Breaking: U.S. Military Captures Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro
Jamaica Live Regional News – | Jan 3rd, 2026
What Jamaica and the Caribbean Need to Know
In an extraordinary and unprecedented military operation early Saturday, January 3, the United States says it has struck Venezuela and captured President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. According to U.S. President Donald Trump, both were taken into custody and flown out of Venezuela to face prosecution in the United States.
What Happened
Late Friday night into the early hours of Saturday, explosions and airstrikes were reported in Caracas, Venezuela’s capital. President Trump announced that a “large-scale strike” by U.S. forces resulted in Maduro’s capture and removal from the country. The operation, described as Operation Absolute Resolve in preliminary reports, targeted multiple strategic locations to neutralize Venezuela’s defense before Maduro and his wife were seized.
Maduro and Flores have been indicted in U.S. courts on narco-terrorism and drug trafficking charges and are expected to be arraigned in New York federal court as soon as Monday.
U.S. Plans After Capture
President Trump said the United States will take control of Venezuela temporarily and oversee a “safe, proper and judicious transition” of power. He suggested American involvement in rebuilding Venezuela’s oil industry and hinted at selling oil to other nations. Trump also did not rule out future U.S. troops on the ground, raising the possibility of a longer military presence in the region.
Reaction in the Region
The operation has sparked intense debate:
- Mixed Venezuelan response: While some celebrated Maduro’s removal, others protested and condemned it as an attack on Venezuelan sovereignty.
- Opposition leadership: Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado hailed the event as “the hour of freedom,” calling for a return to democratic governance and political reform.
- Legal and diplomatic alarm: International experts and legal scholars say the action raises serious questions about international law, the United Nations Charter, and the legality of one state using force to capture the leader of another without clear UN or congressional authorization.
Global and U.S. Political Response
Political reactions in the U.S. have been sharply divided:
- Some Republican leaders praised the capture as a decisive blow against drug trafficking and authoritarianism.
- Many Democrats and international legal scholars warn the military action could set a dangerous precedent and risk deeper conflict in Latin America.
Implications for the Caribbean
This dramatic event is not just a U.S.–Venezuela story — it will have consequences across the Caribbean:
- Migration & refugee flows: Continued instability in Venezuela could affect migration patterns, with Caribbean nations likely to see renewed movements.
- Economic impact: Venezuela has historically been tied to Caribbean oil markets and regional trade. Changes in control and policy could reshape regional energy dynamics.
- Security & diplomacy: Caribbean states will face diplomatic choices about recognition, regional stability, and relations with both the U.S. and Venezuela’s future leadership.
What Comes Next
The world is watching closely as:
- Maduro awaits prosecution in the U.S.
- Venezuela’s government and military leadership respond to a leadership vacuum and attempt to assert authority.
- The U.N. Security Council and other international bodies consider legal and geopolitical fallout.
- Caribbean and Latin American nations weigh responses to the extraordinary use of force.
Stay with Jamaica Live for live reactions from Caribbean leaders, expert commentary, and updates on how the Maduro capture could affect Jamaica and the region’s political and economic landscape.