Trump: “We struck, we captured Maduro, and for now we are going to run the country”
Caracas / Washington – January 3, 2026 In one of the boldest U.S. military interventions in Latin America in decades, President Donald Trump announced early Saturday that American special forces conducted overnight strikes inside Venezuela and successfully captured long-time President Nicolás Maduro along with his wife, Cilia Flores.
Speaking from the White House and in a series of posts on Truth Social, Trump described the operation as a “complete success” against what he called an “illegitimate socialist regime” that has overseen drug trafficking, mass migration, and regional chaos.
“We struck key military targets, captured Maduro, and for now we are going to run the country,” Trump declared. “The oil industry is going to make a lot of money under American leadership.”
Maduro, who has ruled Venezuela since 2013, is reportedly aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima in the Caribbean and will be transported to New York to face federal charges, according to the president.
Explosions Rock Caracas
Residents in Caracas reported multiple loud explosions overnight, with columns of smoke rising from La Carlota air base and Fuerte Tiuna, the country’s largest military complex. Low-flying aircraft and helicopter activity were heard for several hours.
The Pentagon has not released an official statement, but senior administration officials confirmed to NBC News that U.S. special operations forces executed the capture with air support, targeting regime leadership and command-and-control facilities.
Trump posted two photographs on Truth Social purportedly showing a handcuffed Maduro aboard a U.S. naval vessel.
Immediate International Reaction
- Argentina President Javier Milei hailed the operation as “the dawn of freedom for the Venezuelan people.”
- Mexico and Brazil issued sharp condemnations. Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva called it “an unacceptable violation of sovereignty” and announced an emergency meeting of UNASUR nations.
- Colombia and Peru have remained silent so far.
- Venezuelan opposition leaders aligned with María Corina Machado and interim president-in-exile Juan Guaidó confirmed strikes on regime targets and expressed cautious optimism, with sources close to Machado saying “the dictatorship has fallen tonight.”
What Happens Next?
Trump indicated that U.S. forces will remain in Venezuela “as long as necessary” to secure critical infrastructure — particularly oil facilities — and prevent retaliation by pro-Maduro loyalists or foreign allies.
The president suggested that American companies will play a leading role in restarting and managing Venezuela’s battered oil industry, which holds the world’s largest proven reserves.
Legal experts note that bringing Maduro to New York aligns with long-standing U.S. indictments against him for narco-terrorism, corruption, and drug trafficking, carrying potential life sentences.
As dawn broke over Caracas, the future of Venezuela — and the precedent set by this unprecedented action — hangs in the balance.
L’Union Suite is monitoring developments minute-by-minute and will provide updates as more details emerge from Washington, Caracas, and the region.
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