This photo gallery captures everyday scenes in Cuba, Colombia and Mexico as diplomatic tensions rise after a U.S. operation in Venezuela. U.S. officials say the operation detained Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife; the administration is using the event to press regional governments to "fall in line." The images, curated by AP photo editors, offer a striking visual contrast between routine life and heightened political rhetoric.
Photos: Cuba, Colombia and Mexico — Daily Life Amid U.S. Pressure After Reported Raid in Venezuela
Workers fly the Cuban flag at half-mast at the Anti-Imperialist Tribune near the U.S. embassy in Havana, Cuba, Monday, Jan. 5, 2026, in memory of Cubans who died two days before in Caracas, Venezuela during the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro by U.S. forces. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Residents in Cuba, Colombia and Mexico are shown carrying on with everyday routines even as Washington singles out the three nations in the wake of a controversial U.S. operation in Venezuela. U.S. officials have said the operation detained Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife; those claims are reported by U.S. sources and remain the subject of intense diplomatic fallout.
The Trump administration has publicly framed the operation as evidence of continued American influence in the Western Hemisphere and has urged neighboring governments to "fall in line." President Donald Trump’s remarks have heightened tensions with regional partners and sparked debate about U.S. policy toward Latin America.
This photo gallery, curated by AP photo editors, captures ordinary moments across the three countries — street vendors, commuters and families — set against an increasingly fraught diplomatic backdrop. The images provide a visual counterpoint to the political rhetoric, showing how daily life continues even amid geopolitical headlines.
What the Images Show
The collection highlights everyday scenes—markets, public transit, workplaces and neighborhoods—illustrating the resilience and routine of people far from the corridors of power. Each photograph invites readers to consider the contrast between ordinary life on the ground and the high-stakes international messaging from Washington.
Note: This gallery was assembled by Associated Press photo editors. Reports that a U.S. operation detained Venezuela’s president and his wife come from U.S. officials and are a central element of the current diplomatic tensions.
A mosquito control worker fumigates a home where a television plays a government television news report concerning the U.S. forces' capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, in Old Havana, Cuba, Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
A woman gestures next to a classic American car in Old Havana, Monday, January 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
A child hangs on chains while customers shop at a street stall in Old Havana, Monday, January 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel attends a rally in Havana, Cuba, Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026, in solidarity with Venezuela after the U.S. captured President Nicolas Maduro and flew him out of Venezuela. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
A man traverses a street in Old Havana, Monday, January 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
A bicycle taxi traverses a road at night in Havana, Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Colombia's ambassador to the U.N. Leonor Zalabata addresses the Security Council Monday, Jan. 5, 2026 at U.N. headquarters. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Colombian soldiers guard the border with Venezuela in Villa del Rosario, Colombia, Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026, after U.S. President Donald Trump announced that President Nicolás Maduro had been captured by U.S. forces. (AP Photo/Santiago Saldarriaga)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
People cross the Colombian-Venezuelan border, in Villa del Rosario, Colombia, Monday, Jan. 5, 2026, two days after U.S. forces captured and removed Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. (AP Photo/Santiago Saldarriaga)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
People cross the Colombian-Venezuelan border, to Villa del Rosario, Colombia, Monday, Jan. 5, 2026, two days after U.S. forces captured and removed Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. (AP Photo/Santiago Saldarriaga)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Revelers take part in the Black and White Carnival, recognized by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage, in Pasto, Colombia, Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Ivan Valencia)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Revelers rest prior to the start of the Black and White Carnival, recognized by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage, in Pasto, Colombia, Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Ivan Valencia)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
People protest outside the U.S. Embassy against the capture of President Nicolas Maduro, in Mexico City, Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
A child sits with their free gift at an event celebrating Three Kings Day, at the Angel of Independence in Mexico City, Monday, Jan. 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
People walk amid decorative illumination at Chapultepec Park in Mexico City, late Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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