The United States government announced that Maduro and Flores had been indicted on several charges related to narcoterrorism.[24][25] Maduro and Flores pleaded not guilty to the charges in a Manhattan federal court on 5 January 2026.[26][27] US president Donald Trump and his administration justified the operation as a law-enforcement action, with military support, that the president has "inherent constitutional authority" to undertake.[28]
Venezuelan vice president Delcy Rodríguez denounced the capture as a kidnapping.[29] Venezuelan officials said at least 23[a] Venezuelan security officers were killed during the attack.[12][9] The Cuban government said that 32 members of the Cuban military and intelligence agencies were killed.[30][13] Officials in the United Nations (UN), the US, and other countries,[b][31] as well as international law experts said the raid violated the UN Charter and Venezuela's sovereignty.[32][33][34] Other reactions around the world included celebrations by the Venezuelan diaspora and protests against the attack.[35][36]
Trump stated that the US would "run" Venezuela until there was a transition of power,[37][38] but these claims were contradicted by Rodríguez,[39] and also retracted by US secretary of state Marco Rubio.[40] Trump and his administration made clear that access to Venezuelan oil was a core reason for the action.[c] The Venezuelan government remained in place, with Rodríguez sworn in as acting president on 5 January 2026.[41] Under Rodríguez, a group of political prisoners (including foreigners) detained in Venezuela were released, a gesture which, according to Trump, contributed to avoid a second wave of attacks.[42]
As far back as 2020, Trump has sought to prosecute Maduro on narco-terrorism charges.[47] In May 2020, a failed attempt by Venezuelan dissidents and American mercenaries to overthrow Maduro had the support of the Trump Administration, according to Jordan Goudreau.[48] At a 2023 press conference, Trump said, "Venezuela was about to collapse. We would have taken over it... [and] kept all that oil."[49] Maduro was declared the winner of the 2024 Venezuelan presidential election by the government-controlled National Electoral Council, but the result was described as fraudulent by international observers who also found statistical improbabilities in the results.[50][51][52][53] The opposition showed evidence that its candidate, Edmundo González, had won a majority, matching the results of pre-election opinion polls.[54][55] The Venezuelan government issued an arrest warrant for González, who left the country and was granted asylum in Spain.[56] In January 2025, the Biden administration recognized González as Venezuela's legitimate president-elect.[57]
Cilia Flores is a Venezuelan lawyer and politician who rose to power after she represented Hugo Chávez.[58] Following the 1992 coup attempt, Chávez was imprisoned until Flores helped secure his release from prison in 1994.[59] She was an influential part of Chavez' movement Chavismo, even when keeping a low public profile.[60] In 2000, one year after Chavez became president of Venezuela, Flores was voted into the National Assembly.[61] After becoming president of the National Assembly in 2006, she banned journalists from the legislative chamber, and was criticized for appointing dozens of relatives to public positions in Venezuela.[62] She was the Attorney General of Venezuela from 2012 to 2013.[63] Having known Maduro since the 1990s, the two married in 2013.[64] Maduro, rather than describing her as the First Lady, has used the term "primera combatiente" or "First Combatant" of the revolution.[65] US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) officers arrested two of her nephews in a Haitian sting operation in 2015, and they were sentenced on drug conspiracy charges but released in a 2022 prisoner swap which included the Citgo Six.[66] Flores has been sanctioned by the United States, Canada, Panama, and Columbia for allegations of corruption and undermining democracy.[67]
President Trump expressed interest in controlling Venezuela's oil, saying "we're in the oil business,... we'll be selling oil". Venezuela has the largest proven oil reserves of any country in the world.
Venezuela holds the world's largest proven oil reserves, estimated at 17% of the global total, or 300 billion barrels.[71] By December 2025, the US began a maritime blockade, intercepting tankers carrying Venezuelan crude.[72] President Trump explicitly suggested that seized oil could be treated as a US asset, asserting the willingness to sell it or add it to the US Strategic Petroleum Reserve.[73]
The 2025–2026 operations are seen by the Trump administration as serving the triple goals of crippling Maduro, disrupting drug trade routes, and getting access to Venezuelan oil.[74] Following the raid, Trump's press conference made clear that oil was a core motivation for the operations against Venezuela.[c] Citing Venezuela's oil restructurations of 1976 and 2007, Trump, Stephen Miller, and others claimed that Venezuela had stolen oil from US companies.[78][79][80][81]
The Trump administration also expressed interest in Venezuela's large deposits of gold and rare earth minerals. Some experts noted that the Maduro government had previously attempted to offer the US access to these minerals in a failed attempt to stave off military action, with the ongoing operations marking a return to "resource imperialism".[82]
The United States accused Maduro of electoral fraud and presiding over a "narco-state".[83] In March 2020, during Trump's first term, the United States Justice Department indicted Maduro on cocaine-trafficking conspiracy charges, which Maduro denied.[84] In January and July 2025, Trump respectively designated two Venezuelan drug gangs, the Tren de Aragua and the Cartel of the Suns, as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs), and alleged that the latter was led by Maduro. Maduro denied being involved in cartel leadership and characterized the designations as an attempt to use the war on drugs for regime change.[54][85][84][86] Some Latin American crime experts have described the Cartel of the Suns as more of a general network of Venezuelan government and military corruption than as an organized group. Also in July 2025, a secret order instructed the US military to use force against cartels listed as terrorist organizations.[87][84]
