Trump: “We struck, we captured Maduro, and for now we are going to run the country”
Caracas / Washington – January 3, 2026 In one of the boldest U.S. military interventions in Latin America in decades, President Donald Trump announced early Saturday that American special forces conducted overnight strikes inside Venezuela and successfully captured long-time President Nicolás Maduro along with his wife, Cilia Flores.
Speaking from the White House and in a series of posts on Truth Social, Trump described the operation as a “complete success” against what he called an “illegitimate socialist regime” that has overseen drug trafficking, mass migration, and regional chaos.
“We struck key military targets, captured Maduro, and for now we are going to run the country,” Trump declared. “The oil industry is going to make a lot of money under American leadership.”
Maduro, who has ruled Venezuela since 2013, is reportedly aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima in the Caribbean and will be transported to New York to face federal charges, according to the president.
Explosions Rock Caracas
Residents in Caracas reported multiple loud explosions overnight, with columns of smoke rising from La Carlota air base and Fuerte Tiuna, the country’s largest military complex. Low-flying aircraft and helicopter activity were heard for several hours.
The Pentagon has not released an official statement, but senior administration officials confirmed to NBC News that U.S. special operations forces executed the capture with air support, targeting regime leadership and command-and-control facilities.
Trump posted two photographs on Truth Social purportedly showing a handcuffed Maduro aboard a U.S. naval vessel.
Immediate International Reaction
- Argentina President Javier Milei hailed the operation as “the dawn of freedom for the Venezuelan people.”
- Mexico and Brazil issued sharp condemnations. Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva called it “an unacceptable violation of sovereignty” and announced an emergency meeting of UNASUR nations.
- Colombia and Peru have remained silent so far.
- Venezuelan opposition leaders aligned with María Corina Machado and interim president-in-exile Juan Guaidó confirmed strikes on regime targets and expressed cautious optimism, with sources close to Machado saying “the dictatorship has fallen tonight.”
What Happens Next?
Trump indicated that U.S. forces will remain in Venezuela “as long as necessary” to secure critical infrastructure — particularly oil facilities — and prevent retaliation by pro-Maduro loyalists or foreign allies.
The president suggested that American companies will play a leading role in restarting and managing Venezuela’s battered oil industry, which holds the world’s largest proven reserves.
Legal experts note that bringing Maduro to New York aligns with long-standing U.S. indictments against him for narco-terrorism, corruption, and drug trafficking, carrying potential life sentences.
As dawn broke over Caracas, the future of Venezuela — and the precedent set by this unprecedented action — hangs in the balance.
L’Union Suite is monitoring developments minute-by-minute and will provide updates as more details emerge from Washington, Caracas, and the region.


























![[TRIGGER WARNING] Pierre Damas Bel came to the United States to go to school. On Monday morning, the 20-year-old Haitian TPS holder was pronounced dead on Interstate 70 after he was struck by a semi-truck near South Vienna. The Ohio State Highway Patrol’s Springfield Post said troopers were called at 8:45 a.m. to the 66 mile marker of westbound I-70, near Ohio 54. Bel was pronounced dead at the scene. The crash remains under investigation.
Bel was a recent graduate of Springfield High School, class of 2026. During his senior year he played soccer for the Wildcats as a forward and midfielder. After graduation, he was looking ahead to college sports.
On July 30, Bel wrote on Instagram that immigration authorities had placed a GPS monitor on his leg, and that the device had stripped him of the future he thought he was building.
“I came to this country to pursue my education. I didn’t come here to commit a crime or hurt anyone,” he wrote. “Yet now I’m walking through the streets of the United States with a GPS monitor on my leg, carrying a feeling of shame and humiliation that I never imagined I would experience.”
His father, Pierre Ronal Bel, told L’Union Suite in an interview Monday that the monitor went on his son’s left leg only a few weeks ago and that Pierre Damas was traumatized & depressed. The last conversation between father and son was at 8:03 a.m. Monday, 42 minutes before troopers were called to I-70.
Pierre Ronal said his son was sitting in a car and told him he was struggling. The father told him to come home so they could talk, sit together, eat, and work through it. Minutes later the phone cut off. He kept calling. He could not reach his son. Pierre Ronal said police told him today his son’s death was intentional but he’s having a hard time processing it all.
L’Union Suite has not independently confirmed the official manner of death. The Ohio State Highway Patrol investigation is ongoing, & the truck driver has not been publicly identified.
What is not in dispute is the pressure Pierre Damas Bel was under. Rest In Peace Pierre. We extend our deepest condolences to Pierre Ronal & the Bel family. 💔🕊️#lunionsuite](https://www.lunionsuite.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/792717838_18628778875023307_2233338478062184444_n-1-512x640.jpg)


















































![[TRIGGER WARNING] Pierre Damas Bel came to the United States to go to school. On Monday morning, the 20-year-old Haitian TPS holder was pronounced dead on Interstate 70 after he was struck by a semi-truck near South Vienna. The Ohio State Highway Patrol’s Springfield Post said troopers were called at 8:45 a.m. to the 66 mile marker of westbound I-70, near Ohio 54. Bel was pronounced dead at the scene. The crash remains under investigation.
