ISLAMABAD: United States President Donald Trump has announced that Americanforces executed a large-scale military strike in Venezuela, resulting inthe capture of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. Theoperation, conducted on Venezuelan soil in conjunction with US lawenforcement, saw the couple flown out of the country. Explosions werereported in Caracas and surrounding areas, marking a dramatic escalation inWashington’s long-standing pressure campaign against the Maduro regime.
The announcement came via Trump’s Truth Social platform early on January 3,2026, where he described the mission as successful and promised furtherdetails at a press conference scheduled for later that day at Mar-a-Lago.Reports indicate that elite units, including the US Army’s Delta Force,were involved in the capture, drawing parallels to historical operationssuch as the 1989 arrest of Panama’s Manuel Noriega.
Venezuelan officials reacted swiftly, with Vice President Delcy Rodríguezdemanding proof of life for Maduro and Flores during a state televisionappearance. The government condemned the action as aggression, declaring anational emergency and mobilizing forces. Defense Minister Vladimir PadrinoLópez vowed resistance, while authorities accused the US of targetingstrategic resources like oil and minerals.
The operation culminates months of intensified US actions againstVenezuela, including naval strikes on over 30 suspected drug-smugglingvessels and a blockade on oil tankers. Maduro has been indicted in the USsince 2020 on charges of narco-terrorism and cocaine importation, with abounty that reached $50 million under the Trump administration.
International reactions varied significantly. Argentina’s President JavierMilei celebrated the development as an advance for liberty, whileColombia’s Gustavo Petro deployed forces to the border amid fears ofrefugee influxes. Russia and Iran condemned the strikes as violations ofsovereignty, calling for clarification and international denunciation.
US officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Attorney GeneralPam Bondi, confirmed that Maduro faces trial in New York on multiplecharges, including conspiracy to import cocaine and possession ofdestructive devices. Senator Mike Lee stated that no further militaryaction is anticipated now that Maduro is in custody.
The strikes targeted military installations, including Fuerte Tiuna complexand airfields in Caracas, La Carlota, and other regions. Witnesses reportedlow-flying aircraft and power outages, with smoke visible over key sites.The Venezuelan government reported civilian and military casualties butprovided no specific figures.
This intervention represents the most direct US military engagement inLatin America since the Panama invasion. Analysts note it stems fromaccusations that Maduro heads the Cartel de los Soles, a allegednarco-terrorist network, though he has consistently denied these claims.
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Regional neighbors expressed concern over stability. Trinidad and Tobagoclarified non-involvement, maintaining peaceful relations with Venezuela.The operation has plunged the oil-rich nation into uncertainty, withquestions arising about succession and potential power vacuums.
As details emerge, the event underscores shifting US foreign policy underTrump, prioritizing counter-narcotics and regime accountability. Thecapture ends Maduro’s 13-year rule, marked by economic crisis, massemigration, and disputed elections.
Source:https://www.nytimes.com/live/2026/01/03/world/trump-united-states-strikes-venezuela
Tags: United States, Venezuela, Donald Trump, Nicolás Maduro, Delta Force,Caracas.
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