In August 2025, the United States began a military buildup in the southern Caribbean, deploying warships and military personnel.[88][89] The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) sent a team into Venezuela that began tracking Maduro's movements,[90] using a source close to the Venezuelan president. Plans were made for the capture of Maduro, months in advance. The Delta Force and other participants in the operation erected a mockup of the safe house in which Maduro was believed to be hiding, described by Trump as a "very highly guarded... fortress".[6] At the same time, a circle of Venezuelan officials centered on Rodríguez and her brother Jorge privately outlined a roadmap for post-Maduro Venezuela, in which Rodríguez would act as figurehead and exiled general Miguel Rodríguez Torres would lead a "transitional government", dubbed "Madurismo without Maduro"; in return, Venezuela would welcome US investors and gradually loosen ties to US rivals such as Iran and Russia. The Venezuelan proposals were made to US envoy Richard Grenell through Qatari channels; the Trump administration reportedly rejected the overtures.[91] In September, the United States Southern Command began conducting military strikes on vessels in the Caribbean Sea, alleging some were trafficking drugs on behalf of Venezuela.[92][93][94]
In November 2025, Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado promised to open Venezuela's oil and gas reserves during a business meeting in Miami attended by Trump, and the Trump administration engaged in secret talks with Maduro's government about its oil reserves.[95] In December 2025, this escalated to include seizures of oil tankers carrying Venezuelan crude, with the Coast Guard's Deployable Specialized Forces (DSF) conducting the tactical boardings in coordination with Department of Defense assets.[95][96][97] These seizures formed part of the broader blockade preceding the January 2026 operation.[97][98] The US also launched covert operations in Venezuela under the directive of the CIA in late December.[99] On 2 January 2026, Trump announced that the US military would conduct strikes inside Venezuela.[100]
In the weeks preceding the operation, Trinidad and Tobago signed an agreement with the US to allow US military access to its airports.[101] General Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said in a 3 January press conference that the US military had spent months planning and rehearsing the operation, with forces positioned and ready by early December.[21] In late December, the US escalated its military efforts against Venezuela onto land, including striking a remote northern port reportedly used by Tren de Aragua for smuggling. At that time, Maduro rejected an offer from the US to go into exile in Turkey. According to The New York Times, Maduro's public displays downplaying the seriousness of the American threats in the weeks before the operation, such as through public dancing on a stage to electronic music sampling one of his speeches in which Maduro said "No crazy war", were a factor in Trump deciding to begin the operation.[102]
Strikes
Clockwise from top:
President Donald Trump (right) during Operation Absolute Resolve, alongside CIA Director John Ratcliffe (left)
The operation reportedly included the usage of one-way attack drones, which is believed to be the first such operational usage by the US military.[114] Most of the explosions targeted antennas and active military bases.[115] Early reports suggested that the explosions may have occurred at Generalissimo Francisco de Miranda Air Base (La Carlota) and Fort Tiuna, two military installations in Caracas.[116] Large explosions were also reported at Higuerote Airport, on the Venezuelan coast.[115][117] Helicopters from the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment carried Delta Force soldiers into Caracas with air cover provided by the fighters and bombers. One helicopter was damaged by Venezuelan ground defenses but continued on its mission.[2]Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) personnel, including the Hostage Rescue Team, accompanied the military to formally arrest Maduro at his compound.[7][8]
The strikes lasted half an hour. Smoke was seen rising from one military hangar in a Caracas base, while another was left unpowered.[109] The strikes happened under the cover of darkness as a result of both the timing of the operation and the US military's disruption of power in the city of Caracas.[118] Multiple shipping containers were destroyed and damaged in the La Guaira port strikes.[119]Satellite imagery from Vantor showed at least five destroyed warehouses, burned vehicles, and a blown-up security post.[120][121] An aircraft, believed to be a Beechcraft Baron, and a Buk-M2Esurface-to-air missile system were destroyed at Higuerote Airport.[122] The Venezuelan government said that Maduro declared a national state of emergency after the explosions began.[123] The Venezuelan government promised to defend against US military actions which it accused of seeking regime change. It described them as "imperialist aggression" and called for the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to be convened.[124]
Capture of Maduro
Map of Caracas and Fort Tiuna where Maduro and Flores were captured'"`UNIQ--ref-000001C0-QINU`"'
At 05:21 Venezuelan Standard Time (VET) or 04:21 Eastern Standard Time (ET),[125][126] Donald Trump announced that Maduro and Flores had been captured and flown out of the country.[d] The capture was undertaken by the US Army's Delta Force,[2] with on-the-ground intelligence provided by the CIA.[6] Trump posted a photograph on his Truth Social account of Maduro on board USSIwo Jima,[129] showing him blindfolded, with soundproof headphones and a gray Nike sweatsuit, holding a plastic water bottle.[130] According to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Maduro was arrested and would face criminal charges in the US.[119]
Nahum Fernández[es], leader of the ruling United Socialist Party of Venezuela, said Maduro and Flores were captured at their home at Fort Tiuna.[131] Delcy Rodríguez confirmed that both Maduro and Flores were missing and demanded confirmation they were alive via an audio message on state television.[132][133] According to Reuters sources, Rodríguez was in Russia on 3 January 2026.[134] Other reports indicated that Rodríguez was in Caracas.[135]
Hours after the capture, the United States attorney general Pam Bondi announced that Maduro and Flores had been indicted in the Southern District of New York on charges related to "narcoterrorism".[138] The indictment listed the charges as narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, possession of machine guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices.[138][139] The amended indictment did not refer to the Cartel of the Suns as an organized group as previously alleged by the US, but instead as a corrupt patronage system, which aligns with experts' descriptions of its operations.[140]
Maduro and his wife were arraigned in a Manhattan federal court on 5 January 2026.[141][142] Before pleading, Maduro said: "I am the president of Venezuela, I consider myself a prisoner of war. I was captured at my home in Caracas."[143] Both pleaded not guilty to numerous drug trafficking charges. US District Judge Alvin Hellerstein ordered that Maduro be held until at least a 17 March hearing.[141]