Bel was a recent graduate of Springfield High School, class of 2026. During his senior year he played soccer for the Wildcats as a forward and midfielder. After graduation, he was looking ahead to college sports.
On July 30, Bel wrote on Instagram that immigration authorities had placed a GPS monitor on his leg, and that the device had stripped him of the future he thought he was building.
“I came to this country to pursue my education. I didn’t come here to commit a crime or hurt anyone,” he wrote. “Yet now I’m walking through the streets of the United States with a GPS monitor on my leg, carrying a feeling of shame and humiliation that I never imagined I would experience.”
His father, Pierre Ronal Bel, told L’Union Suite in an interview Monday that the monitor went on his son’s left leg only a few weeks ago and that Pierre Damas was traumatized & depressed. The last conversation between father and son was at 8:03 a.m. Monday, 42 minutes before troopers were called to I-70.
Pierre Ronal said his son was sitting in a car and told him he was struggling. The father told him to come home so they could talk, sit together, eat, and work through it. Minutes later the phone cut off. He kept calling. He could not reach his son. Pierre Ronal said police told him today his son’s death was intentional but he’s having a hard time processing it all.
L’Union Suite has not independently confirmed the official manner of death. The Ohio State Highway Patrol investigation is ongoing, & the truck driver has not been publicly identified.
What is not in dispute is the pressure Pierre Damas Bel was under. Rest In Peace Pierre. We extend our deepest condolences to Pierre Ronal & the Bel family. 💔🕊️#lunionsuite](https://scontent-yyz1-1.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.82787-15/792717838_18628778875023307_2233338478062184444_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_e35_tt6&_nc_cat=110&ccb=7-5&_nc_sid=18de74&efg=eyJlZmdfdGFnIjoiQ0FST1VTRUxfSVRFTS5iZXN0X2ltYWdlX3VybGdlbi5DMiJ9&_nc_ohc=pVPGBZNRvJkQ7kNvwH7ii3-&_nc_oc=AdpdRIZ8_n5w5F0jfj6EO-LZeqrdBHP8hjtcBS3Vv-fpJwehBwnsC0yKlbbHFYYrJR8&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent-yyz1-1.cdninstagram.com&edm=ANo9K5cEAAAA&_nc_gid=MyUALdQsNHLvSgQhA1XNOw&_nc_tpa=Q5bMBQJCrEQFSFttOy2MiAMCRSiHixwksx6a5SOMZ63OiPWrOfY35L8YvN4IA7Evsh1oy4rIUpZjkhdS&oh=00_AQKmgwYnqFRNYtSLJ3oYimMr9bX-3aatSxsmceSNSPDcow&oe=6A9FAE1F)
![[TRIGGER WARNING] Pierre Damas Bel came to the United States to go to school. On Monday morning, the 20-year-old Haitian TPS holder was pronounced dead on Interstate 70 after he was struck by a semi-truck near South Vienna. The Ohio State Highway Patrol’s Springfield Post said troopers were called at 8:45 a.m. to the 66 mile marker of westbound I-70, near Ohio 54. Bel was pronounced dead at the scene. The crash remains under investigation.
Bel was a recent graduate of Springfield High School, class of 2026. During his senior year he played soccer for the Wildcats as a forward and midfielder. After graduation, he was looking ahead to college sports.
On July 30, Bel wrote on Instagram that immigration authorities had placed a GPS monitor on his leg, and that the device had stripped him of the future he thought he was building.
“I came to this country to pursue my education. I didn’t come here to commit a crime or hurt anyone,” he wrote. “Yet now I’m walking through the streets of the United States with a GPS monitor on my leg, carrying a feeling of shame and humiliation that I never imagined I would experience.”
His father, Pierre Ronal Bel, told L’Union Suite in an interview Monday that the monitor went on his son’s left leg only a few weeks ago and that Pierre Damas was traumatized & depressed. The last conversation between father and son was at 8:03 a.m. Monday, 42 minutes before troopers were called to I-70.
Pierre Ronal said his son was sitting in a car and told him he was struggling. The father told him to come home so they could talk, sit together, eat, and work through it. Minutes later the phone cut off. He kept calling. He could not reach his son. Pierre Ronal said police told him today his son’s death was intentional but he’s having a hard time processing it all.
L’Union Suite has not independently confirmed the official manner of death. The Ohio State Highway Patrol investigation is ongoing, & the truck driver has not been publicly identified.
