US military strike: Maduro captured

Lisa Ernst · 03.01.2026 · Technology · 5 min

The situation in Venezuela is explosive on January 3, 2026. Reports of US military strikes, explosions in Caracas, and Donald Trump's claim that Nicolás Maduro has been captured shape the narrative. This article summarizes the current information and will be updated as soon as verifiable confirmations are available.

Source: Own representation

Current situation

In the night of January 3, 2026, explosions, smoke, and the sound of low-flying aircraft were described in Caracas (Reuters). AP News reported several explosions in the capital and described the operation as a short, surprise strike, for which there were initially no verified casualty figures (AP News). The Venezuelan government spoke of attacks in Caracas as well as in the states of Miranda, Aragua, and La Guaira, declared a national state of emergency, and called for mobilization (Reuters).

Locations appearing in reports include the presidential palace Miraflores in Caracas (Wikipedia) and the military complex Fort Tiuna in the south of the city (Wikipedia). Reuters also reported smoke over the port of La Guaira and an air force base in Caracas (Reuters).

Donald Trump claimed on Truth Social that the US had conducted a large-scale strike and that Maduro and his wife had been "captured" and "flown out" (Reuters). Reuters noted that Trump did not provide verifiable details (Reuters). Caracas demanded "proof of life" and stated that it did not know the whereabouts of the presidential couple (euronews). International media report indications from US circles about the deployed unit; CBS names Delta Force, citing US officials (CBS News). These statements will only be verifiable when location, timeline, and custody are independently confirmable (Reuters).

Caracas seemed unusually empty after the detonations: armed checkpoints near Miraflores, sporadic patrols, and people waiting (Reuters). Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello called on state television not to cooperate with the "terrorist enemy" (Reuters). A female vendor from Maracay described the events as "like a movie" (Reuters). The US Embassy urged US citizens in Venezuela to seek shelter and leave the country as soon as it is safe (US-Botschaft Venezuela).

Source: bbc.com

A wanted poster published by BBC News Brasil, offering a $25 million bounty for information leading to the capture of Nicolás Maduro. This underscores the US efforts to prosecute Maduro.

Background & Context

The diplomatic reaction was swift: Russia spoke of "armed aggression"; several governments in Latin America and Europe called for de-escalation and referred to sovereignty and international law (Reuters). Al Jazeera classified the operation as an international dispute and discussed the possible reaction of the UN Security Council (Al Jazeera).

Legally, the prohibition of force under the UN Charter (Article 2, paragraph 4) and the narrowly defined self-defense (Article 51) are relevant (Vereinte Nationen). Without a UN mandate and a clear self-defense logic, the risk that allies will distance themselves grows, even with political rejection of Maduro (Reuters).

AP News recalls that the US has been charging Maduro since 2020 in a drug/"narco-terrorism" complex; the DOJ document on this is public (AP News, Justizministerium). Domestically in the US, the War Powers issue becomes relevant, as the "Reporting requirement" applies within 48 hours as soon as US forces engage in hostilities or they are threatened (Rechtsinformationsinstitut). Congress has the power to declare war ("Declare War Clause"), the scope of which is contested (Verfassung Annotiert). The Congressional Research Service provides a current assessment of the War Powers Resolution (Congress.gov).

Reuters also speaks of a historical echo: the Panama invasion in 1989/90 and the arrest of Manuel Noriega (Reuters). Noriega surrendered on January 3, 1990, and was taken to the US, as the US Army describes in a historical retrospect (U.S. Army).

Source: spiegel.de

A US warship in operation, symbolizing the military presence and threat gestures of the United States towards Venezuela, in the context of drug trafficking control and pressure on the Maduro regime.

Economic impacts

A key question is whether Venezuela's oil infrastructure was hit. Reuters reports, citing PDVSA sources, that production and refinery facilities were operating normally. The port of La Guaira was severely damaged but is not used for oil operations (Reuters).

According to the US Energy Information Administration (EIA), Venezuela had the world's largest proven crude oil reserves in 2023 (around 303 billion barrels) (Energieinformationsverwaltung). The economic pressure path in recent days includes US sanctions from December 31, 2025, against four companies in the Venezuelan oil sector and the identification of four tankers as blocked property (U.S. Department of the Treasury). The sanctions framework is documented at OFAC (OFAC, Sanktionen Suche). The Congressional Research Service provides an overview of US sanctions policy (Congress.gov).

Source: user-added

Three people embrace intimately, one woman is crying while a crowd stands in the background.

Media & Sources

For a more in-depth look at the current events, various media and sources are available:

• Live images from Caracas (Associated Press).
• A quick news overview with context (DW News).
• Summary from an international perspective (FRANCE 24 English).
• Live update on Trump communication and reactions (YouTube).

In summary, there are three central points: Firstly, several major media outlets and agencies are reporting explosions and military activity in and around Caracas (Reuters). Secondly, Trump claims the capture of Maduro and his wife, but the verifiable details are still thin, while Caracas demands "proof of life" (Reuters). Thirdly, the world is reacting with the vocabulary of a looming long crisis: "aggression," "international law," "UN Charter" (Reuters).

Next, a verified proof of Maduro's custody, a clear picture of the power line in Caracas, and reliable information about damage to critical infrastructure (electricity, ports, fuel logistics) are to be observed (Reuters). Primary documents such as the UN Charter (Vereinte Nationen), War Powers (Rechtsinformationsinstitut) and the DOJ indictment (Justizministerium) are of great importance in this situation.