video and complete this See, Think, Wonder activity: What did you notice? What did the story make you think? What would you want to learn more about?
SUMMARY
In a stunning act of regime change on Saturday, the U.S. military captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and brought him to U.S. soil to face criminal charges. Soon after, President Donald Trump announced the U.S. would “run” Venezuela until a transition of power is made and warned of a new era of U.S. domination over Latin America. At least 40 people were killed in the airstrikes, including military personnel and civilians, according to Venezuelan officials.
View the transcript of the story.
News alternative: Check out recent segments from the NewsHour, and choose the story you’re most interested in watching. You can make a Google doc copy of discussion questions that work for any of the stories here.
WARM-UP QUESTIONS
- Who is Nicolás Maduro? Who was his predecessor?
- When did the U.S. attack Venezuela?
- Why did the U.S. strike Venezuela and capture its president, according to Trump?
- How did Vice President Delcy Rodriguez react to Maduro's capture? How did this differ from how Trump said she reacted?
- What foreign policy position from 1823 did Trump reference in his speech?
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
- Why do you think the U.S. attacked Venezuela? What additional information, if any, do you think you need to understand the reason behind the attack?
- Trump said the U.S. will "run" Venezuela until a "safe, proper and judicious transition." How could you find out what Constitutional and legal grounds Trump has for this statement?
- Do you think one country has the right to attack another sovereign nation? Explain.
Media literacy: "Under our new national security strategy, American dominance in the Western Hemisphere will never be questioned again," Trump said in his speech on Saturday. If you were one of the reporters at the press conference afterwards, what follow-up questions would you ask Trump in response to this statement?
WHAT STUDENTS CAN DO
**In addition to PBS News Hour's Venezuela stories, research how 3-5 different news organizations covered the strike on Venezuela, possibly including CNN, Fox News, Democracy Now, Washington Post, Politico and Breaking Points. What do you notice about the headlines? Who were the reporters' sources? What quotes stuck out to you and why? What was the overall tone and style of the reporting?
**Read Politifact's Fact-checking Trump's claims after U.S. strike on Venezuela and capture of Maduro and watch the following News Hour video:
**You may also wish to see how this one teacher decided to teach about the attacks on Venezuela. Read the Educator Voice piece below:
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