Venezuelan defense minister Vladimir Padrino López said that US combat helicopters fired rockets and missiles in urban areas and that officials were working to gather information on the number of fatalities and injuries.[144]The New York Times reported on 3 January 2026 that an anonymous Venezuelan official said at least 40 people, including civilians and military personnel, were killed in the attack,[145] updated to 80 on 4 January, "according to a senior Venezuelan official".[30] Independent Venezuelan journalistic reports confirmed that most Venezuelan dead were among members of the presidential guard, with two civilian deaths.[146][147]
Trump indicated that Cuban forces were involved in the operation, stating: "You know, a lot of Cubans were killed yesterday."[148][149] The government of Cuba reported that 32 Cubans were killed in Venezuela, all members of armed forces and intelligence services.[13][150]
On 6 January, 55 military deaths were confirmed: the victims were 32 Cubans and 23 Venezuelans. Both the countries released on the same day the identities of the killed soldiers.[151] Also on 6 January, military forces posted a video on social media in honor of 24 soldiers killed during the attack.[9] Attorney General Tarek William Saab indicated that dozens of military personnel and civilians were killed and the total number is still under investigation.[9] A day later, Diosdado Cabello said that 100 persons died during the bombing.[152] Independent monitors reported as of 7 January Venezuelan military casualties as of 6 January of 42[10] or 43 soldiers (mostly at Fort Tiuna), in addition to the 32 Cuban military personnel, and 2 civilians.[10][153][11]
In Catia La Mar, strikes hit a three-story civilian apartment complex, killing one person, seriously injuring another, and destroying the exterior wall.[33][154][155][145] A Colombian citizen was reported as a civilian fatality in El Hatillo. The US had been bombing nearby telecommunications antennas, according to the victim's relative.[156][157] According to the Department of Defense, seven US soldiers were injured and expected to survive. The soldiers suffered shrapnel and gunfire wounds.[14] Acting president Delcy Rodríguez declared seven days of mourning for the soldiers killed during the attack.[158]
Aftermath
President Trump addresses the nation on the airstrikes against Venezuela on 3 January 2026.
The government formerly led by Maduro remained in place.[159][160] Vice President Delcy Rodríguez described Maduro as Venezuela's "only president" and called for calm and unity to defend the country amid what she called his "kidnapping". She stated that Venezuela would "never again be a colony of any empire".[161][162][163] On 3 January 2026, the Supreme Tribunal of Justice ordered Rodríguez to assume the presidency in the absence of Maduro.[164] The Venezuelan military announced it would recognize Rodríguez as acting president and called for a return to normalcy.[165] Rodríguez was sworn in as acting president of Venezuela on 5 January 2026 by her brother and president of the National Assembly of Venezuela, Jorge Rodríguez.[41]
The US Federal Aviation Administration issued a notice to airmen on 3 January 2026 prohibiting US aircraft from operating within Venezuelan airspace, citing "ongoing military activity".[166][167] The US Embassy in Caracas issued a shelter-in-place order from its relocated operations in Colombia.[168] The southern area of Caracas reportedly lost power.[169] Republican Senator Mike Lee said that Secretary of State Marco Rubio "anticipates no further action in Venezuela now that Maduro is in US custody."[170] He also said Maduro was expected to go on trial in the US.[170][171]
At a press conference on 3 January 2026, Trump stated: "We are going to run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition".[172][173] He indicated that the US might send troops to Venezuela as part of this.[174] Trump also said that Rubio had made contact with Rodríguez and that she allegedly told Rubio, "We'll do whatever you need", and that she was gracious but "really doesn't have a choice";[175] Trump further opined that Rodríguez was "essentially willing to do what we think is necessary" to revive Venezuela,[176] marking a shift in the administration's stance compared to months prior, when the US excluded any settlement with Rodríguez.[91] Media outlets noted Rodríguez's statements contradicted Trump's.[160][174] Influenced by a CIA analysis,[177] Trump also said that María Corina Machado, the leader of the opposition and 2025 Nobel Peace Prize laureate, did not have the necessary support or respect in the country to govern.[174][178] The relationships between Machado and the Trump administration as well as Venezuelan civil society had been deteriorating for months beforehand;[179] according to The Washington Post, quoting two sources "close to the White House", Machado had committed the "ultimate sin" in Trump's eyes by accepting the prize instead of turning it down and passing it to him.[180][181] Machado confirmed on 6 January that she had no contact with Donald Trump since October 2025 when she was announced as the laureate of the Nobel Peace Prize, while voicing discontent with Trump's decision to back Rodríguez, saying she was "nothing like a moderate" and that the US expected her to take steps toward democracy.[182]
Trump characterized the action as an application of the Monroe Doctrine, which he styled as the "Donroe Doctrine",[183] and added that "American dominance in the western hemisphere will never be questioned again."[184][185] Trump further stated that US oil companies would "go in, spend billions of dollars, fix the badly broken infrastructure, the oil infrastructure, and start making money for the country", and that the US was prepared to launch a second, much larger attack. He also expressed openness to a US occupation of Venezuela,[174] stating it would not cost the US anything because it would be reimbursed through revenue from Venezuela's oil reserves.[186] On 7 January, Trump stated that US efforts to revitalize Venezuela could take "much longer" than a year, adding that the Venezuelan authorities were doing "everything that we feel is necessary".[187] Regarding the reward the US government offered for information leading to Maduro's capture, Rubio added that nobody will be receiving it. Rubio said "I guess we save $50 million" to which Trump replied "Don't let anybody claim it. Nobody deserves it but us."[188]
"Venezuela unilaterally seized and stole American oil, American assets and American platforms, costing us billions and billions of dollars. They did this a while ago, but we never had a president that did anything about it. They took all of our property—it was our property. We built it. And we never had a president that decided to do anything about it. Instead, they fought wars that were 10,000 miles away. We built Venezuela oil industry with American talent, drive and skill. And the socialist regime stole it from us during those previous administrations, and they stole it through force. This constituted one of the largest thefts of American property in the history of our country."