What is not in dispute is the pressure Pierre Damas Bel was under. Rest In Peace Pierre. We extend our deepest condolences to Pierre Ronal & the Bel family. 💔🕊️#lunionsuite](https://scontent-yyz1-1.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.82787-15/790392498_18628778839023307_7639948884520458504_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_e35_tt6&_nc_cat=100&ccb=7-5&_nc_sid=18de74&efg=eyJlZmdfdGFnIjoiQ0FST1VTRUxfSVRFTS5iZXN0X2ltYWdlX3VybGdlbi5DMiJ9&_nc_ohc=IKbrJ6XMYGkQ7kNvwHLiGqW&_nc_oc=AdqSXuVwaYr5Mn4_hU7WuUFopxb3VGFVj7yUH4gOo-4U356Ex9oFVgQEKmggLp-2_6A&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent-yyz1-1.cdninstagram.com&edm=ANo9K5cEAAAA&_nc_gid=MyUALdQsNHLvSgQhA1XNOw&_nc_tpa=Q5bMBQKZ_lPPyAMq_ZWks4vGmSAG1nfVqGfTVqPghquhWexaQ_PQ_GOAcDIvjkgedefrKCuVHp1usX3m&oh=00_AQJwjTuBKR8FTmaztb9FssOQ-MreQyGtdL6d7Sp8aRKD8w&oe=6A9FA15D)
![[TRIGGER WARNING] Pierre Damas Bel came to the United States to go to school. On Monday morning, the 20-year-old Haitian TPS holder was pronounced dead on Interstate 70 after he was struck by a semi-truck near South Vienna. The Ohio State Highway Patrol’s Springfield Post said troopers were called at 8:45 a.m. to the 66 mile marker of westbound I-70, near Ohio 54. Bel was pronounced dead at the scene. The crash remains under investigation.
Bel was a recent graduate of Springfield High School, class of 2026. During his senior year he played soccer for the Wildcats as a forward and midfielder. After graduation, he was looking ahead to college sports.
On July 30, Bel wrote on Instagram that immigration authorities had placed a GPS monitor on his leg, and that the device had stripped him of the future he thought he was building.
“I came to this country to pursue my education. I didn’t come here to commit a crime or hurt anyone,” he wrote. “Yet now I’m walking through the streets of the United States with a GPS monitor on my leg, carrying a feeling of shame and humiliation that I never imagined I would experience.”
His father, Pierre Ronal Bel, told L’Union Suite in an interview Monday that the monitor went on his son’s left leg only a few weeks ago and that Pierre Damas was traumatized & depressed. The last conversation between father and son was at 8:03 a.m. Monday, 42 minutes before troopers were called to I-70.
Pierre Ronal said his son was sitting in a car and told him he was struggling. The father told him to come home so they could talk, sit together, eat, and work through it. Minutes later the phone cut off. He kept calling. He could not reach his son. Pierre Ronal said police told him today his son’s death was intentional but he’s having a hard time processing it all.
L’Union Suite has not independently confirmed the official manner of death. The Ohio State Highway Patrol investigation is ongoing, & the truck driver has not been publicly identified.
What is not in dispute is the pressure Pierre Damas Bel was under. Rest In Peace Pierre. We extend our deepest condolences to Pierre Ronal & the Bel family. 💔🕊️#lunionsuite](https://scontent-yyz1-1.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.82787-15/790226064_18628778830023307_271064324996924571_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_e35_tt6&_nc_cat=106&ccb=7-5&_nc_sid=18de74&efg=eyJlZmdfdGFnIjoiQ0FST1VTRUxfSVRFTS5iZXN0X2ltYWdlX3VybGdlbi5DMiJ9&_nc_ohc=jHCy7YgtfCMQ7kNvwFNe1N5&_nc_oc=Adq5xbu92MCw_xGlBu5x6z9UFvtboF_8Wt0VmyfvFxa3sn5tt-y30MgbT5RGSn2kJcc&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent-yyz1-1.cdninstagram.com&edm=ANo9K5cEAAAA&_nc_gid=MyUALdQsNHLvSgQhA1XNOw&_nc_tpa=Q5bMBQIHeq4ubRFQb-9yPJ2HA7ehK_d_mF1k0cw0Az3uPbsZ6sMchb4OQFnA_fX11SU3-6Jb1WH7iJH6&oh=00_AQL9psmLgsiL3HnP5ffaNdKPJYmcfOQMNCm2NW5owa7OWg&oe=6A9FA1A8)
![[TRIGGER WARNING] Pierre Damas Bel came to the United States to go to school. On Monday morning, the 20-year-old Haitian TPS holder was pronounced dead on Interstate 70 after he was struck by a semi-truck near South Vienna. The Ohio State Highway Patrol’s Springfield Post said troopers were called at 8:45 a.m. to the 66 mile marker of westbound I-70, near Ohio 54. Bel was pronounced dead at the scene. The crash remains under investigation.
Bel was a recent graduate of Springfield High School, class of 2026. During his senior year he played soccer for the Wildcats as a forward and midfielder. After graduation, he was looking ahead to college sports.
On July 30, Bel wrote on Instagram that immigration authorities had placed a GPS monitor on his leg, and that the device had stripped him of the future he thought he was building.
“I came to this country to pursue my education. I didn’t come here to commit a crime or hurt anyone,” he wrote. “Yet now I’m walking through the streets of the United States with a GPS monitor on my leg, carrying a feeling of shame and humiliation that I never imagined I would experience.”
His father, Pierre Ronal Bel, told L’Union Suite in an interview Monday that the monitor went on his son’s left leg only a few weeks ago and that Pierre Damas was traumatized & depressed. The last conversation between father and son was at 8:03 a.m. Monday, 42 minutes before troopers were called to I-70.
Pierre Ronal said his son was sitting in a car and told him he was struggling. The father told him to come home so they could talk, sit together, eat, and work through it. Minutes later the phone cut off. He kept calling. He could not reach his son. Pierre Ronal said police told him today his son’s death was intentional but he’s having a hard time processing it all.
