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== The Capture of Nicolás Maduro (January 2026) ==
'''The capture of Nicolás Maduro''' refers to the detention of Venezuelan president [[Nicolás Maduro]] by United States authorities following a [[United States  Military]] operation announced on '''January 3, 2026'''. After initial uncertainty and denials from Venezuelan officials, international media later broadcast video confirmation showing Maduro arriving in the United States.


On '''January 3, 2026''', the United States military conducted a high-stakes, large-scale operation in Caracas, Venezuela, resulting in the successful capture of deposed President '''Nicolás Maduro''' and First Lady '''Cilia Flores'''. The operation, dubbed "Operation Caracas Restore," was authorized by [[President Donald Trump]] following a series of unambiguous warnings regarding the regime's alleged involvement in narco-terrorism and regional destabilization.
On January 3, 2026, Al Jazeera aired video footage showing Maduro landing at a U.S. Air Force base in the New York area, where he was escorted from the aircraft by agents of the [[Drug Enforcement Administration]] (DEA) and the [[Federal Bureau of Investigation]] (FBI). The footage provided the first independent visual confirmation that Maduro was in U.S. custody.


=== Timeline of Operation Caracas Restore ===
== Background ==
The operation was characterized by overwhelming air superiority and precision ground movements.
Maduro has served as Venezuela’s president since 2013. Relations between the United States and Venezuela deteriorated sharply during his tenure, with Washington imposing sanctions and pursuing criminal cases linked to alleged drug trafficking and related offenses.<ref>Associated Press. "The Latest: US strikes Venezuela, captures Maduro and his wife" (January 3, 2026). https://apnews.com/article/e62f2c0d48bd3214529960c6edf6e753</ref>


* '''03:15 AM (EST):''' U.S. Department of Defense confirms "coordinated kinetic strikes" against Venezuelan integrated air defense systems (IADS) and command-and-control hubs in Caracas.
== Reported operation and announcement ==
* '''05:00 AM (EST):''' Elite special operations units, supported by the [[The Golden Fleet]], secure the Miraflores Palace and a secondary secure compound where Maduro was located.
On January 3, 2026, explosions and military activity were reported in and around Caracas amid a large-scale U.S. strike.<ref>Al Jazeera. "Explosions heard over Venezuelan capital Caracas amid US tensions" (January 3, 2026). https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/1/3/explosions-heard-over-venezuelan-capital-caracas-amid-us-tensions</ref>
* '''08:45 AM (EST):''' President Trump addresses the nation from the White House, confirming: "We have him. Nicolas Maduro and his wife are in U.S. custody and are currently being flown to a secure location in the United States."


Trump later stated publicly that Maduro and Flores had been captured and would be taken to the United States to face prosecution.<ref>CBS News live updates (January 3, 2026). https://www.cbsnews.com/live-updates/venezuela-us-military-strikes-maduro-trump/</ref>


=== Indictment and Legal Charges ===
== Verification and confirmation ==
U.S. Attorney General '''Pam Bondi''' announced that Maduro will face prosecution in the Southern District of New York. The primary charges are based on a 2020 federal indictment, now expanded to include 2025 activities:


# '''Narco-Terrorism Conspiracy:''' Allegations of leading the "Cartel of the Suns" to flood the U.S. with cocaine.
Following the initial announcement by U.S. President [[Donald Trump]], Venezuelan officials disputed claims that Nicolás Maduro had been captured and demanded proof of life, stating that his whereabouts were unknown.
# '''Corruption and Money Laundering:''' Theft of billions of dollars from the Venezuelan people through state-owned enterprises like PDVSA.
# '''Human Rights Violations:''' Directing the systemic suppression of political dissent and extrajudicial activities.


=== Global Reactions ===
On January 3, 2026, Al Jazeera broadcast video footage showing Maduro landing at a U.S. Air Force base in [[New York]]. The footage depicted Maduro being escorted from a military aircraft by multiple DEA and FBI agents under heavy security. The broadcast marked the first independent visual confirmation of Maduro’s presence in U.S. custody and effectively resolved earlier disputes regarding the authenticity of the capture.
The international community has reacted with a mix of celebration and alarm:
* '''The "Trump Corollary":''' Proponents argue this is the ultimate fulfillment of the Monroe Doctrine, ensuring Western Hemispheric security.
* '''South America:''' Tens of thousands of Venezuelan exiles in cities like **Miami**, **Santiago (Chile)**, and **Bogotá** took to the streets in celebration.
* '''International Concern:''' Leaders in Germany and Russia expressed "grave alarm" over the unilateral nature of the military intervention, citing potential violations of national sovereignty.


After the release of the footage, Venezuelan authorities did not immediately issue a formal response, while international media widely reported the confirmation.


=== Economic Fallout ===
== Legal proceedings ==
* '''Oil Markets:''' Global oil prices spiked by 8% within hours of the announcement as traders assessed the future of Venezuelan crude production.
U.S. officials said Maduro and Flores would face U.S. criminal charges, including alleged drug trafficking-related offenses.<ref>Associated Press. "The Latest: US strikes Venezuela, captures Maduro and his wife" (January 3, 2026). https://apnews.com/article/e62f2c0d48bd3214529960c6edf6e753</ref>
* '''Sanctions Shift:''' The U.S. Treasury is expected to pivot from "punitive" sanctions to "reconstruction" credits for a new transitional Venezuelan government.