On 4 January 2026, Marco Rubio retracted Trump's comments of the day before, saying the US would not govern Venezuela, but would continue to enforce the existing oil quarantine in order to pressure Venezuela for policy changes.[40] Rubio also affirmed that the US did not officially recognize Rodríguez's presidency, despite Trump's avowal that he would work with Rodríguez.[190] According to The New York Times, Vice President Rodríguez's economic record of increasing her country's oil production and stabilizing its economy despite harsher US sanctions in recent years and her reputation among Venezuelan and foreign business leaders as a technocrat, had earned the respect of American officials.[102] For her part, Rodríguez conveyed an offer to collaborate with US officials "within the framework of international law". Of Rodríguez, Trump said that "she's cooperating", threatened her if she did not, and maintained that he would demand "total access" by US oil interests.[191] According to the Financial Times, Delcy Rodríguez's brother Jorge Rodríguez had held talks with the United States government in 2025 to have his sister lead a post-Maduro transitional government, though those talks had included Maduro being allowed to go into exile instead of being captured.[192]
In a television interview with ABC News, Rubio thanked news organizations who had received leaks about the operation before it took place for not reporting on it. According to Semafor, The New York Times and The Washington Post had received information about the attack but did not report on it in order to not endanger the lives of US personnel involved in the operation. The acknowledgment of the media withholding information about the operation came in lieu of defense secretary Pete Hegseth imposing strict restrictions on Pentagon reporters due to a mistrust of journalists' abilities to withhold militarily sensitive information from the public.[193][108]
On 5 January 2026, the Venezuelan government issued an emergency order to police to arrest anyone who supported the US attack[194] and mobilized colectivos (pro-government paramilitaries) who established roadblocks and searched cars and people. Fourteen journalists were detained, but 13 of them were later released.[195] On 6 January, gunfire broke out in Caracas as the ministry of communication announced that police fired upon one of their own military drones "flying without permission" but that the drone suffered no damage.[196] On 7 January, Trump claimed there was an agreement by Venezuela to deliver a few months' worth of oil to the US, intimating that other steps, such as the freeing of political detainees and a role for the exiled opposition, might be next. However, President Rodríguez denied the existence of a deal, saying "no external agent" was dictating her decisions.[197] Meanwhile, opposition head Machado dubbed Rodríguez "one of the main architects... of repression", saying everyone was familiar with her record; she also insisted that she "absolutely" qualified for the leadership of the country and lauded Trump's "leadership and courage" in taking out Maduro.[198]
On 8 January, the US Senate voted 52 to 47 to approve a war resolution limiting Trump's powers to send troops to invade Venezuela.[199] The same day, Jorge Rodríguez announced the release of an unspecified number of political prisoners as a "gesture" by the government.[200] The United States had previously requested for the release of political prisoners, Trump declared in an interview "they’ve been great. ... Everything we’ve wanted, they’ve given us."[201] Among the prisoners released, there were five Spanish citizens including Venezuelan-Spanish activist Rocío San Miguel, who was detained since February 2024.[202][201] At least two Venezuelan opposition members were also released including Enrique Márquez[es] and Biagio Pilieri[es] who were detained after backing Edmundo Gónzales victory during the 2024 Venezuelan presidential election.[203][201] The next day, Trump announced that he cancelled a second wave of attacks due to cooperation and the release of political prisoners.[42] Governments of Venezuela and the United States started discussions to restart diplomatic relations, including the possibility of reopening of the United States embassy in Caracas which was closed in 2019.[204]
Reactions and response
Venezuela
Clockwise from the top:
Vice President Rodríguez leads a meeting at Miraflores Palace following the US strikes in Venezuela, on 3 January 2026
Rodríguez leads the 757th Council of Ministers meeting on 4 January 2026
Before Maduro's capture, the Venezuelan government said it rejected and denounced the military aggression,[205][124][104][206] and issued a public statement blaming the US government for the strikes, which it attributed to a plan to seize Venezuelan resources, particularly oil reserves.[207][208] Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López stated that the attacks were illegal.[121] He also said that Venezuela would resist foreign troops[209] and that the government had declared a "state of external commotion", a type of state of emergency, following "Maduro's orders".[210]
Vice President Delcy Rodríguez stated that Venezuela "will never again be anyone's colony – neither of old empires, nor of new empires, nor of empires in decline". She argued that the "war on drugs" was a pretext, claiming the United States' true objective was regime change and control of the country's "energy, mineral and natural resources".[174] Rodríguez also referred to the US attack on Venezuela as "Zionist".[211]
Unitary Platform politician María Corina Machado published a statement from exile, saying that "what had to happen" for the opposition to take up the mandate they claimed from the 2024 presidential election "is happening".[212] She also said the presidency should be assumed by Edmundo González, who received a majority of the vote in the 2024 presidential election, according to international observers and election-watchers.[213][214][215] González said the opposition was ready to "rebuild our nation" and that the next few hours would be "decisive".[216]
United States
According to Trump, the US would "run" Venezuela until there is a "safe, proper and judicious transition". Trump went on to say that the US and US companies would seize Venezuelan oil and sell it to other countries.[217] Trump said the US would be "very strongly involved" in the Venezuelan oil industry,[34] and that US oil companies would invest billions of dollars in the energy sector of the country.[218] Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said "We are going to get American companies in there" to invest in the Venezuelan oil industry, resulting in "access to additional wealth and resources" for the US.[219][217][83] The government also indicated that American oil companies would have to invest in rebuilding Venezuelan oil infrastructure as a prerequisite for being compensated for previous asset seizures by the Venezuelan government since the first nationalization nearly 50 years ago.[220]
