On the morning of January 3, 2026, after months of buildup, the United States launched a large-scale military operation in Venezuela that resulted in the capture of Venezuelan Pres. Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. Maduro and his wife were flown out of the country, and Maduro has been indicted by the U.S. on charges of narco-terrorism, cocaine trafficking, and possession of machine guns and destructive devices against the U.S. The operation follows months of military buildup from the U.S. in the region, with U.S. Pres. Donald Trump accusing Maduro of supporting drug traffickers, accusations Maduro has vehemently denied. Trump said the U.S. would run the country following Maduro’s capture, with particular attention to having U.S. oil companies take over Venezuela’s struggling nationalized industry.
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