U.S. Nighttime Strike Captures Maduro, Sparks Regional Turmoil on Jan 3, 2026
Updated (2 articles)
Midnight Operation Seizes Maduro and First Lady On the night of Jan 3, 2026, U.S. forces launched a coordinated strike across Venezuela, capturing President Nicolás Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores and airlifting them out of the country, according to the White House and President Trump’s social‑media announcement[1][2]. The operation lasted under 30 minutes and involved low‑flying aircraft that triggered at least seven explosions over Caracas[1][2]. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau called the removal a “new dawn” for Venezuela, while Secretary of State Marco Rubio reiterated that the “tyrant is gone”[1][2].
Caracas Explosions Prompt Immediate Street Mobilization Residents in Caracas reported hearing and seeing the blasts, and the government labeled the attack an imperialist aggression, urging citizens to take to the streets[1][2]. Casualty figures remained unconfirmed in the hours after the strike, with authorities not releasing immediate numbers[1][2]. Local officials pledged a response, while neighboring Colombia prepared for a possible refugee influx and Russia condemned the action as armed aggression[1].
Broader Campaign Includes 35 Boat Strikes Killing Over 115 The Trump administration reported that since September 2025 U.S. forces have conducted 35 known strikes on boats in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific, resulting in at least 115 deaths[1][2]. These operations are presented as part of a larger effort to pressure the Maduro regime and disrupt alleged narcotics networks[2]. The boat‑strike tally underscores the expanding scope of U.S. military actions surrounding Venezuela[1].
Maduro Faces 2020 Narcoterrorism Indictment and $55 Million Bounty The Department of Justice’s 2020 indictment accuses Maduro of turning Venezuela into a criminal enterprise serving drug traffickers and terrorist groups, naming 14 officials and offering a total of $55 million in rewards for his capture[2]. This legal backdrop was highlighted in the second AP report but absent from the first, indicating a divergence in coverage focus[2]. The indictment reinforces the U.S. narrative that the regime is illegitimate and criminally liable.
Sources
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1.
AP: US strike on Venezuela leads to Maduro capture and regional upheaval: Details the nighttime U.S. strike, capture of Maduro and Cilia Flores, seven Caracas explosions, regional reactions, and the broader boat‑strike campaign.
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2.
AP: U.S. strikes Venezuela, Maduro captured and First Lady flown out, triggering regional crisis: Mirrors the first report but adds the 2020 narcoterrorism indictment, $55 million bounty, and emphasizes the legal justification for the operation.
Timeline
2020 – The U.S. Department of Justice indicts Nicolás Maduro on narcoterrorism charges, accusing him of turning Venezuela into a criminal enterprise for drug traffickers and terrorist groups and offering a total of $55 million in rewards for his capture [2].
Sep 2025 – U.S. forces begin a campaign of boat‑strikes in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific, and by early January 2026 the tally reaches 35 known strikes with at least 115 people killed, illustrating a broader pressure effort surrounding Venezuela [1][2].
Jan 2‑3 2026 (overnight) – The United States launches a large‑scale nighttime strike on Venezuela; low‑flying aircraft drop at least seven explosions over Caracas in under 30 minutes, shattering the capital’s night sky and prompting residents to take to the streets [1][2].
Jan 3 2026 – U.S. officials announce that Nicolás Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores are captured and flown out of the country, with President Trump confirming the operation on Truth Social hours after the attack [1][2].
Jan 3 2026 – Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau declares the operation “a new dawn for Venezuela” and says “the tyrant is gone,” while Secretary of State Marco Rubio reposts a message asserting that Maduro is not the legitimate president [1][2].
Jan 3 2026 – Colombia prepares emergency measures for a potential influx of Venezuelan refugees, Russia condemns the strike as “armed aggression,” and the U.S. State Department warns Americans in Venezuela to shelter in place, underscoring the regional and global fallout [1].