Vice President JD Vance said the operation was justified as Maduro was a wanted fugitive in the US. He also declared that "the stolen oil must be returned".[221] Chairwoman Lisa McClain of the House Republican Conference called Maduro a "narcoterrorist" and said that "Trump didn't look the other way; he acted."[222] After initially expressing uncertainty about the justification of US actions, Republican senator Mike Lee later said they "likely" fell under the president's Article II powers to protect against "actual or imminent attack".[223][109]
Democratic senator Brian Schatz, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, warned against any US military involvement in Venezuela, saying that the United States has "no vital national interests in Venezuela to justify war".[223] Democratic senator Ruben Gallego said "this war is illegal".[224][225] Democratic senator Tim Kaine condemned the actions and called on Congress to support his resolution to block the use of the armed forces against Venezuela unless authorized by Congress.[106] Senator Bernie Sanders also condemned the strikes, citing a risk of global instability and accusing Trump of bypassing Congress to get the country into war.[226][227] Former vice president Kamala Harris criticized the strikes.[228] The mayor of New York City, Zohran Mamdani, said he called Trump earlier that day to express his opposition to the strikes.[217]
In a 3 January 2026 editorial, The New York Times editorial board condemned the attack as "dangerous and illegal", describing it as an act of "latter-day imperialism" which lacked "any semblance of international legitimacy, valid legal authority or domestic endorsement". Comparing the attack to interventions in Libya, the war in Afghanistan, and US involvement in Nicaragua, it warned of the "potential for chaos in Venezuela", including violence from paramilitary groups such as the Venezuelan colectivos or the Colombian National Liberation Army (ELN), which operates in western Venezuela.[229]
Threats and claims to other countries
Trump set his sights on a number of countries in the following days.[230] Trump signaled an eagerness to apply pressure on Colombia, saying a similar operation to halt cocaine trafficking there may be considered. Trump also criticized Colombia's president Gustavo Petro, saying he "likes making cocaine and selling it to the US" and would not stay in power much longer. Trump had recently sanctioned the Colombian leader for his alleged reluctance to combat drug trafficking. Colombia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement opposing Trump's remarks, calling them "an undue interference" in domestic politics.[231][232] Days later Trump and Petro agreed in a phone call to work together on combating drug trafficking and domestic insurgency, with Petro demanding that Trump "strike hard" against the ELN in both Venezuela and Colombia; Petro said fighting the ELN "in the rear" was just as critical as attacking it inside Colombia.[233] Trump also threatened Mexico and Cuba, saying the two nations needed to do more to earn US favor, but said the latter might "fall" without US interference; he also expressed hope that Mexico would act on its own.[234] In an appearance on Hannity Trump said that “We are going to start now hitting land with regard to the cartels. The cartels are running Mexico”.[235]Newsweek noted that Trump had said land strikes were imminent before, but also that he had been doing the groundwork by designating cartels Foreign Terrorist Organizations.[236] Trump also warned that Iran "would be hit very hard" if more demonstrators were killed during the ongoing protests in the country.[237]
Trump renewed his talk of annexing Greenland, an autonomous territory of the Kingdom of Denmark, with CNBC noting that this prompted more serious concerns in the wake of Maduro's capture.[238] The US already operates a military base in Greenland,[239]Pituffik Space Base, and Denmark has indicated its openness to a heightened US military presence there; Politico reported that Trump has appeared uninterested in anything less than a full US takeover.[240] In a 8 January interview, he observed “Ownership is very important,” and when asked why he needed to own Greenland, answered: “Because that’s what I feel is psychologically needed for success. I think that ownership gives you a thing that you can’t do with, you’re talking about a lease or a treaty. Ownership gives you things and elements that you can’t get from just signing a document.”[241] Hours after the strikes, Katie Miller (wife of White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller) posted a picture of a Greenland in the colors of the American flag with the caption "SOON" on X, prompting Denmark's ambassador to the US to reply: "we expect full respect for the territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Denmark" and "Just a friendly reminder about the US and the Kingdom of Denmark: We are close allies and should continue to work together as such."[242] Trump emphasized the acquisition of Greenland by the US "from the standpoint of national security".[237]
In a 5 January interview, Stephen Miller asked "by what right does Denmark assert control over Greenland?",[243] and said it was both the formal position of the US government[244] and obvious from a security perspective that Greenland should be part of the US.[243] Asked repeatedly whether he would rule out taking Greenland by force,[245] he refused but said that such questions are moot, "Nobody’s going to fight the United States militarily over the future of Greenland."[238] The following day, the leaders of NATO members France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, and the United Kingdom expressed their support for Denmark in a joint statement, stating that "Greenland belongs to its people, and only Denmark and Greenland can decide on matters concerning their relations", stressed they were keen on Arctic security but this had to be achieved by NATO allies collectively, and called for upholding the principles of the UN Charter, including sovereignty, territorial integrity, and the inviolability of borders;[244] hours later,[244] White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said that acquiring Greenland was "a national security priority of the United States", "vital to deter our adversaries in the Arctic region", and added: "The president and his team are discussing a range of options to pursue this important foreign policy goal, and of course, utilizing the US military is always an option at the commander in chief’s disposal."[246] Rubio emphasized that any acquisition of Greenland by the US would be negotiated rather than resort to military force, saying Trump's threats were mainly rhetorical and an effort to push Denmark into approving a US-friendly deal.[247] Asked if obtaining Greenland or preserving NATO was his higher priority, Trump said "it may be a choice."[241]
