NEW YORK – Deposed Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro appeared in a United States courthouse Monday for the first time since his capture by U.S. forces. Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were scheduled to appear before a judge at noon to face charges of narco-terrorism and drug trafficking.
Maduro’s lawyers are expected to challenge the arrest’s legality, arguing he has immunity from prosecution as a sovereign head of state. In Venezuela, the new interim president, Delcy Rodríguez, has demanded Maduro’s immediate return.
The capture has exposed deep political divisions across Latin America. Leaders friendly to President Donald Trump have praised the action, while his foes have condemned it as an overreach. The move is the latest in a series of aggressive foreign policy actions by the Trump administration, which has also targeted alleged drug traffickers in the Caribbean and sanctioned Venezuelan oil exports.
Following the weekend raid, oil prices slipped while precious metals like gold and silver jumped amid geopolitical uncertainty. In Washington, the operation has fueled speculation about the administration’s next steps, as Trump renewed calls for an American takeover of Greenland and threatened military action in Colombia over its drug trade.
The following was published on Jan. 3, 2026.
U.S. Forces Capture Venezuelan President Maduro in Caracas Strike
CARACAS, Venezuela – U.S. special forces captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife in a pre-dawn military strike in Caracas on Saturday, according to President Donald Trump. The operation, which involved explosions heard across the capital, marks a dramatic escalation in U.S. policy toward the South American nation.
In a social media announcement before 4:30 a.m., Trump stated the U.S. “successfully carried out a large scale strike against Venezuela.” Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were “captured and flown out of the Country” to face long-standing federal charges in New York.
A High-Stakes Operation
The capture was executed by the U.S. Army’s elite Delta Force, based on intelligence from the CIA that pinpointed Maduro’s location. According to sources familiar with the operation, Trump authorized the mission days ago.
Attorney General Pam Bondi confirmed that Maduro and Flores “will soon face the full wrath of American justice on American soil.” The Venezuelan leader has been under indictment in the United States since 2020. In November 2025, the Trump administration took the unusual step of designating Maduro as the head of a foreign terrorist organization.
The military action has drawn sharp, divided reactions. Sen. Rick Scott of Florida celebrated the news, posting on X that “a new day is here for Venezuela and Latin America.” However, Sen. Ruben Gallego of Arizona condemned the move as an “illegal” and “unjustified war.”
International Response and What Comes Next
The Venezuelan government issued a statement condemning the “grave military aggression” and declared a “state of External Disturbance.” International reaction was swift, with Russia calling the strike “an act of armed aggression” and Colombian President Gustavo Petro stating, “Venezuela has been attacked!” Conversely, Argentine President Javier Milei, a Trump ally, praised the operation.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio told Sen. Mike Lee that the “kinetic action” was necessary to protect U.S. personnel executing the arrest warrant for Maduro. Rubio added that he anticipates “no further action in Venezuela now that Maduro is in U.S. custody.”
President Trump is scheduled to hold a news conference from Mar-a-Lago to provide further details.
