Headlines

• Nicolás Maduro was captured by the US army's Delta force, the military's top counter terrorism unit.
• A CIA source inside the Venezuelan government helped the US track Maduro's location in the lead-up to his capture.
• The US has captured Venezuela's illegitimate president Nicolas Maduro after a large scale strike on the South American country, US President Donald Trump annouced.

San Juan PR, Jan. 3.– In the early hours of a Saturday morning, the news reverberated through the halls of power and spilled into living rooms across America. Donald Trump, sitting comfortably on a couch during his regular appearance on "Fox and Friends," recounted a highly classified operation aimed at one of America's most contentious adversaries: Venezuelan illegitimate president Nicolás Maduro. In meticulous detail, he described how U.S. forces had meticulously prepared for this mission. 

Trump told Fox and Friends on Saturday that Maduro and his wife were taken from "a house that was more like a fortress". The president said US forces were prepared with "massive blowtorches" to cut through steel, but said Maduro "did not make it into that protected area of the house". Trump proudly stated that there were no U.S. casualties and only "a few injuries" during this operation, which he personally monitored in real-time.

Trump stated that Venezuela's left-wing president and his wife were evacuated from the country during a military operation conducted in coordination with U.S. law enforcement. They have been charged with drug and weapons offenses in New York since 2020/2021. The president said the U.S. will "run" Venezuela on a temporary basis. "We're going to run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition," Mr. Trump told reporters. The president said "we don't want to be involved with having somebody else get in, and we have the same situation that we had for the last long period of years. So, we are going to run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition, and it has to be judicious," he added This announcement follows reports of explosions occurring in the capital, Caracas, during the early hours of Saturday morning, including at military bases, port facilities and illegal drug collection and distribution centres. 

A CIA source inside the Venezuelan government helped the US track Maduro's location in the lead-up to his capture. The human source was part of an extensive network of other intelligence that informed the operation, which was the result of months of planning. Meanwhile, early this morning, Venezuela's Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello appeared on TV flanked by police, saying the Venezuelan government will not be cowed.

The United States has launched serious allegations against Venezuelan illegitimate president Nicolás Maduro, accusing him of being deeply enmeshed in the dark world of drug smuggling and labeling his leadership as illegitimate. In a striking counter, Maduro has fiercely criticized the U.S., claiming that the accusations were mere acts of intimidation designed to undermine his authority. Attorney General Pam Bondi has taken a formidable stance, declaring that both Maduro and his wife will soon face the full force of American justice following a substantial indictment issued in New York. In an assertive social media post, Bondi conveyed that the couple will inevitably confront "the full wrath of American justice on American soil in American courts." 

The Justice Department has unveiled a comprehensive superseding indictment against Venezuela's president and his wife, expanding upon previous charges initiated in 2021 under the Biden administration. Sources alleged that this robust action exemplifies America's unwavering commitment to holding accountable those who jeopardize democracy and engage in criminal enterprises, reinforcing the message that no one is above the law.

In a social media post, Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau said the U.S. military operation and the capture of Maduro signal "a new dawn for Venezuela," adding "the tyrant is gone." Both Landau and Secretary of State Marco Rubio reposted earlier comments by Rubio saying that Maduro is not the legitimate president of Venezuela but instead the head of "a narco-terrorist organization which has taken possession of the country."

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, (R-S.D.), praised Trump's actions and said he expects Congress will learn more about the strikes when lawmakers return to Washington this week. "President Trump's decisive action to disrupt the unacceptable status quo and apprehend Maduro, through the execution of a valid Department of Justice warrant, is an important first step to bring him to justice for the drug crimes for which he has been indicted in the United States," Thune said in a statement.

In an introductory statement during a press conference today at noon in Mar-a-Lago, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that Maduro was not the legitimate president of Venezuela. It is "not just us saying it", he says, adding the first Trump Administration and the Biden administration also said the same. Maduro is also not recognised by the European Union and multiple countries around world, Rubio said. He described the Venezuelan president as a "fugitive from American justice", with a $50m reward. "I guess we saved ourselves $50m," Rubio says, before Trump chimed in with: "We should make sure... don't let anybody claim it." Fielding minutes after a question from a reporter who said he was from Cuba, Trump told him "We want to help the people in Cuba, we want to also help the people that were forced out of Cuba." Secretary of State Marco Rubio interjected that "when the President speaks, you should take him seriously", adding many of the guards who helped protect Maduro were Cuban. "If I lived in Havana and I was in the government I'd be concerned at least," Rubio added. 

Regional reaction has been swift. Cuba's President Miguel Díaz-Canel, a close ally of Venezuela that depends heavily on its oil, denounced the attack as "criminal." Colombia's President Gustavo Petro said his forces are deploying to the Venezuelan border and promised additional support "in the event of a massive influx of refugees." By contrast, Argentina's President Javier Milei, a Trump ally, praised the operation, posting on X: "Freedom advances."

María Corina Machado is seen as a leading potential successor after the fall of Maduro, with Venezuelan experts stating that both María Corina Machado and Edmundo González have the support of 70% of the population. Both leaders proclaimed in a year-end message that 2026 would be the year of freedom in Venezuela. Edmundo and María Corina were elected by a wide margin to the presidency and vice-presidency of the country in an election fraudulently distorted by Nicolás Maduro, and assured in that message that the country has advanced in unity and conscience, Highlighting the role of international partners in the search for a political transition. Both leaders released their statement in a video posted on social media, where they expressed confidence that 2026 would be the year of the definitive restoration of democracy in their country. 

Jorge Jraissati, a Venezuelan who is the president of the Economic Inclusion Group, told Fox News Digital that "Machado and Gonzalez would assume a transitional government in Venezuela." He added that "I believe Machado has the capacity and integrity to lead this very delicate transition. Key will be her ability to surround herself with young and capable Venezuelans instead of career politicians."

Diosdado Cabello has become the most feared and influential figure in the regime. La Nación characterizes him as the longstanding number two in Chavismo, wielding significant control over the party machinery and the propaganda apparatus. His power extends from internal political enforcement to overseeing the interior and justice portfolios.

Jorge Rodríguez, the president of the National Assembly and one of Nicolás Maduro’s most trusted political allies, stands as a formidable figure in any potential succession scenario. La Nación underscores his critical role within the ruling elite, showcasing his extensive experience as a former mayor, communications minister, and strategic mastermind. His prominence and influence position him as a key player in shaping the future of the government.

Members of the Venezuelan community in Miami gathered after President Trump announced a series of strikes on the country and the capture of President Nicolás Maduro. Trump said on social media that Maduro and his wife were “captured and flown out of the country” following the strikes.