On January 3rd, 2026, the US government captured Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores.
Why did this attack happen?
Nicolás Maduro was removed from power in Venezuela. This controversial political move was motivated by several factors, including “Operation Absolute Resolve,” a large-scale U.S. military operation in Caracas, Venezuela, following months of military buildup in the region. The operation was initiated at the request of the Justice Department to apprehend an indicted individual. Another reason for his capture was oil; the U.S. government, which was one of more than 50 countries not to recognize Maduro as Venezuela’s legitimate leader, also had political and economic motivations. President Donald Trump stated the U.S. would “run the country” after the capture, and officials noted that U.S. access to Venezuela’s vast oil reserves was a core reason for the action.
What happened during the attack?
The raid to capture Nicolás Maduro was conducted on December 31st, with U.S. forces beginning by using an unconfirmed new weapon that was able to subdue several hundred Venezuelan soldiers in minutes. The soldiers affected by the weapon are reportedly experiencing vomiting and throwing up. As of January 6th, 2026, there were 55 confirmed deaths in the raid.
What does this mean for Venezuela?
With the U.S. now in control of Venezuela, this means that the country will be undergoing a change in leadership, with former vice president Delcy Rodríguez now acting as the temporary leader of the country. Though control of the country is now being negotiated between the U.S. and the country’s internal powers with several powerful people in the country being potential candidates for the presidency, including: Delcy Rodríguez (former vice president), Jorge Rodríguez (head of Venezuela’s National Assembly), Diosdado Cabello (Venezuela’s interior minister), Vladmir Padrino (Venezuela’s defense minister), and Marina Corina Machado (leader of Venezuela’s top opposition party) She previously swept the opposition primary before being barred from voting in the 2024 election.
