How President Trump Captured Maduro and Changed Venezuela Forever

In early January 2026, U.S. special forces executed a daring overnight raid on Caracas, capturing Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, in a fortified compound. The operation, authorized by President Donald Trump, involved plunging parts of the capital into darkness, infiltrating the presidential residence, and swiftly extracting the couple by helicopter to a U.S. warship. Trump announced the success on social media, sharing an image of a blindfolded and handcuffed Maduro aboard the USS Iwo Jima, framing it as a decisive blow against narco-terrorism based on long-standing U.S. indictments for drug trafficking and conspiracy.

The raid culminated months of escalating pressure, including CIA intelligence gathering, military rehearsals on replica compounds, and strikes on suspected drug vessels. Maduro, caught by surprise as he attempted to reach a steel safe room, was flown to New York to face federal charges in Manhattan. Trump praised the mission as a display of American military prowess with no U.S. fatalities, while emphasizing that Maduro had rejected multiple opportunities to step down peacefully.

In the aftermath, Maduro pleaded not guilty in a New York courtroom, insisting he remained Venezuela’s legitimate president and decrying his removal as a kidnapping. Vice President Delcy Rodríguez was sworn in as interim leader, initially defiant but later hinting at possible dialogue with the U.S. Trump declared that America would temporarily “run” Venezuela to facilitate a transition, involving U.S. oversight of oil infrastructure and cooperation with remaining officials.