Following the strikes, Venezuela's neighbors acted to contain fallout. Colombian president Gustavo Petro ordered the mobilization of security forces along the Colombia–Venezuela border in anticipation of a mass influx of Venezuelan refugees.[248][249] On 5 January 2026, Petro warned that he would "take up arms" for his country if necessary after the US threatened him and his government, stating that any similar interventions in Colombia would have a response.[250]
Police in Trinidad and Tobago, which hosts the largest per-capita population of Venezuelan refugees and migrants,[251] cordoned off key areas of the capital, Port of Spain.[252] The government of Trinidad and Tobago, which has hosted US military personnel and vessels amid its recent buildup in the Caribbean Sea, stated that it did not participate in the attack.[253] The government of Guyana, whose ongoing border dispute with Venezuela heated up in 2023–2024, had a muted response but were broadly supportive of the removal of Maduro. Guyanese president Irfaan Ali announced that the country's security forces were "fully mobilised" to deal with potential refugees and an increase in instability along the border.[254] The Cuban government declared two days of national mourning on 5 and 6 January 2026 for its soldiers killed in the attacks.[255]
UN Secretary-General António Guterres stated that US actions had "worrying implications for the region", "constitute[d] a dangerous precedent", and worried "that the rules of international law have not been respected".[256] He called on all Venezuelan actors to engage in an inclusive and democratic dialogue, stating "I welcome and am ready to support all efforts aimed at assisting Venezuelans in finding a peaceful way forward".[257] At the request of China, Colombia, and Russia, the UNSC convened on 5January 2026 to discuss the situation.[258][259] Representatives of Russia and China called for the immediate release of President Maduro while the US representative rejected characterizations of US actions as military aggression, describing the operation as a targeted law enforcement measure to arrest an indicted fugitive.[260]
The attack was condemned by other countries, including Brazil,[261]Chile,[262]China,[263]France,[264]Iran,[265]Mexico,[266]North Korea,[267]Russia,[268]Slovakia,[269]South Africa,[270] and Spain.[261] Government leaders in Argentina, France,[271]Germany,[271]Israel,[272]Peru,[273] and Ukraine praised the developments.[274] French president Emmanuel Macron initially expressed joy, declaring on social media that "Maduro is a dictator, and his departure is good news for Venezuelans. He confiscated the freedom of his people and stole the 2024 elections." However, days later he nuanced his message, saying that the method employed by the Americans "does not have the support or approval" of France.[275]United Kingdom prime minister Keir Starmer said that he was happy for the fall of Maduro, and he would wait to know the facts before commenting further.[276]José Antonio Kast, the president-elect of Chile, stated that Maduro was not the legitimate president of Venezuela, had "destabilized Latin America", called his capture "great news", and remarked that work remained and the "governments of Latin America must ensure that the entire apparatus of the regime relinquishes power and is held accountable".[277] Spanish prime minister Pedro Sánchez urged de-escalation, stating that "[i]nternational law and the principles of the U.N. Charter must be respected"; this was echoed by European Union (EU) foreign policy chief and European Commission vice-president Kaja Kallas.[278][279] The governments of Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, Spain, Uruguay, and the outgoing administration in Chile issued a joint statement rejecting the US action and expressed their concern saying that it could "constitute an extremely dangerous precedent for peace and regional security and endanger the civilian population".[280]
Venezuelans in Santiago, Chile, celebrating Maduro's capture (top), demonstrators outside of Nicolás Maduro's arraignment in New York City gathering in support of Maduro's capture (bottom)
Following Maduro's capture, demonstrations celebrating his removal and opposing his presidency occurred in Caracas, the capital and largest city of Venezuela.[282][35]
Venezuelans living abroad celebrated the capture of Maduro in Doral, Florida, where the largest population of Venezuelans in the US live,[283] and in Latin America and Spain, including the cities of Buenos Aires, Lima, Madrid, Quito, and Santiago.[284][285][286][287] Videos from the Colombian border city of Cúcuta showed crowds filling the streets on the night of 3 January 2026, dancing to music and chanting slogans like "virtue" and "a free Venezuela".[35]
Protests
Demonstration in Times Square against the attack (left), demonstrators in Catia La Mar, Venezuela, protesting against US involvement (right)
Maduro's supporters protested against his capture in Caracas, with protestors holding portraits of Maduro and pro-Maduro and pro-Partido Socialista Unido de Venezuela (PSUV) banners. PSUV called for citizens to demand the release of Maduro and Flores.[288] CNN reported that while some Venezuelans celebrated Maduro's ousting, others were skeptical of Trump's motives and condemned the capture of Maduro as a "kidnapping".[35]
In the United States, hundreds of people gathered in New York City's Times Square to protest against the operation, with people chanting "Hands off Venezuela" and holding up signs that stated "US Out" and "No Blood for Oil".[289][36] Outside of New York, hundreds of people in different cities gathered to voice opposition to the strikes.[e]
Financial markets
Oil prices did not experience a surge, which had been normal with previous conflicts in oil-producing regions; prices increased 1% as of 5 January 2026. The reason is believed to be that Venezuela only represents 1% of the global oil supply and high oil production by other producers, including the United States, Saudi Arabia, and Brazil. The stock prices of companies that could become involved in Venezuela without spending money, such as oilfield service companies SLB and Halliburton, and refiners Valero Energy and Marathon Petroleum, surged on 5 January 2026. Some oil companies also saw increases, such as ExxonMobil and ConocoPhillips.[302][303] Bonds issued by the Venezuelan government and the state oil company PDVSA surged by 30%. Venezuela's bonds went into default in 2017 and doubled in price during the escalating tensions in 2025.[304]