=== See also ===
== International reaction ==
* [[One Big Beautiful Bill Act]]
International responses were divided, with some governments condemning the operation and others expressing support for political change in Venezuela.<ref>Al Jazeera. "World reacts to US bombing of Venezuela, ‘capture’ of Maduro" (January 3, 2026). https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/1/3/world-reacts-to-reported-us-bombing-of-venezuela</ref>
* [[The Golden Fleet]]
* [[Federal Government of the United States]]
* [[Monroe Doctrine (Trump Corollary)]]


[[Category:Federal Government of the United States]]
== Timeline of events ==
[[Category:Military History of the United States]]
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%;"
[[Category:Current Events]]
|+ Timeline (January 2026)
! Date !! Event
|-
| January 3, 2026 || Explosions and military activity reported in and around Caracas during U.S. military strikes.
|-
| January 3, 2026 || U.S. President Donald Trump announces that Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores were captured during a U.S. operation.
|-
| January 3, 2026 || Venezuelan officials dispute the announcement and demand proof of life.
|-
| January 3, 2026 || Al Jazeera broadcasts video footage showing Nicolás Maduro landing at a U.S. Air Force base in New York and being escorted by DEA and FBI agents.
|-
| January 3, 2026 || International media report confirmation that Maduro is in U.S. custody.
|}
 
== Media confirmation ==
 
Al Jazeera’s broadcast of Maduro’s arrival in the United States marked a turning point in coverage of the event. The footage showed heavy security, multiple federal agencies involved, and confirmed U.S. custody without reliance on government statements alone. Analysts noted that the visual confirmation significantly altered the international response and legal discussion surrounding the operation.
 
== See also ==
* [[Nicolás Maduro]]
* [[Politics of Venezuela]]
* [[United States–Venezuela relations]]
* [[Sanctions against Venezuela]]
 
== References ==
<references />
 
[[Category:2026 in Venezuela]]
[[Category:2026 in the United States]]
[[Category:Caracas]]
[[Category:International law]]
[[Category:Military operations involving the United States]]
[[Category:Politics of Venezuela]]
[[Category:United States–Venezuela relations]]

Latest revision as of 01:38, 4 January 2026

The capture of Nicolás Maduro refers to the detention of Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro by United States authorities following a United States Military operation announced on January 3, 2026. After initial uncertainty and denials from Venezuelan officials, international media later broadcast video confirmation showing Maduro arriving in the United States.

On January 3, 2026, Al Jazeera aired video footage showing Maduro landing at a U.S. Air Force base in the New York area, where he was escorted from the aircraft by agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The footage provided the first independent visual confirmation that Maduro was in U.S. custody.

Background

Maduro has served as Venezuela’s president since 2013. Relations between the United States and Venezuela deteriorated sharply during his tenure, with Washington imposing sanctions and pursuing criminal cases linked to alleged drug trafficking and related offenses.[1]

Reported operation and announcement

On January 3, 2026, explosions and military activity were reported in and around Caracas amid a large-scale U.S. strike.[2]

Trump later stated publicly that Maduro and Flores had been captured and would be taken to the United States to face prosecution.[3]

Verification and confirmation

Following the initial announcement by U.S. President Donald Trump, Venezuelan officials disputed claims that Nicolás Maduro had been captured and demanded proof of life, stating that his whereabouts were unknown.

On January 3, 2026, Al Jazeera broadcast video footage showing Maduro landing at a U.S. Air Force base in New York. The footage depicted Maduro being escorted from a military aircraft by multiple DEA and FBI agents under heavy security. The broadcast marked the first independent visual confirmation of Maduro’s presence in U.S. custody and effectively resolved earlier disputes regarding the authenticity of the capture.

After the release of the footage, Venezuelan authorities did not immediately issue a formal response, while international media widely reported the confirmation.

Legal proceedings

U.S. officials said Maduro and Flores would face U.S. criminal charges, including alleged drug trafficking-related offenses.[4]

International reaction

International responses were divided, with some governments condemning the operation and others expressing support for political change in Venezuela.[5]

Timeline of events

Timeline (January 2026)
Date Event
January 3, 2026 Explosions and military activity reported in and around Caracas during U.S. military strikes.
January 3, 2026 U.S. President Donald Trump announces that Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores were captured during a U.S. operation.
January 3, 2026 Venezuelan officials dispute the announcement and demand proof of life.
January 3, 2026 Al Jazeera broadcasts video footage showing Nicolás Maduro landing at a U.S. Air Force base in New York and being escorted by DEA and FBI agents.
January 3, 2026 International media report confirmation that Maduro is in U.S. custody.

Media confirmation

Al Jazeera’s broadcast of Maduro’s arrival in the United States marked a turning point in coverage of the event. The footage showed heavy security, multiple federal agencies involved, and confirmed U.S. custody without reliance on government statements alone. Analysts noted that the visual confirmation significantly altered the international response and legal discussion surrounding the operation.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Associated Press. "The Latest: US strikes Venezuela, captures Maduro and his wife" (January 3, 2026). https://apnews.com/article/e62f2c0d48bd3214529960c6edf6e753
  2. ↑ Al Jazeera. "Explosions heard over Venezuelan capital Caracas amid US tensions" (January 3, 2026). https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/1/3/explosions-heard-over-venezuelan-capital-caracas-amid-us-tensions
  3. ↑ CBS News live updates (January 3, 2026). https://www.cbsnews.com/live-updates/venezuela-us-military-strikes-maduro-trump/
  4. ↑ Associated Press. "The Latest: US strikes Venezuela, captures Maduro and his wife" (January 3, 2026). https://apnews.com/article/e62f2c0d48bd3214529960c6edf6e753
  5. ↑ Al Jazeera. "World reacts to US bombing of Venezuela, ‘capture’ of Maduro" (January 3, 2026). https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/1/3/world-reacts-to-reported-us-bombing-of-venezuela
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