On the third day of the new year, the world woke up to news that the United States had “captured” Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia, after launching a large-scale strike on the capital city of Caracas. Maduro and his wife face charges related to alleged drug trafficking and narco-terrorism conspiracies.

Speaking at a press conference hours after the strike, U.S. President Donald Trump declared that “the dictator and terrorist Maduro is finally gone,” claiming the operation had freed the Venezuelan people. Trump said the United States would assume control of Venezuela temporarily to oversee what he described as a “safe and proper transition.”

The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Dan Cane, said the operation – codenamed Absolute Resolve – was the result of months of planning and rehearsal. He described it as a mission “only the United States could do,” involving an unprecedented level of coordination across multiple military domains.

According to Cane, the strike included the launch of approximately 150 aircraft from 20 bases across the Western Hemisphere, alongside the covert deployment of an interdiction force into downtown Caracas. He said advanced aircraft, including F-22s, F-35s, B-1 bombers, and remotely piloted drones, were used during the operation. By 3:29 a.m., Cane said, the USS Iwo Jima was transporting Maduro out of Venezuela, with plans to move him to New York.

U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said the attack was carried out in the early hours of the morning and framed it as a demonstration of American military dominance. Referring to Maduro, Hegseth said, “He effed around and he found out,” describing the operation as an example of “peace through strength” and declaring that “America is back.”

Secretary of State Marco Rubio reiterated the U.S. position that Maduro is not Venezuela’s legitimate president, calling him “a fugitive of American justice” and a direct threat to U.S. national security. Rubio warned foreign governments against interfering, saying, “Don’t play games with the president.”

Taking over oil production 

Trump’s administration of Venezuela seems to be largely dependent on accessing Venezuela oil reserves.  Venezuela holds the largest proven oil reserves in the world. The president said the United States would rebuild Venezuela’s oil infrastructure, with initial costs covered by oil companies. He added that the U.S. would sell “large amounts” of oil to other countries, describing the potential profits as “a tremendous amount of wealth coming out of the ground.”

Questions remain over who would govern Venezuela during the proposed U.S.-led transition. Trump said his administration was “designating people”.

Questions remain over who would govern Venezuela during the proposed U.S.-led transition. Trump said his administration was “designating people” and holding talks, amid conflicting reports about Vice President Delcy Rodríguez. While Trump initially claimed Rodríguez had been sworn in and agreed to work with the U.S. government, he later said officials did not know her whereabouts, as reports suggested she may have fled to Russia.