U.S. forces launched strikes in Venezuela and claimed to capture President Nicolás Maduro, who faces U.S. narco-terrorism and drug trafficking charges amid global tensions.
Jan. 3, 2026 — The future of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro took a dramatic and unprecedented turn early Saturday as the United States launched large-scale military strikes inside Venezuela, including in the capital Caracas, and later claimed that Maduro and his wife had been captured and flown out of the country.
The Strike and Capture Claim
In the early hours of Jan. 3, residents in Caracas reported multiple explosions and low-flying aircraft, prompting panic and a national state of emergency. Shortly afterward, U.S. President Donald Trump announced on social media that Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, had been “captured and flown out of the country” following the operation.
U.S. officials, including Senator Mike Lee citing Secretary of State Marco Rubio, said Maduro was arrested by U.S. personnel to face criminal charges in the United States, including allegations related to narcotics and terrorism — linked to U.S. indictments first brought years earlier for narco-terrorism and cocaine trafficking.
Maduro’s Longstanding U.S. Indictment
The legal backdrop for the reported capture stretches back to March 2020, when the U.S. Department of Justice indicted Nicolás Maduro and 14 Venezuelan officials on charges including narco-terrorism, conspiracy to import cocaine, and drug trafficking connected with the so-called Cartel of the Suns.
These charges were followed by escalating pressure from Washington over several years, including a dramatic increase in the reward for information leading to Maduro’s arrest and official designation of the regime as tied to narco-terrorist activities.
Reactions and Uncertainty
The Venezuelan government swiftly denounced the U.S. action as “imperialist aggression” and demanded proof of life for Maduro and Flores, with Vice President Delcy Rodríguez directly challenging the U.S. narrative.
International responses have been sharply divided — Russia, Iran and Cuba condemned the U.S. operation, while some regional actors expressed concern about the violation of Venezuelan sovereignty.
At the same time, key questions remain unanswered, including independent verification of Maduro’s whereabouts and confirmation from neutral international bodies. Venezuelan officials have disputed U.S. claims and the chaos of the ongoing situation continues to unfold.
What Comes Next
If the U.S. government follows through on its announcement, Maduro and Flores could be brought to the United States to face trial in a federal court, marking an extraordinary escalation in the longstanding tensions between Washington and Caracas.
The unfolding events are likely to have major geopolitical consequences — triggering regional instability and prompting debates over international law, state sovereignty, and the use of military force for criminal prosecution.