Information via Aciprensa, Social Media of Donald Trump, Pam Bondi, Javier Milei, Gustavo Petro, Lula Da Silva.

«Nicolás Maduro, president of Venezuela (2016) cropped» by Eneas de Troya under licence CC BY-SA 2.0.

U.S. CONFIRMS CAPTURE OF NICOLÁS MADURO FOLLOWING LARGE-SCALE MILITARY OPERATION IN VENEZUELA

CARACAS / FLORIDA – In a lightning operation executed during the early hours of this Saturday, January 3, 2026, United States special forces captured Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, following a series of coordinated airstrikes on strategic points across Venezuela.

The Official Announcement

U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed the success of the mission through an official statement shared by Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth. "The United States of America has successfully carried out a large-scale strike against Venezuela and its leader, Nicolás Maduro, who has been captured along with his wife and transported out of the country," the commander-in-chief declared.

According to Pentagon reports, the capture was executed by members of Delta Force, an elite U.S. Army unit, in a raid that lasted less than 30 minutes.

Operation Details

The military offensive began at approximately 2:00 a.m. (local time) with the deployment of AH-1Z Viper attack helicopters and drones over the capital. Primary targets included:

 * Fuerte Tiuna: The country's most significant military complex, which suffered multiple explosions and power outages.

 * La Carlota Air Base: A key aerial control point in Caracas.

 * Port of La Guaira and Higuerote: Strategic zones on the central coast.

Correspondents on the ground reported scenes of chaos and multiple columns of smoke over the city, while the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) immediately prohibited commercial aircraft from overflying Venezuelan airspace.

Legal Charges

Shortly after the announcement of the capture, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi reported that Maduro and Flores have been formally indicted in the Southern District of New York. The charges include narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation, and possession of destructive devices. "They will soon face the wrath of American justice in American courts," Bondi stated.

Regime Reaction and International Context

From Caracas, Foreign Minister Yván Gil described the action as an "extremely grave imperialist aggression" and declared a "State of External Commotion." Meanwhile, Vice President Delcy Rodríguez has demanded immediate "proof of life" for the presidential couple.

While international allies such as Russia and Cuba have condemned the intervention, regional leaders and former presidents have expressed support for the action, calling it a definitive step toward democratic restoration in the hemisphere.

President Trump will hold an expanded press conference today, Saturday, at 11:00 a.m. (ET) from his residence at Mar-a-Lago, Florida, where more details regarding the whereabouts of the detainees and the future of the military presence in the area are expected to be revealed.