In a dramatic turn of events early on January 3, 2026, U.S. President Donald Trump announced that Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, had been captured and flown out of Venezuela following a large-scale U.S. military strike. The operation, carried out by the U.S. Army’s elite Delta Force, marked the culmination of months of military buildup and covert intelligence work in the region, and has sent shockwaves through Latin America and beyond.
Explosions echoed across Venezuela in the pre-dawn hours, with eyewitnesses in the capital Caracas and military sites reporting blasts that rattled buildings and nerves alike. BBC Verify confirmed explosions in the coastal city of Higuerote, while journalist Vanessa Silva in Caracas described waking up to a huge bang and feeling everything vibrate. "My heart was pumping and my legs were shaking," she recounted, capturing the anxiety felt by many Venezuelans as the strikes unfolded.
According to CBS News, the U.S. military operation was meticulously planned and informed by a CIA source embedded within Maduro’s government. This insider, part of a broader network of intelligence assets, helped track Maduro’s location in the days leading up to the raid. The operation itself had been delayed by unfavorable weather, but when conditions improved, President Trump gave the green light. As he later told Fox and Friends, "It was like a fortress, actually. You know that we had nobody killed was amazing. I think we had nobody killed, I have to say, because a couple of guys were hit, but they came back and they're supposed to be in pretty good shape."
The capture of Maduro and his wife was confirmed by President Trump, who stated they were being taken to New York aboard the U.S. warship Iwo Jima to face indictment. U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi emphasized the gravity of the charges, saying Maduro and Flores "will soon face the full wrath of American justice on American soil in American courts." The superseding indictment against Maduro, prepared by New York U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton, mirrors charges from 2020 and accuses him of conspiracy to commit narcoterrorism, importing cocaine, and possessing machineguns and destructive devices. The indictment alleges, "For over 25 years, leaders of Venezuela have abused their positions of public trust and corrupted once-legitimate institutions to import tons of cocaine into the United States," placing Maduro "at the forefront of that corruption."
Vice President JD Vance praised the operation, stating on social media, "Maduro is the newest person to find out that President Trump means what he says. Kudos to our brave special operators who pulled off a truly impressive operation." Vance also noted that multiple off ramps had been offered to Maduro before the mission, and asserted that the operation was justified given the indictments for narcoterrorism already pending in the U.S.
Celebrations erupted among Venezuelan communities in South Florida, particularly in Doral, where crowds gathered outside El Arepazo restaurant, waving flags and singing both the U.S. and Venezuelan national anthems. Chants of "Libertad"—freedom—rang out as many Venezuelan exiles expressed hope that this moment might mark a turning point for their homeland. Miami Mayor Eileen Higgins called on President Trump to reinstate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Venezuelans living in the U.S., arguing that the instability surrounding Maduro’s capture made it unsafe for many to return home. "This is not just a matter of policy — it is a matter of basic human dignity and safety," Higgins told CBS Miami.
Back in Venezuela, the government’s response was defiant. Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López declared, "They've attacked us but they will not subdue us," and announced a deployment of military forces across the country. He called for unity and calm, warning against anarchy and disorder. The government declared a "state of external commotion," effectively a state of emergency, and called on supporters to take to the streets to repudiate what it called "imperialist aggression." Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello also urged the population to remain calm while assessing the damage caused by the strikes.
International reaction was swift and deeply divided. The European Union’s top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, called for restraint and respect for international law, emphasizing the safety of EU citizens in Venezuela. Russia and Iran, meanwhile, issued strong condemnations of the U.S. action, labeling it a "flagrant violation of national sovereignty and territorial integrity" and an "act of armed aggression." Cuba’s President Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez described the strikes as a "criminal attack by the U.S." and called for international condemnation.
Within the U.S., the strikes sparked heated debate. Democratic Senator Ruben Gallego decried the action as "illegal" and the "second unjustified war in my lifetime," while Republican Senator Mike Lee questioned the constitutional justification for military action absent a declaration of war or congressional authorization. Notably, congressional leaders were only notified after the operation began, raising further questions about executive authority and oversight.
For months leading up to the operation, the U.S. had been escalating pressure on the Maduro regime. The Pentagon had positioned the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier and other warships in the Caribbean, and U.S. forces had seized oil tankers and struck dozens of boats alleged to be carrying drugs. President Trump had repeatedly threatened to escalate from maritime to land strikes, warning that the U.S. knew "where the bad ones live" and was prepared to act.
Maduro, who has clung to power since 2013 despite international condemnation and disputed elections, had recently indicated a willingness to negotiate with the U.S. on issues of drug trafficking, oil, and migration. However, he also accused Washington of seeking his ouster through threats and force. The U.S. government, for its part, has long accused Maduro of collaborating with Colombian guerrilla groups and overseeing a sprawling network of drug trafficking and corruption—allegations he has repeatedly denied.
As the dust settles, the future of Venezuela hangs in the balance. While some opposition figures, such as Nobel Peace Prize laureate María Corina Machado, have expressed gratitude for U.S. intervention and hope for renewed freedom, the risk of further unrest and international fallout remains high. The world watches closely as Maduro and his wife prepare to face trial in New York, and as Venezuelans at home and abroad grapple with the uncertainty left in the wake of these extraordinary events.