L’Union Suite has not independently confirmed the official manner of death. The Ohio State Highway Patrol investigation is ongoing, & the truck driver has not been publicly identified.
What is not in dispute is the pressure Pierre Damas Bel was under. Rest In Peace Pierre. We extend our deepest condolences to Pierre Ronal & the Bel family. 💔🕊️#lunionsuite](https://scontent-yyz1-1.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.82787-15/792206821_18628778857023307_4454776031995838003_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_e35_tt6&_nc_cat=110&ccb=7-5&_nc_sid=18de74&efg=eyJlZmdfdGFnIjoiQ0FST1VTRUxfSVRFTS5iZXN0X2ltYWdlX3VybGdlbi5DMiJ9&_nc_ohc=xYHRfOkrsh0Q7kNvwGI9NzB&_nc_oc=AdqaOFW4m3GygIG2OMnkp7RSZbLX5AJ5jtg74O1JZd5ujPMausaLe4TnJvqPXPZEKXk&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent-yyz1-1.cdninstagram.com&edm=ANo9K5cEAAAA&_nc_gid=MyUALdQsNHLvSgQhA1XNOw&_nc_tpa=Q5bMBQLN5tuZ25uEHiNdx0-xxk9ajPK0DKp09Rglbj3CxLK-BU7al5YPwYv3h7JD5yYPag_27o7l02tc&oh=00_AQItkeJGGDpgf2Pto3AHReQ2iV8eukxV6SgMyfQwiP5Y1w&oe=6A9F98D9)
![[TRIGGER WARNING] Pierre Damas Bel came to the United States to go to school. On Monday morning, the 20-year-old Haitian TPS holder was pronounced dead on Interstate 70 after he was struck by a semi-truck near South Vienna. The Ohio State Highway Patrol’s Springfield Post said troopers were called at 8:45 a.m. to the 66 mile marker of westbound I-70, near Ohio 54. Bel was pronounced dead at the scene. The crash remains under investigation.
Bel was a recent graduate of Springfield High School, class of 2026. During his senior year he played soccer for the Wildcats as a forward and midfielder. After graduation, he was looking ahead to college sports.
On July 30, Bel wrote on Instagram that immigration authorities had placed a GPS monitor on his leg, and that the device had stripped him of the future he thought he was building.
“I came to this country to pursue my education. I didn’t come here to commit a crime or hurt anyone,” he wrote. “Yet now I’m walking through the streets of the United States with a GPS monitor on my leg, carrying a feeling of shame and humiliation that I never imagined I would experience.”
His father, Pierre Ronal Bel, told L’Union Suite in an interview Monday that the monitor went on his son’s left leg only a few weeks ago and that Pierre Damas was traumatized & depressed. The last conversation between father and son was at 8:03 a.m. Monday, 42 minutes before troopers were called to I-70.
Pierre Ronal said his son was sitting in a car and told him he was struggling. The father told him to come home so they could talk, sit together, eat, and work through it. Minutes later the phone cut off. He kept calling. He could not reach his son. Pierre Ronal said police told him today his son’s death was intentional but he’s having a hard time processing it all.
L’Union Suite has not independently confirmed the official manner of death. The Ohio State Highway Patrol investigation is ongoing, & the truck driver has not been publicly identified.
What is not in dispute is the pressure Pierre Damas Bel was under. Rest In Peace Pierre. We extend our deepest condolences to Pierre Ronal & the Bel family. 💔🕊️#lunionsuite](https://scontent-yyz1-1.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.82787-15/786657733_18628778887023307_2878714942818104573_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_e35_tt6&_nc_cat=111&ccb=7-5&_nc_sid=18de74&efg=eyJlZmdfdGFnIjoiQ0FST1VTRUxfSVRFTS5iZXN0X2ltYWdlX3VybGdlbi5DMiJ9&_nc_ohc=fsM3Ov0vZ-8Q7kNvwHcx-zC&_nc_oc=AdpUjSkP-r-_0-zshlPRAi_jSH_d57ZnUhBAFYJ5EKQTcw5nHP76GVFliSOVe90Rdwc&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent-yyz1-1.cdninstagram.com&edm=ANo9K5cEAAAA&_nc_gid=MyUALdQsNHLvSgQhA1XNOw&_nc_tpa=Q5bMBQIYy60ZKXnoQZKr6diJ2PxLNu4Hw1tZuQ0EwQGYUW5ZMjvsk7PWVIo-y5o5iR-uvzn45Mrc460t&oh=00_AQL7LJVYhG0T3mMJjyNnkbyNBz3Oma3hjLaSYXerhdFXAw&oe=6A9FB8F0)
![[TRIGGER WARNING] Pierre Damas Bel came to the United States to go to school. On Monday morning, the 20-year-old Haitian TPS holder was pronounced dead on Interstate 70 after he was struck by a semi-truck near South Vienna. The Ohio State Highway Patrol’s Springfield Post said troopers were called at 8:45 a.m. to the 66 mile marker of westbound I-70, near Ohio 54. Bel was pronounced dead at the scene. The crash remains under investigation.
Bel was a recent graduate of Springfield High School, class of 2026. During his senior year he played soccer for the Wildcats as a forward and midfielder. After graduation, he was looking ahead to college sports.
