REUTERS/via SNO Sites/ADAM GRAY

Captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro is escorted, as he heads towards the Daniel Patrick Moynihan United States Courthouse in Manhattan for an initial appearance to face U.S. federal charges including narco-terrorism, conspiracy, drug trafficking, money laundering and others, at Downtown Manhattan Heliport, in New York City. REUTERS/Adam Gray

On January 3, 2026 U.S. forces underwent an operation in Caracas, Venezuela known as, “Operation Absolute Resolve.” The operation entailed the capturing of Maduro along with his wife, Cilia Flores. The pair now reside in a holding cell in the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) located in Brooklyn, New York facing multiple charges.  

Here’s what you need to know:

• The first occurence of violence took place on Sep 2nd where the U.S. carried out its first attack against the Venezuelans. Under Trump’s order, we employed lethal force to a group of 11 people as according to Trump, they were illegally trafficking drugs as a part of a group known as Tren de Aragua on this vessel. The Vessel would be seen with flames rising, and according to President Trump, with 11 dead on the vessel.  
• On September 15, a second attack occurred. Despite Democratic senators speaking out about how the administration’s attack came without a truly valid reason, and that the U.S. forces were not allowed to simply hunt and kill alleged criminals without trial only 5 days earlier, that is what happened once more. The military would carry out a second strike, against another Vessel, claiming it was shipping fentanyl, but the said fentanyl was never proved to have been there.  
• More strikes against numerous more vessels occurred numbering up to 17 known strikes by November 6th, 2025, all resulting in multiple deaths. On this same day, legislation was brough to the Senate to stop these attacks that are being done without congressional authority. Both parties demanded evidence on why these strikes happened, but this was nowhere to be found still. Despite this, republican senators still voted against this legislation, leaving Trump to continue with these strikes.
• Leading up to the month of January many more suspected boats were attacked, and many killed.
• Then comes January 3rd, 2026, the day it all went down. The U.S. launched a high scale attack against the capitol of Venezuela, Caracas and used this time to kidnap leader Maduro along with his wife.  
• Maduro, now held in the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC), has been accused of running a corrupt government, as well as one that promotes illegal activity, namely drug distribution.  
• According to Reuters, on January 5, both Maduro and his wife pleaded not guilty to charges including four criminal counts: narco-terrorism, cocaine importation conspiracy and possession of machine guns and destructive devices. Maduro said, “I am not guilty. I am a decent man, the constitutional president of my country.”  

This is still a developing story.