US–Venezuela Crisis 2026: How Maduro Was Captured

In early January 2026, the United States carried out a large-scale military operation against Venezuela that resulted in the capture and removal of President Nicolás Maduro from the country.��What happenedIn the early hours of January 3, 2026, a coordinated wave of airstrikes hit targets in and around Venezuela’s capital, Caracas, as part of a U.S. operation code‑named Operation Absolute Resolve.��More than 150 U.S. military aircraft took part, striking military and infrastructure sites in northern Venezuela while an apprehension force moved to seize Maduro.��Capture of MaduroU.S. President Donald Trump announced that U.S. forces had captured Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, and transported them out of Venezuela, reportedly to face drug‑trafficking and related charges in the United States.��Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez and other officials condemned the operation as an illegal kidnapping of a sitting president and declared a state of emergency inside the country.��Situation inside VenezuelaResidents in Caracas reported multiple explosions, low‑flying aircraft, power outages in parts of the city, and later gunfire and anti‑aircraft fire as Venezuelan forces reacted to the strikes.��The Venezuelan government called for mass mobilization, denounced the violation of its sovereignty, and framed the attack as an act of aggression and regime change by Washington.��International reactionThe operation triggered immediate global controversy, with several UN Security Council members and many governments criticizing the U.S. for breaching the UN Charter and setting a precedent for forced removal of foreign leaders.��Supporters of the U.S. move argued it targeted a leader accused of authoritarian rule and involvement in drug trafficking, while critics warned it normalizes extra‑territorial power grabs and could destabilize the wider region.��Impact on oil and geopoliticsThe strikes and the sudden removal of Maduro rattled energy markets, with analysts warning of heightened risk around Venezuela’s large oil reserves even though immediate price moves were modest.�The incident has sharpened tensions between the U.S. and Maduro’s key partners, especially Russia and China, and raised concern about a prolonged period of instability in Venezuela’s politics and security environment