On 2 January 2026 US special forces carried out an overnight operation that captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife and cut power to parts of Caracas. President Trump said the US would "run the country" temporarily but offered few operational details. The raid produced deep political divisions in Washington and drew international condemnation, with legal experts questioning its legality. Observers warn the move could have major geopolitical and economic consequences.
US Forces Seize Nicolás Maduro in Caracas Raid; Trump Vows to 'Run' Venezuela — Global Outcry
US president Donald Trump hailed hailed the overnight operation in Venezuela as ‘an assault like people have not seen since world war two’.Photograph: Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images
On 2 January 2026, US forces launched an overnight operation in Venezuela that captured President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, according to the US president. The raid, which US officials say involved special operations forces and airstrikes, also cut power to parts of Caracas.
President Donald Trump announced Maduro was in US custody and said the United States "will run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition." He described the operation as "an assault like people have not seen since world war two," but provided few details about the planned interim governance or legal basis for the seizure.
Reactions At Home
Reaction in Washington was sharply divided. Administration officials and many Republicans framed the operation as enforcement of a 2020 US narco-trafficking indictment against Maduro, applauding the removal of a leader they have long accused of drug trafficking and corruption. Democrats and other critics condemned the move as a unilateral violation of Venezuela's sovereignty and warned of grave legal and geopolitical consequences.
International Response And Legal Questions
The operation drew swift international condemnation. France, Russia, China and the European Commission publicly criticized the strike and the capture of Maduro, saying the action raised serious concerns about breaches of international law and norms. Legal experts interviewed by press outlets said the operation raises complex questions under the UN Charter and customary international law; even some US allies suggested the move may lack clear legal justification.
Economic And Strategic Stakes
Mr Trump said major US oil companies stood ready to invest "billions and billions" rebuilding Venezuela's oil industry, but the companies themselves remained publicly silent. Analysts warn that direct US control or management of Venezuelan assets would create immediate logistical, legal and diplomatic complications, and could further inflame regional tensions.
Analysis And Wider Context
Commentators described the events as a major escalation in US-Venezuela relations and a challenge to post‑war international norms. In separate analysis, journalists traced broader implications for global governance and the precedent such an intervention might set. Other coverage in the same outlet recalled unresolved questions from recent years, including reflections on high-profile criminal cases that drew public scrutiny.
What Comes Next?Uncertainty remains about how the United States intends to govern Venezuela in the short term, what judicial process will follow for Maduro, and how other nations will respond diplomatically and economically. The coming days are likely to shape both immediate humanitarian conditions inside Venezuela and longer-term geopolitical alignments.
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