U.S. Forces Snatch Maduro, Trump Says U.S. Will "Run" Venezuela and Take Its Oil

U.S. Forces Snatch Maduro, Trump Says U.S. Will "Run" Venezuela and Take Its Oil

The United States military launched strikes on Venezuela and captured President Nicolás Maduro along with his wife, Cilia Flores, in an operation that officials are calling a "large-scale strike" [40942][41088][41227]. The couple has been flown out of the country and now faces terrorism and drugs charges in a New York court [40942][40970][41136]. Following the capture, former U.S. President Donald Trump announced that the United States will temporarily "run" Venezuela to "fix" its oil infrastructure and "take back the oil" [41227][41525]. Trump stated the goal includes selling Venezuelan oil to other nations [40871]. Venezuela holds the world's largest proven oil reserves, but its production has collapsed after years of mismanagement and a severe humanitarian crisis [40871][41227]. The U.S. has long labeled Maduro's government as illegitimate and has recognized opposition leader Juan Guaidó as Venezuela's legitimate president since 2019 [40505][41379]. The operation occurred on January 3, 2026, and marks an unprecedented direct military intervention by the U.S. in a sovereign South American nation [40737][40921][41525]. No immediate response has come from Venezuela’s military or remaining government officials, leaving a dangerous power vacuum and deep uncertainty for the country's 30 million people [41136][42114]. International legal experts have already questioned the attack's legality, and global reactions are mixed [40942][41033].