U.S. Launches Overnight Operation in Venezuela as Trump Announces Maduro Capture

In the early hours of January 3, 2026, the United States launched a large-scale military operation in Venezuela, with explosions and aircraft reported over Caracas and surrounding regions. President Donald Trump announced that Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were captured during the operation and flown out of the country.

U.S. authorities say Maduro faces criminal charges in the United States, including narco-terrorism, drug trafficking, and weapons offenses, and that similar charges are now being applied to Flores. Trump said additional details would be released during an 11 a.m. press conference at Mar-a-Lago.

The Venezuelan government condemned the operation as an illegal violation of national sovereignty and demanded proof of life for its leader. International reaction has been sharply divided, as governments assess the legal, political, and regional implications of the dramatic escalation.