In a dramatic overnight military operation, United States forces captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores, extracting them from the country and creating a perilous power vacuum in the capital of Caracas.
The operation, confirmed by U.S. President Donald Trump via social media, involved large-scale strikes on key Venezuelan infrastructure before elite troops seized the president. The Venezuelan government has condemned the action as an “invasion” and is demanding immediate proof of life for the captured leader.
The Attack Unfolds
According to eyewitness accounts and official statements, the operation began in the early hours of the morning with explosions rocking Caracas. Primary targets included La Carlota airfield and Fort Tiuna, the city’s main military base. Additional sites reportedly struck were Venezuela’s parliament, the presidential palace, a base housing F-16 jets, and the La Guaira port.
Plumes of smoke filled the skyline and parts of the capital were plunged into darkness. Video footage showed U.S. military aircraft, including what experts estimated to be at least a dozen helicopters, operating over the city with little resistance from Venezuelan air defenses.
President Trump broke the official silence hours later, stating: “The United States of America has successfully carried out a large-scale strike against Venezuela and its leader, President Nicolas Maduro, who has been along with his wife captured and flown out of the country.”
U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance linked the operation to two key objectives: ending drug trafficking and recovering “stolen oil.”
The Capture and a “Smash and Grab” Regime Change
Reports indicate the capture was executed by the U.S. Army’s elite Delta Force, which located Maduro at a secure location described by Trump as a “fortress.” U.S. media reports, cited in international coverage, alleged Maduro and his wife were dragged from their bed, with President Trump watching the operation live.
Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello took to the streets to urge calm. “From this beautiful people, I ask people to stay calm. Trust in our leadership… No one should fall into despair,” he stated.
Vice President Delcy Rodríguez, who under Article 233 of Venezuela’s constitution would temporarily assume power, has not formally done so. Instead, she focused on the fate of Maduro. “We have no knowledge of the whereabouts of the president… We demand from the Donald Trump government immediate proof of life,” Rodríguez said.
Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López called the attack an invasion. “The free, independent and sovereign Venezuela rejects with all its strength the presence of these foreign troops,” he declared, vowing a full military mobilization.
International Reactions: Condemnation and Tacit Support
The global response has been sharply divided. Traditional U.S. allies have offered muted or vague statements. The European Union called for “restraint” and respect for international law, while British Prime Minister Keir Starmer denied UK involvement, stating he wanted to “establish the facts.”
Russia, China, and Iran—allies of the Maduro government—issued strong condemnations. Russia labeled the act “armed aggression,” while China called it a “hegemonic attack.” Regional reactions were mixed; Argentina’s President Javier Milei welcomed a “moment of liberation,” while Brazil, Mexico, Chile, and Cuba condemned the violation of sovereignty.
Background and Buildup
The capture culminates a months-long escalation. The U.S. had indicted Maduro on narco-terrorism charges in 2020, placing a bounty that was later doubled to $50 million. A military buildup in the Caribbean throughout 2025, including the deployment of the USS Gerald R. Ford carrier group and the reactivation of bases in Puerto Rico, preceded a series of strikes on alleged drug-trafficking boats.
As recently as New Year’s Day, Maduro had publicly offered the U.S. “dominant stakes” in Venezuela’s oil sector in exchange for sanctions relief, an offer the Trump administration rejected.
Uncertain Future and Contenders for Power
With Maduro’s whereabouts unknown, Venezuela faces a turbulent transition. Three potential paths have emerged:
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The constitutional succession of Vice President Delcy Rodríguez, leading to elections within 30 days.
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Military intervention, with Defense Minister Padrino López and the armed forces acting as power brokers.
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The return of the U.S.-backed political opposition, which has unified behind exiled candidate Edmundo González Urrutia. Opposition figure María Corina Machado, the recent Nobel Peace Prize laureate who dedicated her prize to Trump, has promised a sweeping economic overhaul and opening of Venezuela’s oil sector. She has been offered the vice-presidential slot on a González ticket.
The operation stands as the most dramatic military action of Trump’s second term, which has seen strikes in seven countries over eleven months. As the situation develops, the region braces for the fallout of an unprecedented intervention that has removed a sitting head of state.
