by Vasily Fedorov
[REGNUM] On the night of January 3, 2026, US armed forces conducted a military operation on Venezuelan territory.
Around two o'clock in the morning local time, residents of Caracas heard a series of explosions – at least seven – and aircraft appeared in the skies above the capital.
Strikes targeted military installations in several states, including the Fuerte Tiuna air base, the Generalissimo Francisco de Miranda air base, the port of La Guaira, as well as the parliament building and the mausoleum of former President Hugo Chávez. A state of emergency was declared in the country.
During the operation, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were captured and spirited out of the country. The operation lasted less than 30 minutes. According to the Pentagon, more than 150 aircraft were involved, and the elite Delta Force unit carried out the capture.
The victims of the strikes included military personnel, government officials, and civilians; the exact death toll is being determined. There were no casualties among American personnel; one helicopter was shot down, but managed to return to base along with the others.
"PLAYED AND GOT"
At a press conference at his Mar-a-Lago residence, US President Donald Trump commented on the operation in detail. He called it "one of the most impressive, effective, and powerful demonstrations of American military power and competence in American history" and said it "went perfectly."
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Kane said the operation, codenamed "Absolute Resolve," had been in the works for months and required "months of intelligence work," including learning details about where Maduro lives and what he eats.
Trump ordered the operation to begin on January 2 at 10:46 PM Eastern Time. According to CBS News and the New York Times, a CIA source within the Venezuelan government helped track the president's location.
According to General Kane's timeline, American forces arrived at Maduro's compound at 1:01 a.m. ET. The helicopters came under fire and responded with "overwhelming force."
At 3:29 a.m., Maduro and his wife surrendered and were taken aboard the landing ship Iwo Jima. Trump later posted a photo of Maduro on board the ship, blindfolded and wearing headphones.
Earlier that day, in an interview with Fox News, Trump revealed that he personally offered Maduro "capitulation" a week before the operation. He also said the operation was postponed due to weather conditions.
Trump said the captured Venezuelan leader and his wife were being transported to the United States, where they face charges of conspiracy to commit narco-terrorism, cocaine smuggling, and possession and use of weapons and explosive devices.
Maduro faces up to four life sentences under the combined charges. US Attorney General Pamela Bondi stated that the defendants "will feel the full wrath of the American justice system."
Trump made a number of fundamental statements regarding Venezuela's future. "We will govern this country until we can achieve a safe, orderly, and rational transition of power," he emphasized.
Asked about the governance mechanism, Trump replied that he was "appointing people right now," and gestured to himself and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
The American president also allowed for the possibility of follow-up strikes: the US is “ready for a second wave of attacks,” but does not consider it necessary at this stage.
Trump specifically addressed the rationale for the operation. He described Maduro as the head of the Cartel de los Soles drug cartel and stated that the American side has "absolute evidence" that will be presented in court.
Beyond drug trafficking, Trump accused Venezuela of sending people "from psychiatric hospitals and prisons" to the United States. The American president also claimed that Venezuela "unilaterally took American oil": "It's still our oil. We built that industry, and they took it away as if it wasn't ours."
Now, he said, "major American oil companies will come into the country to fix the infrastructure and start making money for Venezuela."
In closing, Trump warned that the operation "should serve as a warning to anyone who threatens U.S. sovereignty," and that what happened to Maduro "could happen to anyone." He also urged "not to forget the Monroe Doctrine" and declared that the United States intends to ensure that "U.S. dominance in the Western Hemisphere is never again questioned."
Secretary of State Rubio, speaking at a press conference, recalled that Maduro was indicted in the United States back in 2020 and that the White House considers him an illegitimate president.
"Maduro was a direct threat to us. He had a lot of cards, but he lost. Our president doesn't joke. This is a message to the world," the Secretary of State emphasized. He also addressed Cuba: "If I lived in Havana and was in the government, I'd be worried."
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, speaking at the same press conference, put it even more bluntly: “Maduro had a chance, just like Iran had a chance… He played and got it.”
A separate question concerned Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado. Trump stated that it would be "very difficult" for her to become the country's leader because she "doesn't have the support and respect within the country."
GLOBAL REACTION: FROM CONDEMNATION TO CAUTIOUS SUPPORT
The US military operation sparked widespread international outcry. The Russian Foreign Ministry called the incident an "act of armed aggression" and characterized Washington's justifications as "unfounded." The ministry's statement emphasized that "ideological hostility prevailed over businesslike pragmatism."
Moscow strongly urged the American leadership to release the legitimately elected president of a sovereign country and insisted on resolving the crisis through dialogue. Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov expressed solidarity with the Venezuelan people in a telephone conversation with Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry expressed "deep shock" and "strong condemnation," describing Washington's actions as a "gross violation of international law" and a "threat to peace and security in Latin America and the Caribbean." Beijing called on the American side to "cease its infringement on the sovereignty and security of other countries."
UN Secretary-General António Guterres expressed "deep concern about the escalation," noting that the operation has "potentially alarming consequences for the region" and "creates a dangerous precedent." He assessed that "international law is not being respected."
European Union Foreign Minister Kaja Kallas called for "restraint" and recalled that the EU has "repeatedly stated" that Maduro lacks "sufficient legitimacy." European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called for a "peaceful and democratic transition" in Venezuela. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot directly condemned the operation, calling it "a violation of the principle of the non-use of force, which is at the core of international law."