Polling
In October, before the strikes, a poll by AtlasIntel showed that approximately 64% of Venezuelans abroad support US military intervention to depose Maduro, compared with 34% within Venezuela.[305] In December, a poll by Datanalisis found that 55% of Venezuelans opposed foreign military intervention while 23% supported it.[306]
After the strikes, a poll by Reuters surveying 1,248 adults in the United States found that 33% of Americans approved of the military action, while 34% did not; 65% of Republicans supported the action compared to 11% of Democrats, and 72% of Americans were concerned that the US would get too involved in Venezuela, including 54% of Republicans.[307] The same poll showed that Trump approval ratings rose to 42% after the attack, the highest rating since October 2025, when his approval rating was 39%.[307]
Analysis
Political
International Crisis Group (ICG) analyst Elizabeth Dickinson disputed the success of the operation, noting that the Maduro regime appeared largely intact, with figures characterized as "hardliners" by Dickinson, such as Diosdado Cabello, occupying key posts such as the ministries of defense and the interior. Dickinson concluded that "removing Maduro did not necessarily change the fundamental equation of control", adding that the government has withstood sanctions by rewarding its allies with access to scarce resources.[308] Another ICG analyst, Phil Gunson cautioned anti-Maduro forces among the Venezuelan diaspora, reporting from Caracas that "There's no dancing in the streets here".[309] Months prior, Trump had previously denied seeking a change of power in Venezuela, saying he was targeting regime-aligned cartels rather than Maduro himself.[310] Trump's evident willingness to work with Rodríguez was criticized by Venezuelan opposition sectors.[176]
Carrie Filipetti, member of the Vandenberg Coalition think tank and former State Department official during the first Trump administration, believes that the US should focus on "turn[ing] back to the democratically-elected leadership" in Venezuela to ensure both American and Venezuelan security. She explains that the Venezuelan opposition, led by Maria Corina Machado, "have the inroads" and "connections to the military" to create a "successful, smooth transition" and make sure "this doesn't devolve into chaos".[311]Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) specialist Clayton Seigle said oil companies sought stability in Venezuela above all else, adding that the outlook for US interests in the country remained uncertain. Another CSIS expert, Christopher Hernandez-Roy, said Trump's reluctance to engage in full regime change was driven by fear of chaos, noting that, aside from Maduro's removal, the current regime remained unchanged.[312]
American political analyst David Rothkopf described President Trump's conduct as the "Putinization of US foreign policy".[313] Analysts Ryan C. Berg and Alexander B. Gray stated that the action showed a robust commitment to Trump's 2025 National Security Strategy (NSS) and a desire to increase preeminence in the Western Hemisphere, in turn signalling a "global reestablishment of deterrence" to countries such as China, alluding to the latter's investments in Venezuela. Atlantic Council Counterterrorism Project head Alex Plitsas urged an orderly transition, warning that instability in Venezuela could lead to political fragmentation and criminal violence involving colectivo gangs; Berg elaborated that any systemic change would likely be lengthy, while reinforcing the Trump administration's "America First" agenda.[314][315]
Indian political analyst Brahma Chellaney argued that while the legal framing (drug trafficking charges) resembles the 1989 invasion of Panama and the seizure of Manuel Noriega, the actual methodology and strategic narrative align more closely with the 2003 invasion of Iraq.[316]Douglas Farah, a national security consultant and president of IBI Consultants, compared the US invasion of Panama to the current geopolitical situation in Venezuela, warning that although the Panama operation was a relatively swift military victory, occupying Venezuela would present significantly greater challenges.[317] Professor Sultan Barakat, an expert from Qatar's Hamad Bin Khalifa University, argued that the US actions in Venezuela have set a dangerous precedent that could influence China's approach to Taiwan. He also warned that this precedent could potentially encourage Russian President Vladimir Putin to adopt a more aggressive stance toward Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.[318]
Legality
International law experts argued that the operation violated international law. In the United States, it falls into a legal gray area.[319] On 3 January 2026, United Nations Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric issued a statement that said the Secretary-General of the UN, António Guterres, was "deeply alarmed by the recent escalation in Venezuela" and that United States' military action "has potential worrying implications for the region".[320] Lawyer Geoffrey Robertson stated that the strike on Venezuela was contrary to Article 2(4) of the UN Charter and qualifies as a crime of aggression under international law. Elvira Domínguez-Redondo, professor of international law at Kingston University, also stated the strike was an act of aggression and that it could only have been lawful if it had authorization by a United Nations Security Council resolution, or was justified as "self-defence", but she added that there was "no evidence whatsoever" to support either condition.[34]
Ben Saul, a UN special rapporteur and professor of international law, condemned "the US's illegal aggression against Venezuela and the illegal abduction of its leader and his wife" and called on Trump to be investigated and impeached.[321][322] Professor of international law Michael N. Schmitt, law professor Ryan Goodman and Tess Bridgeman concluded that the operation against Venezuela "amounts to a severe breach of foundational principles of international law".[323] Professor of law Ziyad Motala described the "intervention in Venezuela to abduct President Nicolás Maduro" as "international vandalism, plain and unadorned".[324]
United Nations experts described Trump's actions as constituting an "international crime of aggression", adding that these actions "represent a grave, manifest and deliberate violation of the most fundamental principles of international law, set a dangerous precedent, and risk destabilising the entire region and the world".[325][326]
Oil infrastructure
Venezuela's hyperinflation in the mid-2010s negatively impacted revenue from oil exports which magnified the decline of the industry.
