Top Headlines

Feeds

U.S. Calls Venezuela Raid “Kinetic” While Officials Defend Maduro Arrest

Updated (75 articles)

U.S. Special‑Ops Team Seizes Maduro and Flores in Pre‑Dawn Caracas Raid The operation struck Maduro’s Caracas compound early Saturday, extracting the president and his wife Cilia Flores and air‑lifting them to New York [2][6][11]. U.S. forces reported no American casualties, while Venezuelan and Cuban security personnel suffered at least 56 deaths [2][5]. Delta‑Force units, helicopters and naval assets were deployed, and the raid coincided with simultaneous strikes on military bases [1][17]. The capture occurred without prior congressional authorization, prompting immediate legal scrutiny [2][18].

Maduro and Flores Plead Not Guilty at Manhattan Arraignment On January 5 the duo entered federal court, entered not‑guilty pleas to four federal counts—including narco‑terrorism, cocaine‑importation and illegal weapons possession—and declined to request bail [12][13][10]. Judge Alvin Hellerstein set the next hearing for March 17 and invited future bail motions, though release appears unlikely given the severity of the charges [12][14]. Both defendants wore leg shackles and blue jail uniforms, with Flores arriving injured and seeking medical evaluation [10][14]. Their defense teams announced plans to challenge the arrest as an unlawful “military abduction” and to invoke sovereign‑immunity defenses [6][8].

Administration Labels Operation “Surgical” and “Kinetic” to Justify Force Secretary of State Marco Rubio told Sen. Mike Lee the strike was a “kinetic action” deployed to protect personnel executing an arrest warrant, framing the raid as a lawful law‑enforcement mission [1][2]. President Trump praised the raid as “brilliant tactically,” citing 152 aircraft, electricity cuts across Caracas and a “most fearsome” military [2][6]. The White House described the action as a “surgical” operation against drug‑cartel combatants, linking it to the administration’s National Security Strategy for Western Hemisphere pre‑eminence [5][20]. Republican Sen. Lee argued the kinetic action falls within inherent presidential authority to protect U.S. personnel [1][18].

Global Leaders Condemn the Raid as Breach of International Law The U.N. Security Council convened an emergency meeting, with China, Russia and several European states condemning the violation of Venezuela’s sovereignty [5][11][13]. The Hindu’s editorial warned the seizure sets a “Donroe Doctrine” precedent that could lower the threshold for unilateral regime‑change actions [4][11]. Spain, Iran and Cuba called for Maduro’s immediate release, while the EU urged adherence to the U.N. Charter despite questioning Maduro’s legitimacy [15][5]. Analysts warned the precedent could embolden further interventions in crises from Ukraine to Taiwan [5][17].

Interim Venezuelan Government Assumes Power Amid Domestic Unrest Venezuela’s Supreme Tribunal swore in Vice‑President Delcy Rodríguez as acting president, and her brother, National Assembly Speaker Jorge Rodríguez, pledged to pursue Maduro’s return [11][17]. Pro‑Maduro protests erupted in Caracas, and oil tankers began departing under renewed sanctions pressure [11][17]. The interim administration signaled a willingness to engage with Washington while demanding Maduro’s release [4][6]. Market reactions included a modest rise in oil prices and increased safe‑haven asset demand [5][11].

Legal Debate Centers on Sovereign Immunity and Congressional War Powers Maduro’s lawyers plan to invoke head‑of‑state immunity, citing the failed Noriega defense as a comparative precedent [8][14]. Sen. Mike Lee and other Republicans argued the kinetic strike falls under the president’s inherent authority, while Democrats pushed for a war‑powers resolution requiring congressional approval for future actions [1][2]. Classified briefings were held on Capitol Hill, and some lawmakers labeled the raid an impeachable offense [2][18]. Constitutional scholars continue to dispute the legality of a cross‑border arrest without explicit congressional sanction [1][20].

Sources (20 articles)

Timeline

2020 – The U.S. Southern District of New York indicts Nicolás Maduro on a narco‑terrorism conspiracy, marking the first formal criminal charge against the Venezuelan leader in a U.S. court. The indictment lays the legal groundwork for later actions. [8]

2025 – The U.S. State Department raises the reward for information leading to Maduro’s arrest to $50 million, signalling Washington’s intensified focus on dismantling his alleged drug networks. [8]

Jan 3 2026 01:01 a.m. (ET) – Operation “Absolute Resolve” launches: after months of rehearsals, U.S. special‑operations forces breach Maduro’s Caracas compound with “massive blowtorches,” capture the president and First Lady Cilia Flores, and bind them hand‑cuffed and blindfolded. [13]

Jan 3 2026 02:01 local time – Delta Force teams air‑lift the couple to the amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima, beginning their transport to the United States. [5]

Jan 3 2026 07:33 a.m. – President Donald Trump posts on Truth Social: “The tyrant is gone… a brilliant operation,” and declares that the United States will “run” Venezuela until a safe, proper transition is secured. [18][19][20]

Jan 3 2026 07:33 a.m. – U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi announces that Maduro and Flores will face American justice on U.S. soil, citing charges of narco‑terrorism, cocaine‑importation, and illegal possession of machine guns. [15][17]

Jan 3 2026 09:00 a.m. – Vice‑President Delcy Rodríguez appears on national TV, demanding “the immediate release of Maduro, who is Venezuela’s rightful leader,” and frames the capture as an illegal kidnapping. [10]

Jan 3 2026 10:00 a.m. – The Venezuelan Supreme Court swears Delcy Rodríguez in as interim president, signaling the regime’s attempt to maintain constitutional continuity despite Maduro’s removal. [5]

Jan 3 2026 17:00 ET – Maduro and Flores land at Stewart Air National Guard Base in Newburgh, NY, then are transferred to the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, where they will await trial. [8]

Jan 3 2026 19:18 ET – New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani calls the raid a “unilateral attack on a sovereign nation” that violates both federal and international law, while Governor Kathy Hochul says there are “no credible threats” to the city. [9]

Jan 4 2026 – In Caracas, crowds pour into the streets celebrating “light at the end of the tunnel,” while government loyalists, led by Mayor Carmen Meléndez, rally demanding Maduro’s release, illustrating the deep political split. [3]

Jan 4 2026 – Trump outlines a U.S.‑run transition, promising that American oil firms will repair Venezuela’s shattered oil infrastructure and generate revenue for the country. [2]

Jan 4 2026 – Attorney General Bondi reiterates the narco‑terrorism indictment, and the administration frames the operation as a lawful “surgical law‑enforcement action” against cartel‑linked forces. [2]

Jan 5 2026 – In a Brooklyn courtroom, Maduro claims he was kidnapped on Jan 3, pleads not guilty, and calmly takes notes on a yellow legal pad while Judge Alvin Hellerstein confirms his identity. [1]

Jan 6 2026 – During the arraignment, Maduro proclaims loudly, “I am still Venezuela’s president,” turning the hearing into a symbolic assertion of legitimacy that will shape the ensuing legal battle. [7]

Jan 6 2026 – U.N. Under‑Secretary‑General Rosemary A. DiCarlo and EU officials warn that the raid undermines international law and could set a dangerous precedent for interventions in other crises, from Ukraine to Taiwan. [12]

Stories about this story (55 stories)

Social media (20 posts)

All related articles (75 articles)

External resources (67 links)