U.S. Forces Capture Venezuelan President Maduro in Military Strike, Plan to "Run" Country

U.S. Forces Capture Venezuelan President Maduro in Military Strike, Plan to "Run" Country In an unprecedented military escalation, United States forces have captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, during a large-scale strike on Venezuelan territory. The operation, ordered by the Trump administration, has removed the long-time leader from power and prompted a U.S. announcement that it intends to directly administer the oil-rich South American nation [41033][41227][40871]. The capture occurred during an overnight operation on Saturday, January 3, 2026, which included airstrikes on targets in the capital, Caracas [40921][41055]. U.S. President Donald Trump described the action as a "large-scale strike" and stated that the United States will now "run" Venezuela to "fix" its collapsed oil infrastructure and "take back the oil" [41227][41525][41055]. Venezuela holds the world's largest proven oil reserves, but its production has plummeted amid a profound economic and humanitarian crisis [40871][42114]. Maduro and his wife were reportedly flown out of Venezuela and are now in U.S. custody [40921][40970]. They face criminal charges in a New York court, including accusations of "narco-terrorism" and running a narcoterrorist organization [40942][40970]. U.S. officials have long labeled Maduro's government as illegitimate, accusing it of corruption, human rights abuses, and stealing elections [41136][40668][40505]. The sudden removal of the sitting head of state has created an immediate power vacuum and leadership crisis within Venezuela, with no clear successor named [41136][40970]. The U.S. has recognized opposition leader Juan Guaidó as Venezuela's legitimate president since 2019, but the path forward for forming a new government remains uncertain [41379][42114]. The operation marks a dramatic break from established international law and sets a dangerous precedent for direct military intervention in a sovereign nation, analysts say [40737][41525]. While the immediate military action appears complete, the long-term plan for governing Venezuela and the international fallout from the strike are still unfolding [41055][42114]. U.S. Forces Capture Venezuelan President in Military Strike Venezuela Leader Ousted in U.S. Strike, Faces Charges in New York US Strikes Venezuela, Captures President Maduro U.S. Captures Venezuela's President in Secret Operation U.S. Forces Capture Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro US Strikes Venezuela, Abducts President Maduro US Captures Venezuelan President in "Large-Scale Strike" U.S. Military Strike Captures Venezuelan Leader Maduro U.S. Captures Maduro: What Now for Venezuela? US Seizes Venezuelan President, Vows to "Run" Country and "Take Back the Oil" U.S. Claims Capture of Venezuelan Leader in Military Strike U.S. Strikes Venezuela, Captures President Maduro US Captures Venezuelan President in Military Strike U.S. Strikes Venezuela, Captures President Maduro Venezuelan President Captured in U.S. Military Raid