The world awoke on Jan. 3 to reports that Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro had been taken into United States custody following a pre-dawn military raid in Caracas. U.S. forces captured Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, and transported them to the warship Iwo Jima before flying them to New York, where they will remain detained and be tried on multiple U.S. charges.
The arrest was part of a broader campaign, dubbed “Operation Resolve,” targeting Venezuelan military infrastructure. President Donald Trump announced the military action on social media, describing it as a “large-scale strike” conducted with U.S. law enforcement. The raid was the culmination of months of escalating tensions, with Washington accusing Maduro and other Venezuelan public figures of narco-terrorism, drug trafficking, conspiracy, and money laundering.
Reactions were swift and divided. In Venezuela, many expressed hopeful disbelief and uncertainty, while Maduro supporters protested his arrest. Internationally, the operation drew sharp criticism.
At an emergency U.N. Security Council meeting, most members agreed Maduro had led an illegitimate and repressive government but condemned the raid as a violation of international law and the U.N. Charter. France was among the most outspoken of U.S. allies, with Deputy Ambassador Jay Dharmadhikari stating that the seizure ran counter to the principles of peaceful dispute resolution and non-use of force. Russia and China also denounced the action and demanded Maduro’s release and restoration.
Protests erupted across the United States, with demonstrators in major cities decrying the military intervention and showing frustration over the possibility of a full-scale war erupting over what many argue is actually about asserting control over Venezuelan oil. Meanwhile, Trump announced that the U.S. would temporarily “run” Venezuela to ensure a “safe, proper, and judicious” transition, including the transfer of up to 50 million barrels of oil to be sold at market prices.