On July 30, Bel wrote on Instagram that immigration authorities had placed a GPS monitor on his leg, and that the device had stripped him of the future he thought he was building.
“I came to this country to pursue my education. I didn’t come here to commit a crime or hurt anyone,” he wrote. “Yet now I’m walking through the streets of the United States with a GPS monitor on my leg, carrying a feeling of shame and humiliation that I never imagined I would experience.”
His father, Pierre Ronal Bel, told L’Union Suite in an interview Monday that the monitor went on his son’s left leg only a few weeks ago and that Pierre Damas was traumatized & depressed. The last conversation between father and son was at 8:03 a.m. Monday, 42 minutes before troopers were called to I-70.
Pierre Ronal said his son was sitting in a car and told him he was struggling. The father told him to come home so they could talk, sit together, eat, and work through it. Minutes later the phone cut off. He kept calling. He could not reach his son. Pierre Ronal said police told him today his son’s death was intentional but he’s having a hard time processing it all.
L’Union Suite has not independently confirmed the official manner of death. The Ohio State Highway Patrol investigation is ongoing, & the truck driver has not been publicly identified.
What is not in dispute is the pressure Pierre Damas Bel was under. Rest In Peace Pierre. We extend our deepest condolences to Pierre Ronal & the Bel family. 💔🕊️#lunionsuite](https://scontent-yyz1-1.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.82787-15/791890865_18628778935023307_8419795396321461539_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_e35_tt6&_nc_cat=105&ccb=7-5&_nc_sid=18de74&efg=eyJlZmdfdGFnIjoiQ0FST1VTRUxfSVRFTS5iZXN0X2ltYWdlX3VybGdlbi5DMiJ9&_nc_ohc=lefOKoqtdS0Q7kNvwE4xvBD&_nc_oc=AdrUSk0KM8uki5B6xjsvPOTXnTN4Wd_lYckPBTNZT4-VysocN4wwSBLukjepUGaTS0M&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent-yyz1-1.cdninstagram.com&edm=ANo9K5cEAAAA&_nc_gid=MyUALdQsNHLvSgQhA1XNOw&_nc_tpa=Q5bMBQJuHFC93ZiAqDdNJfaBP6-uCqrk8iAqG0vZAOf3UwrXcnkPCpwi1ZsM3rKcEXDkeCXvB0czAh57&oh=00_AQL_L6kjytFNSnweLKrWjC6ujPSPXXAi94NkrEnlNMG-Lw&oe=6A9FB23A)
![[TRIGGER WARNING] Pierre Damas Bel came to the United States to go to school. On Monday morning, the 20-year-old Haitian TPS holder was pronounced dead on Interstate 70 after he was struck by a semi-truck near South Vienna. The Ohio State Highway Patrol’s Springfield Post said troopers were called at 8:45 a.m. to the 66 mile marker of westbound I-70, near Ohio 54. Bel was pronounced dead at the scene. The crash remains under investigation.
Bel was a recent graduate of Springfield High School, class of 2026. During his senior year he played soccer for the Wildcats as a forward and midfielder. After graduation, he was looking ahead to college sports.
On July 30, Bel wrote on Instagram that immigration authorities had placed a GPS monitor on his leg, and that the device had stripped him of the future he thought he was building.
“I came to this country to pursue my education. I didn’t come here to commit a crime or hurt anyone,” he wrote. “Yet now I’m walking through the streets of the United States with a GPS monitor on my leg, carrying a feeling of shame and humiliation that I never imagined I would experience.”
His father, Pierre Ronal Bel, told L’Union Suite in an interview Monday that the monitor went on his son’s left leg only a few weeks ago and that Pierre Damas was traumatized & depressed. The last conversation between father and son was at 8:03 a.m. Monday, 42 minutes before troopers were called to I-70.
Pierre Ronal said his son was sitting in a car and told him he was struggling. The father told him to come home so they could talk, sit together, eat, and work through it. Minutes later the phone cut off. He kept calling. He could not reach his son. Pierre Ronal said police told him today his son’s death was intentional but he’s having a hard time processing it all.
L’Union Suite has not independently confirmed the official manner of death. The Ohio State Highway Patrol investigation is ongoing, & the truck driver has not been publicly identified.
What is not in dispute is the pressure Pierre Damas Bel was under. Rest In Peace Pierre. We extend our deepest condolences to Pierre Ronal & the Bel family. 💔🕊️#lunionsuite](https://scontent-yyz1-1.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.82787-15/791483641_18628778848023307_5834588202028335827_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_e35_tt6&_nc_cat=105&ccb=7-5&_nc_sid=18de74&efg=eyJlZmdfdGFnIjoiQ0FST1VTRUxfSVRFTS5iZXN0X2ltYWdlX3VybGdlbi5DMiJ9&_nc_ohc=diiYqjyloRwQ7kNvwEPyixH&_nc_oc=AdrEx6umdBUtC-xKlCdJddYy43Tr8lBhfBUZ2Di1ZDddl3dI1OI0bC35L-AISQh5bQc&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent-yyz1-1.cdninstagram.com&edm=ANo9K5cEAAAA&_nc_gid=MyUALdQsNHLvSgQhA1XNOw&_nc_tpa=Q5bMBQI09b84P-RLMLHDZBF_S9ULXVXzzNFIaMWaYvyn-ISVDxEesznwJ0ZH-mVZ2ssdzullMD9_dRU7&oh=00_AQKJ2gDUJ7tyll-2vz71r1WwrTMice8jmbtwhcCp4dH6Vw&oe=6A9F9D4D)
![[TRIGGER WARNING] Pierre Damas Bel came to the United States to go to school. On Monday morning, the 20-year-old Haitian TPS holder was pronounced dead on Interstate 70 after he was struck by a semi-truck near South Vienna. The Ohio State Highway Patrol’s Springfield Post said troopers were called at 8:45 a.m. to the 66 mile marker of westbound I-70, near Ohio 54. Bel was pronounced dead at the scene. The crash remains under investigation.