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer emphasized that London was "not involved" in the operation and stated his intention to "establish the facts" in a conversation with Trump. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk acknowledged that the American attack came as a surprise to Warsaw.
The reaction of German politicians is telling. Roderich Kiesewetter, a Bundestag member of parliament from the conservative CDU, called the operation a "putsch" and declared that "with President Trump, the US is finally abandoning the rules-based order that has shaped us since 1945." According to him, "the putsch in Venezuela marks a return to the old American doctrine from before 1940: thinking in terms of spheres of influence, where the law of the strong prevails, not international law."
Iran called the incident a "gross violation of regional and international peace" and called on the UN Security Council to stop the illegal aggression. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko categorically condemned the US actions, while Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel demanded "an immediate response from the international community to this criminal attack," describing it as "state terrorism."
The New York Times editorial board harshly criticized the Trump administration's actions. The newspaper called the strike on Venezuela "illegal" and "unwise," and noted that the president is "pushing the country toward an international crisis without good reason."
According to the editorial board, “without congressional approval, his actions violate American law,” and the official justification for the operation—the fight against “narcoterrorists”—is “especially absurd.”
NBC News notes: "If any government missed the signal in 2025, that year began with the Trump administration's forceful declaration: 'Bend to our will.'" The publication notes that US allies are being cautious, "trying not to incur Trump's wrath with their response."
Several US Democratic senators issued sharp criticism. Senator Ruben Gallego stated: "This war is illegal, and it's shameful that in less than a year we've gone from being the world's policeman to the world's bully. We have no reason to fight Venezuela. "
Senator Andy Kim recalled that Secretary Rubio and Defense Secretary Hegseth "looked every senator in the eye and said this is not about regime change" just weeks ago, calling it a "blatant lie to Congress."
LATIN AMERICA: BETWEEN CONDEMNATION AND APPROVAL
The reaction of Latin American countries to the operation was mixed, although most countries in the region criticized Washington's actions.
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva called the explosions in Venezuela and the capture of its president "crossing an unacceptable line" and "an extremely dangerous precedent for the entire international community." He assessed that the US actions "are reminiscent of the worst moments of interference in Latin American politics."
"Attacking countries in flagrant violation of international law is the first step toward a world of violence, chaos, and instability, where the rule of force prevails over multilateral mechanisms," the Brazilian leader wrote.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum strongly condemned the military action, calling it a "clear violation of Article 2 of the UN Charter," and called for "respect for international law and an end to all acts of aggression against the government and people of Venezuela."
Colombian President Gustavo Petro called the incident "an act of aggression against the sovereignty of Venezuela and Latin America," condemned it, and called for immediate meetings of the UN and the Organization of American States.
He recalled that Colombia has been a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council since January 1, and called for “establishing the international legitimacy of aggression.”
Colombian authorities also deployed forces on the border with Venezuela and declared their readiness to accept refugees. Chilean President Gabriel Boric condemned the strikes and called for a "peaceful solution to this serious crisis."
Argentine President Javier Miley took a special stance, becoming the only Latin American leader to openly support the US actions. "Freedom is coming, long live freedom, damn it!" he wrote on social media, using his signature slogan.
Venezuela has formally requested an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council. This initiative has been supported by Russia, China, and several Latin American countries.
Leaders of the Caribbean Community held an emergency meeting and expressed "grave concern" about the situation, which "may have implications for neighboring countries." Trinidad and Tobago emphasized that it "does not participate" in US military operations.
| Furrowed brows all around. And then dessert and brandy came out, and all was joy and light once again. |
| Too late. Maduro and wife are already indicted in federal court in New York City, VP Delcy Rodriguez is said to be arrived in Russia, though apparently Russia says no, and President Trump is organizing an interim government until the locals are ready to take their country back. |
| Indeed. Some of the Latin American countries — plus the Venezuelans themselves — are thrilled. |
THE MONROE DOCTRINE IS BACK
The military operation in Venezuela was the largest direct US intervention in Latin American affairs since the 1989 invasion of Panama – exactly 36 years ago, when American forces overthrew and captured General Manuel Noriega on drug trafficking charges.
The parallels are obvious: both then and now, the official justification was the fight against drug trafficking, and the declared goal of the operation was the capture of the head of state for trial in the United States.
This development fits within the logic of the updated US National Security Strategy, adopted by the Trump administration in December 2025. The document enshrines Washington's desire for unconditional dominance in the Western Hemisphere and effectively proclaims a return to the principles of the Monroe Doctrine—a two-hundred-year-old concept that North and South America constitute a zone of exclusive US interests.
Trump himself called at a press conference "not to forget the Monroe Doctrine." A number of observers, including German lawmaker Kiesewetter, directly point to a "return to the pre-1940 doctrine" and "thinking in terms of spheres of influence."
The key question is what happens next. The Trump administration has declared its intention to "manage" Venezuela until a "proper transition of power" occurs, but it still has no control over the situation on the ground.
Government structures formally continue to function, Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez has issued a call for resistance, and Vice President Delcy Rodriguez has reportedly left the country.
If the Venezuelan opposition succeeds in coming to power and establishing cooperation with the military, the operation could go down in history as a success for Trump. If the country descends into chaos or civil strife, it could be seen as his greatest failure.