Following U.S. military strikes in Caracas on January 3, 2026, that resulted in the capture of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife—detailed in prior coverage—Venezuela's government condemned the action as an assault on civilians and oil resources. Regional leaders called for restraint, while cryptocurrency markets remained largely unaffected.
The U.S. operation, which targeted sites near the Fuerte Tiuna army base, caused explosions, power outages, and aircraft overflights in Caracas and surrounding areas. Venezuela declared a national emergency, with Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López stating in a social media video that U.S. forces had 'desecrated our land by attacking civilian areas with missiles and rockets fired from their combat helicopters.'
Regional responses included calls for international intervention from Colombia's President Gustavo Petro and Cuba's President Miguel Díaz-Canel. No casualty figures were confirmed initially.
The strikes escalate longstanding U.S.-Venezuela tensions over drug trafficking accusations, sanctions, and oil blockades. President Trump, who announced the captures and scheduled a Mar-a-Lago press conference, framed the action as advancing U.S. interests.
Financially, cryptocurrencies showed stability: Bitcoin held near $89,772 after a brief dip, Ethereum recovered to $3,100, and XRP rose above $2, per CoinGecko. Prediction markets like Polymarket reflected uncertainty on Venezuelan leadership changes.