In a dramatic turn of events on January 3, 2026, U.S. forces launched a large-scale military operation in Caracas, capturing Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. President Donald Trump announced the success of the raid, stating that the couple had been flown to New York to face long-standing federal charges of drug trafficking, narco-terrorism, and related crimes. Maduro, who pleaded not guilty in a Manhattan courtroom on January 5, is now detained in a federal facility, marking the end of his 13-year rule over the crisis-plagued nation.
The operation, described by Trump as a precise law enforcement action backed by military support, involved disabling Venezuelan air defenses and extracting Maduro from his residence. Trump has declared that the United States will temporarily “run” Venezuela, tapping into its vast oil reserves to fund reconstruction and stabilize the economy. He suggested using the country’s resources to rebuild infrastructure and attract private investment, particularly from American oil companies.
Initially, Trump expressed preference for Vice President Delcy Rodríguez—a longtime Maduro ally and hardline socialist—as interim leader, believing she could help “make Venezuela great again.” However, after Rodríguez condemned the U.S. action as an “atrocity” violating international law and demanded Maduro’s release, Trump shifted tone dramatically. In interviews on January 4, he warned that if Rodríguez fails to cooperate with U.S. plans, she would “pay a very big price, probably bigger than Maduro.” Secretary of State Marco Rubio echoed this, stating the U.S. would push for free elections and not support Rodríguez indefinitely, while emphasizing an “oil quarantine” to leverage influence.
By January 5, Rodríguez appeared to soften her stance, calling for “peace and dialogue” with the U.S. and expressing a desire for cooperation under international law. She was formally sworn in as acting president, navigating a delicate balance amid domestic pressure from Maduro loyalists and international scrutiny.
The fallout has been swift and divisive. Venezuelans in exile and many at home celebrated Maduro’s removal, with street parties in cities like Miami and Santiago waving American and Venezuelan flags. Influencers and artists attended a Mar-a-Lago event hosted by Trump, joined by figures like Elon Musk, thanking him for ending the dictatorship. Over eight million Venezuelans have fled since 2014 due to economic collapse, violence, and shortages under Maduro’s regime, which the U.S. indictment accuses of enriching elites through massive cocaine trafficking—up to 250 tons annually.
Critics, including some U.S. lawmakers and international leaders, have decried the operation as a violation of sovereignty, potentially illegal under international law. Reports of civilian and military deaths, including Cuban personnel aiding Maduro’s security, have fueled outrage from allies like Russia and China.
Adding to global unease, Trump renewed his interest in Greenland just hours after the Venezuela raid. In comments to reporters and The Atlantic, he insisted, “We do need Greenland, absolutely,” citing national security concerns over Russian and Chinese activity in the Arctic. This echoed his past proposals to acquire the Danish territory, rich in minerals and strategically vital. A post by Katie Miller, wife of Trump’s deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller, showing Greenland overlaid with the American flag and captioned “SOON,” intensified backlash. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen urged Trump to “stop the threats,” affirming that Greenland is “not for sale” and that the U.S. has no right to annex any part of the Danish kingdom.
Trump’s actions signal a assertive foreign policy focused on American interests, from countering drug flows to securing resources. As Maduro’s trial looms and Venezuela’s future hangs in uncertainty, the world watches to see if this marks a new era of U.S. interventionism—or escalating international conflict.