Bel was a recent graduate of Springfield High School, class of 2026. During his senior year he played soccer for the Wildcats as a forward and midfielder. After graduation, he was looking ahead to college sports.
On July 30, Bel wrote on Instagram that immigration authorities had placed a GPS monitor on his leg, and that the device had stripped him of the future he thought he was building.
“I came to this country to pursue my education. I didn’t come here to commit a crime or hurt anyone,” he wrote. “Yet now I’m walking through the streets of the United States with a GPS monitor on my leg, carrying a feeling of shame and humiliation that I never imagined I would experience.”
His father, Pierre Ronal Bel, told L’Union Suite in an interview Monday that the monitor went on his son’s left leg only a few weeks ago and that Pierre Damas was traumatized & depressed. The last conversation between father and son was at 8:03 a.m. Monday, 42 minutes before troopers were called to I-70.
Pierre Ronal said his son was sitting in a car and told him he was struggling. The father told him to come home so they could talk, sit together, eat, and work through it. Minutes later the phone cut off. He kept calling. He could not reach his son. Pierre Ronal said police told him today his son’s death was intentional but he’s having a hard time processing it all.
L’Union Suite has not independently confirmed the official manner of death. The Ohio State Highway Patrol investigation is ongoing, & the truck driver has not been publicly identified.
What is not in dispute is the pressure Pierre Damas Bel was under. Rest In Peace Pierre. We extend our deepest condolences to Pierre Ronal & the Bel family. 💔🕊️#lunionsuite](https://scontent-yyz1-1.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.82787-15/791003488_18628778872023307_3451721526448623210_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_e35_tt6&_nc_cat=111&ccb=7-5&_nc_sid=18de74&efg=eyJlZmdfdGFnIjoiQ0FST1VTRUxfSVRFTS5iZXN0X2ltYWdlX3VybGdlbi5DMiJ9&_nc_ohc=ilzZ3sPUXG8Q7kNvwFTzSUh&_nc_oc=AdoxnoegyTuDFSMgwc805uIqcxMzXu7dqAdZzSJWWCSiukWcUqMXv5FzJ42TVaEirlE&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent-yyz1-1.cdninstagram.com&edm=ANo9K5cEAAAA&_nc_gid=MyUALdQsNHLvSgQhA1XNOw&_nc_tpa=Q5bMBQKP2v9cppuLHZ6BAQopXbBG_HIPvbuBkYeaPbK39ZzWRV6zEi3LI2gq3aZK1meJhNQtXjG0tqxO&oh=00_AQIgawETykjhFXklxhtFNPnLKjtytdi3MgzQKxiwCmqrPw&oe=6A9FA2F1)
![[TRIGGER WARNING] Pierre Damas Bel came to the United States to go to school. On Monday morning, the 20-year-old Haitian TPS holder was pronounced dead on Interstate 70 after he was struck by a semi-truck near South Vienna. The Ohio State Highway Patrol’s Springfield Post said troopers were called at 8:45 a.m. to the 66 mile marker of westbound I-70, near Ohio 54. Bel was pronounced dead at the scene. The crash remains under investigation.
Bel was a recent graduate of Springfield High School, class of 2026. During his senior year he played soccer for the Wildcats as a forward and midfielder. After graduation, he was looking ahead to college sports.
On July 30, Bel wrote on Instagram that immigration authorities had placed a GPS monitor on his leg, and that the device had stripped him of the future he thought he was building.
“I came to this country to pursue my education. I didn’t come here to commit a crime or hurt anyone,” he wrote. “Yet now I’m walking through the streets of the United States with a GPS monitor on my leg, carrying a feeling of shame and humiliation that I never imagined I would experience.”
His father, Pierre Ronal Bel, told L’Union Suite in an interview Monday that the monitor went on his son’s left leg only a few weeks ago and that Pierre Damas was traumatized & depressed. The last conversation between father and son was at 8:03 a.m. Monday, 42 minutes before troopers were called to I-70.
Pierre Ronal said his son was sitting in a car and told him he was struggling. The father told him to come home so they could talk, sit together, eat, and work through it. Minutes later the phone cut off. He kept calling. He could not reach his son. Pierre Ronal said police told him today his son’s death was intentional but he’s having a hard time processing it all.
L’Union Suite has not independently confirmed the official manner of death. The Ohio State Highway Patrol investigation is ongoing, & the truck driver has not been publicly identified.
