US Strikes Venezuela, Maduro Captured & Taken To New York: What We Know So Far
The United States has carried out overnight military strikes in Venezuela, leading to the dramatic capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, who has now been taken to New York to face criminal charges.
US President Donald Trump said the US would “run” Venezuela temporarily, triggering global outrage and fears of a wider international crisis.
According to the reports, Maduro was detained after American forces struck key locations in Caracas, including the military complex at Fort Tiuna.
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Images released by Trump showed Maduro handcuffed and blindfolded aboard a US warship.
Later visuals showed him arriving at a US drug enforcement facility in New York. In a brief video recorded after his detention, Maduro appeared calm and even wished viewers a “Happy New Year.”
🚨Maduro gets perp-walked at the DEA by agents pic.twitter.com/rzU6mmruoO
— Commentary Donald J. Trump Posts From Truth Social (@TrumpDailyPosts) January 4, 2026
Following Maduro’s capture, Venezuela’s Supreme Court declared that he is unable to perform his duties and appointed Vice President Delcy Rodríguez as interim president.
The court described Maduro’s situation as a “material and temporary impossibility” to govern.
The US has justified the operation by accusing Maduro and senior Venezuelan officials of narco-terrorism and drug trafficking, charges long denied by Caracas.
However, several US lawmakers, including Democratic leaders, questioned the legal basis of the operation. Vice President Kamala Harris called the action “unlawful and unwise,” warning that regime-change wars often lead to chaos.
House Democrats are expected to hold an emergency meeting to discuss the fallout.
Donald Trump’s actions in Venezuela do not make America safer, stronger, or more affordable.
That Maduro is a brutal, illegitimate dictator does not change the fact that this action was both unlawful and unwise. We’ve seen this movie before. Wars for regime change or oil that…
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) January 4, 2026
International reaction has been swift and largely critical.
Countries across Latin America, Europe, Russia, and China condemned the US strikes and urged de-escalation. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, meanwhile, hinted that the US action against Maduro could signal tougher future moves against authoritarian leaders elsewhere.
On the ground, the situation remains tense. Venezuelan officials say nearly 40 people were killed in the airstrikes, while President Trump claimed that many Cubans also died in the bombing.
US Strikes Venezuela; Trump Claims To Capture Maduro
Images from Caracas show visible damage to military sites. In the US, pro-Maduro supporters protested outside the White House, while members of the Venezuelan diaspora in Florida celebrated the arrest, calling it “justice.”
The US Embassy has reiterated a Level 4 ‘Do Not Travel’ advisory for Venezuela, warning that the security situation is highly unstable. Commercial flights remain suspended, though the US has now lifted temporary restrictions on Caribbean airspace, allowing international flights to resume.
As Maduro prepares to face a high-stakes federal trial in Manhattan, top criminal defence lawyers are lining up to represent him.
India is also watching developments closely. Congress MP Karti P Chidambaram has asked External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar to clarify India’s official position on the unfolding crisis.