Venezuela's oil industry had been in decline since Hugo Chávez's wave of expropriations,[331][336]:2–3[337] during which former oil contracts were shifted to joint ventures with the state-owned Petróleos de Venezuela S.A. (PDVSA) and new fiscal rules were imposed.[329][336]:2,4–5[338] Legal instability and other risks drove away investors, which Venezuela could not compensate for because of its overreliance on PDVSA's "inefficient operations, economic instability, discretionary policies, and poor investor protection",[336]:8–9[338] worsened by US sanctions on the company since 2017.[336]:7 In this time, the industry's oil infrastructure declined,[329][331][339] and China increased cheap imports from Venezuela.[340]
Analysts, experts, and oil industry officials believed reconstruction could cost billions of dollars and take two to seven years or more,[f] requiring risky investment and a lengthy process of creating contracts.[g] Experts also said that US companies' refining capability could threaten China's presence in the Venezuelan oil industry.[333][340]
12As published by the military, while other sources report 24.[9] Independent Venezuelan sources indicate 42[10] or 43.[11]. See #Casualties section for more reports.
↑Brazil, China, Colombia, Cuba, Eritrea, Mexico, Russia, South Africa, and Spain
↑"Trump Administration makes an example of Maduro, will 'run' Venezuela for now". World Tribune. 3 January 2026. Archived from the original on 3 January 2026. Retrieved 3 January 2026. U.S. special forces team arrived at Maduro's compound at 2:01 local time in Caracas...were onboard U.S. aircraft over the water at 3:29 a.m. (ET) and transported to the USS Iwo Jima
↑Trevithick, Joseph (5 January 2026). "Did The U.S. Use Kamikaze Drones To Strike Venezuela?". The War Zone. Retrieved 6 January 2026. Multiple video clips offer strong evidence that kamikaze drones were among the capabilities the U.S. military brought to bear during the operation to capture Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro over the weekend. This may have been the first real-world use of a new slate of U.S. long-range one-way attack drones and loitering munitions.
↑Rodríguez, Delcy (3 January 2026), Yuleidys Hernández Toledo (ed.), ¡Urgente! El pueblo tiene claro que jamás volverá a ser esclavo ni colonia (in Spanish), event occurs at 9:20, Y el pueblo venezolano consciente, el pueblo venezolano con su fuego sagrado de la patria encendido, está indignado por lo que es el secuestro ilegal e ilegítimo del presidente y de la primera dama, primera combatienta Cilia Flores.
↑"Régimen de Maduro señala a Estados Unidos de las explosiones en Caracas y otras partes de Venezuela"[Maduro Regime Blames United States for Explosions in Caracas and Other Parts of Venezuela]. NTN24 (in Spanish). 3 January 2026. Retrieved 3 January 2026. Por medio de un comunicado, la dictadura venezolana aseveró que este ataque busca "apoderarse de los recursos estratégicos de Venezuela, en particular de su petróleo"[In a statement, the Venezuelan dictatorship asserted that this attack seeks to 'seize Venezuela's strategic resources, particularly its oil.']
↑Applebaum, Anne (31 July 2024). "Venezuela's Dictator Can't Even Lie Well". The Atlantic. Archived from the original on 31 July 2024. Retrieved 31 July 2024. In the hours after the polls closed, much of the international media had refrained from stating the obvious. 'BREAKING:,' the Associated Press tweeted on Monday. 'Venezuela's President Nicolás Maduro is declared the winner in the presidential election amid opposition claims of irregularities.' But by Tuesday morning, it was absolutely clear that the election was not merely irregular or tainted or disputed: The election had been stolen.
1234Monaldi, Francisco; Hernández, Igor; La Rosa Reyes, José (2021). "The collapse of the Venezuelan oil industry: The role of above-ground risks limiting foreign investment". Resources Policy. 72 102116. Bibcode:2021RePol..7202116M. doi:10.1016/j.resourpol.2021.102116.
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