Venezuela: U.S. Operation Captures President Nicolás Maduro
- Overnight strike and capture – President Donald Trump announced that U.S. forces carried out a large-scale military operation in Venezuela overnight, involving airstrikes in and around Caracas and a special operations raid on Nicolás Maduro’s compound. Trump and the Defense Department said Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were captured in Caracas and flown out of the country after what officials described as a joint military–law enforcement extraction (Operation "Absolute Resolve").
- Details of the raid – Pentagon officials said the mission used more than 150 aircraft from bases across the Western Hemisphere to support a ground extraction force in Caracas. According to U.S. accounts reported by multiple outlets, Army Delta Force operators, working with FBI units and U.S. intelligence agencies, seized Maduro and Flores inside their residence and transferred them to the USS Iwo Jima before flying them to New York.
- Maduro in U.S. custody and charges – Maduro and Flores were brought to the New York area on January 3 and are being held in federal custody, including at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, according to U.S. officials. Attorney General Pam Bondi said Maduro faces charges in the Southern District of New York including narco‑terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, and weapons offenses; Flores also faces U.S. charges, though officials have released fewer specifics on her case.
- Trump says U.S. will ‘run’ Venezuela – In a press conference at Mar-a-Lago and subsequent interviews, Trump said the United States will “run” Venezuela for an unspecified period until a “safe, proper and judicious transition” can occur, and signaled that U.S. troops could remain on the ground as needed. He also said U.S. and allied oil companies would be brought in to invest in Venezuela’s oil sector, with revenues to be used both in Venezuela and to compensate people in the U.S. who lost assets there. The Defense Department separately stated that the U.S. would oversee Venezuela until a “legitimate replacement” for Maduro is identified.
- Venezuelan political response – Venezuela’s Supreme Court directed Vice President Delcy Rodríguez to assume the powers and duties of acting president, citing Maduro’s “material and temporary impossibility” to perform his role. The court and senior officials denounced the U.S. strikes as a grave violation of Venezuelan sovereignty. Venezuela requested an urgent UN Security Council meeting and demanded the immediate release of Maduro and Flores.
- U.S. domestic political reaction – Trump said he did not consult Congress before ordering the operation, arguing that lawmakers leak sensitive information. Democratic members of Congress criticized the administration for bypassing legislative authorization and accused it of launching an unauthorized war, calling for briefings on legal justification and operational scope. Many Republican lawmakers praised the strike and Maduro’s capture but some asked for clarity on the duration and goals of U.S. control in Venezuela.
- Regional and civilian impacts – Witnesses and journalists in Caracas reported multiple explosions, fires, and power outages in parts of the capital and in nearby areas, with smoke visible from military facilities such as Fort Tiuna and from at least one civilian airport. The full casualty and damage toll in Venezuela remained unclear on January 3. U.S. officials said there were no U.S. military deaths, but acknowledged several U.S. personnel were wounded and at least one aircraft was hit but remained flyable.
- Airspace and travel disruptions – The U.S. temporarily restricted large portions of Caribbean airspace during the operation, causing hundreds of flight delays and cancellations across the region. The U.S. transportation secretary said restrictions would begin lifting around midnight Eastern Time as the immediate phase of the mission concluded.
Domestic Security and Immigration Enforcement
- ICE announces 120% manpower increase – U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) said its nationwide recruitment surge has increased the agency’s enforcement workforce by 120% in less than a year. According to the Department of Homeland Security, ICE expanded from about 10,000 to 22,000 officers and agents, surpassing an initial target of 10,000 new hires.
- Recruitment figures and deployment – ICE reported receiving more than 220,000 applications during the campaign and hiring over 12,000 officers and agents. Thousands of these new personnel are already deployed nationwide, participating in arrests, investigations, and removals. ICE described the effort as the fastest large-scale hiring push in its history and said it relied on data‑driven outreach while maintaining existing training and readiness standards.
- Policy framing – ICE leaders explicitly linked the expansion to President Trump’s immigration and security agenda and to recently enacted legislation they say funded the build‑up. Officials framed the additional manpower as essential to what they described as an intensified national enforcement posture.
U.S. Foreign Policy Statements
- Burma (Myanmar) Independence Day statement – Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued a press statement marking Burma’s 78th Independence Day (January 4). The statement reaffirmed U.S. support for the people of Burma and their aspirations for a “peaceful, fair, and prosperous” future.
- Call for end to violence and political crisis – The statement expressed deep concern over Burma’s ongoing political and humanitarian crisis and urged the ruling military regime to cease violence, allow unfettered humanitarian access, release those it has unjustly detained, and engage in dialogue toward a long-term resolution. The State Department framed stability in Burma as important for a secure and prosperous Indo‑Pacific region.
Weather and Other Developments Affecting the U.S.
- Northern California flooding – Heavy rain combined with unusually high tides caused flooding in parts of Northern California, according to state and local authorities cited by the Associated Press. Floodwaters led to road closures and vehicle rescues in coastal and low‑lying areas, with officials warning of continued risks as additional rain and king tides were forecast.
- Iran protest crackdown signals – In Iran, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei publicly stated that “rioters must be put in their place,” in comments reported by the Associated Press amid ongoing anti‑government demonstrations tied to economic conditions and political grievances. The remarks were widely interpreted as a green light for security forces to intensify efforts to suppress protests, a development monitored closely by U.S. and European officials.