New Delhi |Jan 04, 2026 | External Affairs
Venezuela plunged into its gravest crisis in decades after U.S. President Donald Trump claimed that American forces had captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores during a large-scale military operation, triggering international alarm, regional mobilisations, and fierce condemnation from Caracas.
In a series of statements posted on Truth Social and later reiterated in interviews with U.S. media, President Trump asserted that the United States had carried out a “large-scale strike against Venezuela” and that President Maduro and his wife were “captured and flown out of the country” as part of an operation conducted with U.S. law enforcement and military units. Trump later confirmed that the two were being transported to New York, where Maduro faces long-standing U.S. indictments related to narcotics trafficking and weapons charges.
Military Strikes and Conflicting Claims
According to U.S. officials cited by CBS News, American forces struck multiple targets in and around Caracas, including military installations, ports, and airfields. Verified imagery showed fires and explosions near La Carlota Air Base, Fuerte Tiuna, Port La Guaira, and Higuerote Airport, indicating a coordinated and high-intensity operation.
U.S. sources claimed that elite Delta Force units were involved in the operation. Trump described the capture as “surgical,” saying he watched it unfold “like a television show,” praising the speed and force of the action and asserting that no other country could have executed such a manoeuvre.
Venezuela Denounces ‘Military Aggression’
The Venezuelan government categorically rejected and denounced what it described as an “extremely serious military aggression” by the United States. In an official statement, Caracas accused Washington of violating Venezuelan sovereignty in an attempt to seize the country’s strategic resources, particularly oil and minerals, and to forcibly dismantle Venezuela’s political independence.
President Maduro, according to state media, signed a decree declaring a “state of external commotion” across the country, ordering the activation of national defence plans and calling on political and social forces to mobilise against what he termed an “imperialist attack.”
However, senior Venezuelan officials later stated that the whereabouts of Maduro and Cilia Flores were unknown, prompting Vice President Delcy Rodríguez to demand immediate proof of life from the United States.
Regional and Global Reactions
The developments triggered swift reactions across Latin America and beyond. Colombia ordered troop deployments to its border with Venezuela and called for urgent meetings of the United Nations and the Organization of American States (OAS). Chile and Cuba condemned the U.S. military action, while Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago said they were monitoring the situation closely amid heightened regional tensions.
Venezuela’s Defence Minister Vladimir Padrino López described the operation as a “cowardly kidnapping”, alleging that presidential guards, military personnel, and civilians were killed during the U.S. assault. Venezuela’s Supreme Court subsequently endorsed the appointment of Vice President Delcy Rodríguez as acting president for 90 days.
Oil, Indictments, and Strategic Stakes
Trump openly linked U.S. actions to Venezuela’s vast energy reserves, stating that Washington would be “strongly involved” in Venezuela’s oil sector going forward. Venezuela holds the world’s largest proven oil reserves—estimated at over 300 billion barrels—a factor that has long shaped U.S.–Venezuela hostility.
The crisis unfolded days after Maduro publicly expressed openness to talks with Washington on drug trafficking and oil cooperation, underscoring the abrupt escalation from diplomatic signalling to direct confrontation.
A Dangerous Precedent
If confirmed, the forced removal of a sitting head of state by a foreign power would mark an extraordinary rupture in international norms, raising profound questions about sovereignty, international law, and the future stability of Latin America.
As of now, independent verification of the U.S. claims remains incomplete, while Venezuela continues to insist that its president has been abducted. With Maduro expected—according to Trump—to appear before a federal court in New York, the unfolding crisis risks reshaping hemispheric geopolitics and setting a precedent with global consequences.
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