What is not in dispute is the pressure Pierre Damas Bel was under. Rest In Peace Pierre. We extend our deepest condolences to Pierre Ronal & the Bel family. 💔🕊️#lunionsuite](https://scontent-yyz1-1.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.82787-15/792521111_18628778959023307_1144532951296987569_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_e35_tt6&_nc_cat=100&ccb=7-5&_nc_sid=18de74&efg=eyJlZmdfdGFnIjoiQ0FST1VTRUxfSVRFTS5iZXN0X2ltYWdlX3VybGdlbi5DMiJ9&_nc_ohc=YrUdRPDIvHsQ7kNvwG1EL6Q&_nc_oc=AdrD_40Q9J7SLmzIq2q7U1T6C6UyxBot63RA6wvOt_LUX3wTpduUZB1xnl4h1qXGKXc&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent-yyz1-1.cdninstagram.com&edm=ANo9K5cEAAAA&_nc_gid=MyUALdQsNHLvSgQhA1XNOw&_nc_tpa=Q5bMBQJ5RhJA2TaZa90LQ8rG-AYiDc4HPcJrpp3gliZjcxmjDrSk_Zni64RhAXloJcPixAiSPmI7eq8z&oh=00_AQKZsVQhrD1prbI3-WhC3V-CApXZ1Tlmj632N7IdvI3sZQ&oe=6A9FC156)
![[TRIGGER WARNING] Pierre Damas Bel came to the United States to go to school. On Monday morning, the 20-year-old Haitian TPS holder was pronounced dead on Interstate 70 after he was struck by a semi-truck near South Vienna. The Ohio State Highway Patrol’s Springfield Post said troopers were called at 8:45 a.m. to the 66 mile marker of westbound I-70, near Ohio 54. Bel was pronounced dead at the scene. The crash remains under investigation.
Bel was a recent graduate of Springfield High School, class of 2026. During his senior year he played soccer for the Wildcats as a forward and midfielder. After graduation, he was looking ahead to college sports.
On July 30, Bel wrote on Instagram that immigration authorities had placed a GPS monitor on his leg, and that the device had stripped him of the future he thought he was building.
“I came to this country to pursue my education. I didn’t come here to commit a crime or hurt anyone,” he wrote. “Yet now I’m walking through the streets of the United States with a GPS monitor on my leg, carrying a feeling of shame and humiliation that I never imagined I would experience.”
His father, Pierre Ronal Bel, told L’Union Suite in an interview Monday that the monitor went on his son’s left leg only a few weeks ago and that Pierre Damas was traumatized & depressed. The last conversation between father and son was at 8:03 a.m. Monday, 42 minutes before troopers were called to I-70.
Pierre Ronal said his son was sitting in a car and told him he was struggling. The father told him to come home so they could talk, sit together, eat, and work through it. Minutes later the phone cut off. He kept calling. He could not reach his son. Pierre Ronal said police told him today his son’s death was intentional but he’s having a hard time processing it all.
L’Union Suite has not independently confirmed the official manner of death. The Ohio State Highway Patrol investigation is ongoing, & the truck driver has not been publicly identified.
What is not in dispute is the pressure Pierre Damas Bel was under. Rest In Peace Pierre. We extend our deepest condolences to Pierre Ronal & the Bel family. 💔🕊️#lunionsuite](https://scontent-yyz1-1.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.82787-15/791110564_18628778902023307_8517537822774016931_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_e35_tt6&_nc_cat=100&ccb=7-5&_nc_sid=18de74&efg=eyJlZmdfdGFnIjoiQ0FST1VTRUxfSVRFTS5iZXN0X2ltYWdlX3VybGdlbi5DMiJ9&_nc_ohc=pJpsLd_vxRsQ7kNvwEI-CWv&_nc_oc=Adr3W-rn8yfKWCAxJ-bZfU_np8D38vMMMjrqWwSxgFRMhVtxXOXwFqTtWdLOC0JmTKI&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent-yyz1-1.cdninstagram.com&edm=ANo9K5cEAAAA&_nc_gid=MyUALdQsNHLvSgQhA1XNOw&_nc_tpa=Q5bMBQIGq6c2o7c4xy9W4H0-2wPyeiXm6CRewJ-_4d4EZwmlawt8eyZqtrzqprjZCPp1I4wMl0SNWWax&oh=00_AQIn1VDx9EC8x7T0hGM1KLJUKN-zXhbaAx13Cvf54vPc5A&oe=6A9FC0C1)
![[TRIGGER WARNING] Pierre Damas Bel came to the United States to go to school. On Monday morning, the 20-year-old Haitian TPS holder was pronounced dead on Interstate 70 after he was struck by a semi-truck near South Vienna. The Ohio State Highway Patrol’s Springfield Post said troopers were called at 8:45 a.m. to the 66 mile marker of westbound I-70, near Ohio 54. Bel was pronounced dead at the scene. The crash remains under investigation.
Bel was a recent graduate of Springfield High School, class of 2026. During his senior year he played soccer for the Wildcats as a forward and midfielder. After graduation, he was looking ahead to college sports.
On July 30, Bel wrote on Instagram that immigration authorities had placed a GPS monitor on his leg, and that the device had stripped him of the future he thought he was building.
“I came to this country to pursue my education. I didn’t come here to commit a crime or hurt anyone,” he wrote. “Yet now I’m walking through the streets of the United States with a GPS monitor on my leg, carrying a feeling of shame and humiliation that I never imagined I would experience.”
