In a stunning turn of events that has sent shockwaves through international politics, the United States captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, in a dramatic nighttime military operation on January 3, 2026. The swift and secretive maneuver, which unfolded under the cover of darkness, marked a pivotal moment in the ongoing struggle between the U.S. and the embattled South American nation, whose oil-rich status has long made it a focal point of global attention.
According to reporting from The Associated Press and CNN, the operation began with a series of explosions and the roar of low-flying aircraft over Caracas in the early hours of Saturday. Residents in the Venezuelan capital described scenes of chaos and fear, as at least seven explosions rocked the city and military aircraft darted overhead. "The floor shook. This is horrible. We heard explosions and planes," said Carmen Hidalgo, a 21-year-old office worker, her voice trembling as she recalled rushing home with relatives after a birthday celebration. "It felt like the air was hitting you."
The U.S. military operation, which lasted less than half an hour, resulted in the capture of Maduro and Flores at their residence within the fortified military complex of Fuerte Tiuna, as confirmed by Nahum Fernández, a leader of Venezuela's ruling party. The pair were quickly transferred to the USS Iwo Jima, a U.S. Navy warship, and are en route to New York to face a litany of charges in American courts.
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi announced that both Maduro and Flores had been formally indicted in the Southern District of New York. The charges include conspiracy to commit narcoterrorism, conspiracy to import cocaine, possession of machine guns and destructive devices, and related conspiracies. Bondi declared in a social media statement, "Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, have been formally charged in the Southern District of New York. They will soon face the full wrath of American justice on U.S. soil and in U.S. courts."
President Donald Trump, who has spent months escalating pressure on the Maduro regime, took to Truth Social to announce the operation's success. "The United States of America has successfully carried out a large-scale attack against Venezuela and its leader, President Nicolás Maduro, who, along with his wife, has been captured and removed from the country," he wrote. Trump later described the action as a "brilliant operation" in a phone interview with The New York Times, stating, "A lot of good planning and a lot of great, great troops and great people." However, when pressed about whether he had sought congressional authorization for the attack, Trump declined to answer, promising to address the matter at a scheduled press conference at Mar-a-Lago.
The operation was not without casualties. According to Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez, some Venezuelan civilians and military personnel died during the attack, though she did not specify the number. Trump acknowledged that some U.S. forces were wounded but believed there were no American fatalities. The attack's suddenness and intensity left Caracas in disarray, with videos verified by The Associated Press showing smoke rising from military installations and the city skyline lit by flashes from explosions.
In the immediate aftermath, Vice President Rodríguez assumed temporary control under Venezuelan law and demanded proof of life for Maduro and Flores. "We demand from the Trump government immediate proof of life for President Maduro and the First Lady," Rodríguez insisted on state television, underscoring the uncertainty and tension gripping the nation.
The Venezuelan government responded with a call to arms, declaring a state of external commotion—a form of emergency rule that allows for the suspension of individual rights and the mobilization of the armed forces. In an official statement, the government urged all Venezuelans to "activate to defeat this imperialist aggression." The move was reminiscent of the 1990 U.S. invasion of Panama, which led to the capture of Manuel Noriega exactly 36 years earlier to the day.
The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) quickly moved to restrict airspace over Venezuela and the nearby island of Curaçao, citing "risks to flight safety associated with ongoing military activity." Meanwhile, the long-shuttered U.S. Embassy in Venezuela issued an urgent warning to American citizens still in the country, advising them to shelter in place as the situation unfolded.
This daring operation came after months of mounting U.S. actions against Venezuela. Since September, the Trump administration had ramped up military presence in South American waters and launched numerous attacks on vessels suspected of drug trafficking. By the eve of the attack, at least 35 such strikes had occurred, resulting in 115 deaths, according to U.S. government figures. Trump has justified these actions as part of a "war" against drug cartels, while Maduro had denounced them as a thinly veiled attempt to oust him from power.
Reactions to the operation reverberated far beyond Venezuela's borders. Cuba and Iran swiftly condemned the U.S. intervention, with Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez calling it a "criminal attack" and warning that the region's peace was under assault. In contrast, Argentine President Javier Milei, a close ally of Trump, applauded the move, exclaiming, "Long live freedom!" on social media.
Within the United States, the operation sparked immediate debate over its legality and constitutional foundation. Senator Mike Lee of Utah confirmed he had spoken with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who told him, "Nicolás Maduro has been arrested by U.S. personnel to be tried on criminal charges in the United States, and the military action we saw tonight was carried out to protect and defend those executing the arrest warrant." Lee, however, expressed reservations, stating, "I hope to learn what, if any, constitutional basis could justify this action in the absence of a declaration of war or authorization for the use of military force." Other members of Congress, both Republican and Democrat, echoed concerns about the lack of prior notification or approval for such a significant military engagement.
As Caracas reeled from the night's events, the streets reflected a city caught between fear and uncertainty. Some neighborhoods erupted in protest, with supporters of Maduro demanding his return and denouncing what they called imperialist aggression. In other areas, residents stayed indoors, electricity was sporadic, and the atmosphere was tense and subdued. The fate of Venezuela now hangs in the balance, with its leadership in limbo and the world watching closely for what comes next.
The dramatic capture of Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores marks a watershed moment in U.S.-Venezuela relations, setting the stage for a new chapter in the country's turbulent history and raising urgent questions about the future of international intervention and the rule of law.
