Maduro, Wife Reportedly Captured as U.S. Launches Major Military Operation in Venezuela In a dramatic

 escalation of tensions between the United States and Venezuela, President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were reportedly taken into U.S. custody early Saturday, January 3, 2026, following a large-scale American military operation in Caracas and other parts of the country.

U.S. President Donald Trump announced the development on his social media platform, stating that the Venezuelan leaders had been “captured and flown out of the country” and would face charges related to drug trafficking and terrorism in U.S. courts.

According to U.S. officials, the operation was carried out through a joint effort involving elite American military units, including special operations forces, alongside federal law-enforcement agencies. The coordinated mission reportedly targeted key locations across Venezuela’s capital and surrounding regions.

Residents in several cities reported loud explosions before dawn, as military activity intensified across Caracas and other areas during the operation. The exact location to which Maduro and Flores were transported has not been disclosed.

The arrests follow years of legal action by U.S. authorities against Maduro. Since 2020, he has been under indictment in New York on charges of narco-terrorism and conspiring to smuggle large quantities of cocaine into the United States — accusations he has repeatedly denied.

Washington has also labeled the alleged criminal network linked to top Venezuelan officials, commonly known as the Cartel of the Suns, as a terrorist organization, a move that U.S. officials say justified the latest action.

Venezuelan authorities condemned the operation, calling it a violation of national sovereignty and an act of military aggression. The government declared a state of emergency and urged citizens to mobilize in response to what it described as an imperialist attack.

Vice President Delcy Rodríguez demanded proof that Maduro and Flores were alive, while defense officials announced the deployment of military units across the country to maintain order.

International reactions have been divided. While some regional governments denounced the U.S. action, others welcomed the removal of Maduro, who has long been accused by Washington and its allies of corruption, human rights abuses, and dismantling democratic institutions.

Analysts say the operation represents one of the most direct U.S. military interventions in Latin America since the 1989 invasion of Panama and could significantly reshape political and security dynamics across the region.

U.S. officials have indicated that further details, including formal charges and legal proceedings, will be announced during an upcoming press briefing by President Trump.

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