His father, Pierre Ronal Bel, told L’Union Suite in an interview Monday that the monitor went on his son’s left leg only a few weeks ago and that Pierre Damas was traumatized & depressed. The last conversation between father and son was at 8:03 a.m. Monday, 42 minutes before troopers were called to I-70.
Pierre Ronal said his son was sitting in a car and told him he was struggling. The father told him to come home so they could talk, sit together, eat, and work through it. Minutes later the phone cut off. He kept calling. He could not reach his son. Pierre Ronal said police told him today his son’s death was intentional but he’s having a hard time processing it all.
L’Union Suite has not independently confirmed the official manner of death. The Ohio State Highway Patrol investigation is ongoing, & the truck driver has not been publicly identified.
What is not in dispute is the pressure Pierre Damas Bel was under. Rest In Peace Pierre. We extend our deepest condolences to Pierre Ronal & the Bel family. 💔🕊️#lunionsuite](https://scontent-yyz1-1.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.82787-15/791465591_18628778974023307_5387226456733816372_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_e35_tt6&_nc_cat=105&ccb=7-5&_nc_sid=18de74&efg=eyJlZmdfdGFnIjoiQ0FST1VTRUxfSVRFTS5iZXN0X2ltYWdlX3VybGdlbi5DMiJ9&_nc_ohc=whjrJ2hUblEQ7kNvwFjAEfk&_nc_oc=AdrsWTqf5_hsM1nc0VeHJ6MmXKsSLhes1-cRGe-M87u2-p3mCw8_rb_tAgMWT7YHoO4&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent-yyz1-1.cdninstagram.com&edm=ANo9K5cEAAAA&_nc_gid=MyUALdQsNHLvSgQhA1XNOw&_nc_tpa=Q5bMBQJ_ypgpxU-PV_HdIrNV9yaWfdeppQNe82UWrmDR9tZIdnOdB-4VUPIwXu9qxckqrGVaug-aWj7s&oh=00_AQLUQntssh4yCCemhWzJE2rTyqJDUP1AlPS70HQkgsSS8g&oe=6A9FBA31)
![[TRIGGER WARNING] Pierre Damas Bel came to the United States to go to school. On Monday morning, the 20-year-old Haitian TPS holder was pronounced dead on Interstate 70 after he was struck by a semi-truck near South Vienna. The Ohio State Highway Patrol’s Springfield Post said troopers were called at 8:45 a.m. to the 66 mile marker of westbound I-70, near Ohio 54. Bel was pronounced dead at the scene. The crash remains under investigation.
Bel was a recent graduate of Springfield High School, class of 2026. During his senior year he played soccer for the Wildcats as a forward and midfielder. After graduation, he was looking ahead to college sports.
On July 30, Bel wrote on Instagram that immigration authorities had placed a GPS monitor on his leg, and that the device had stripped him of the future he thought he was building.
“I came to this country to pursue my education. I didn’t come here to commit a crime or hurt anyone,” he wrote. “Yet now I’m walking through the streets of the United States with a GPS monitor on my leg, carrying a feeling of shame and humiliation that I never imagined I would experience.”
His father, Pierre Ronal Bel, told L’Union Suite in an interview Monday that the monitor went on his son’s left leg only a few weeks ago and that Pierre Damas was traumatized & depressed. The last conversation between father and son was at 8:03 a.m. Monday, 42 minutes before troopers were called to I-70.
Pierre Ronal said his son was sitting in a car and told him he was struggling. The father told him to come home so they could talk, sit together, eat, and work through it. Minutes later the phone cut off. He kept calling. He could not reach his son. Pierre Ronal said police told him today his son’s death was intentional but he’s having a hard time processing it all.
L’Union Suite has not independently confirmed the official manner of death. The Ohio State Highway Patrol investigation is ongoing, & the truck driver has not been publicly identified.
What is not in dispute is the pressure Pierre Damas Bel was under. Rest In Peace Pierre. We extend our deepest condolences to Pierre Ronal & the Bel family. 💔🕊️#lunionsuite](https://scontent-yyz1-1.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.82787-15/790318810_18628778992023307_8637302112049144962_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_e35_tt6&_nc_cat=101&ccb=7-5&_nc_sid=18de74&efg=eyJlZmdfdGFnIjoiQ0FST1VTRUxfSVRFTS5iZXN0X2ltYWdlX3VybGdlbi5DMiJ9&_nc_ohc=KRhIZwO8LlYQ7kNvwGH2poC&_nc_oc=Adrk8jYvbokP_Ir0RSAOlh4HOpl5Vb2eVR0QC5TtsmO4fYYNvoLy_gZNvs7zSpH2EQk&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent-yyz1-1.cdninstagram.com&edm=ANo9K5cEAAAA&_nc_gid=MyUALdQsNHLvSgQhA1XNOw&_nc_tpa=Q5bMBQI4dum5R2QykaUc_lTiQkGJiW26WukIMTaiIVGiZv4bYlV4eplCGIp46kgAm-F2uwvB2s57Uk4h&oh=00_AQIrky6duZXQCUYv0lbu1V6UE1mTwkfokjHN7oV7cZYqKw&oe=6A9FAF50)

