In the early hours of January 3, 2026, U.S. military forces launched a large-scale attack on Venezuela, capturing President Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores. The operation resulted in at least 80 deaths, including 32 Cuban combatants, and has sparked international reactions of condemnation and support. Maduro faces charges in a New York federal court for narcoterrorism and other offenses.
On January 3, 2026, around 2:00 a.m., U.S. missiles struck military bases, airfields, and key infrastructure in Caracas and surrounding regions. Special forces reached Maduro's residence, captured him along with Cilia Flores, and transported them to the USS Iwo Jima warship, then to the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, New York. They are being helicoptered to Lower Manhattan for a federal court appearance on January 5.
President Donald Trump posted an image of Maduro bound and blindfolded aboard the USS Iwo Jima, praising the operation and vowing to seize Venezuela's oil, which holds the world's largest crude reserves. 'The oil companies are going to go in. They're going to spend money... We're going to take back the oil that, frankly, we should have taken back a long time ago,' Trump said.
Venezuela's Supreme Court designated Vice President Delcy Rodríguez as interim president. Rodríguez denounced the abduction and vowed to defend the country: 'We demand the immediate liberation of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife... We are ready to defend Venezuela and our natural resources.' She later posted a conciliatory Instagram message inviting U.S. cooperation.
The attack killed at least 80 people, per a Venezuelan official, including 32 Cuban combatants defending Maduro. In Cuba, the Cuban Workers' Federation (CTC) in Camagüey held demonstrations supporting Maduro against 'attempted invasions.' The Cuban Embassy in the U.S. honored the fallen, with reactions from Cuban artists and intellectuals on social media.
Internationally, Russia condemned the attack as 'destructive external interference.' Protests against the U.S. action erupted in cities like Havana, New York, and Caracas. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu congratulated Trump on the 'perfect operation.' In the U.S., Democrats criticized the lack of congressional briefing.
Trump threatened countries like Colombia and Cuba, invoking the Monroe Doctrine.
