U.S. Forces Capture President Maduro in Lightning Strike on Caracas
Caracas, Venezuela – January 3, 2026
A New Era for Venezuela? In a stunning pre-dawn military operation that has sent shockwaves across the globe, the United States military has captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores.
The operation, confirmed by the White House early Saturday, involved over 150 aircraft and precision strikes across several Venezuelan states, marking a definitive and controversial turning point in the long-standing crisis between Washington and Caracas.
The Midnight Assault: A Decapitation Strike
The operation began at approximately 2:00 AM local time when residents of Caracas were awoken by the roar of low-flying aircraft and a series of at least seven massive explosions.
According to reports from the ground, U.S. special operations forces—identified by sources as members of the elite Delta Force—targeted the Fuerte Tiuna military base, where Maduro and his family were residing.
Smoke was seen rising from key military installations, including the La Carlota airfield.
While the Venezuelan Vice President, Delcy Rodríguez, initially confirmed she did not know the whereabouts of the President, Donald Trump later released a photograph on Truth Social showing a captured Maduro aboard the USS Iwo Jima.
The image depicts the former leader in a gray tracksuit, wearing eye coverings and headphones, under the custody of U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents.
Legal Justification and Indictments
The Trump administration has framed the capture not as an act of war, but as a law enforcement operation designed to bring an “outlaw dictator” to justice.
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi announced that Maduro, his wife, and several high-ranking members of his inner circle have been indicted in the Southern District of New York on charges of drug trafficking, arms smuggling, and conspiracy.
“They will face the full wrath of American justice on American soil,” Bondi stated, emphasizing that the U.S. would not negotiate with a regime they view as a criminal enterprise.
However, the move has already sparked a legal debate in Washington, with many noting that the strikes were carried out without Congressional authorization, raising significant questions regarding the U.S. War Powers Act.
Economic Pivot: The Oil Factor
In a press conference from Mar-a-Lago, the U.S. President made it clear that the future of Venezuela will be closely tied to its massive oil reserves.
He announced that the U.S. intends to “run the country” until a “proper and judicious transition” can be organized. Crucially, he invited the world’s largest U.S. oil companies to enter Venezuela immediately to fix the country’s crumbling infrastructure.
“We are going to have our very large United States oil companies go in, spend billions of dollars, and make the people of Venezuela rich again,” Trump declared.
This move is expected to bypass years of sanctions but has already drawn accusations of “resource imperialism” from international critics.
Global Reaction and Regional Alarm
The international community is deeply divided. While some sectors of the Venezuelan diaspora in Miami celebrated in the streets, regional leaders have reacted with alarm.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro has deployed troops to the border, fearing a massive humanitarian fallout, while Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva condemned the “flagrant violation of sovereignty,” stating that the intervention sets a dangerous precedent for Latin America.
As Caracas remains under a state of emergency and a “new dawn” is proclaimed by Washington, the world watches to see if this “decapitation strike” will lead to stability or a prolonged and bloody insurgency within the heart of South America.
Key Headlines from the Crisis:
- • Military Extraction: Delta Force conducts pre-dawn raid on Fuerte Tiuna.
- • Legal Charges: Maduro and Cilia Flores face drug trafficking indictments in New York.
- • Economic Transition: U.S. oil giants invited to rebuild Venezuelan infrastructure.
- • Regional Fallout: Colombia and Brazil condemn “imperialist aggression” and warn of a refugee crisis.
