1). “US seizes Venezuela's Maduro in 'large scale' attack, Trump says: Live”, Jan 3, 2026, Cybele Mayes-Osterman, Davis Winkie & Francesca Chambers, USA TODAY, at < https://www.msn.com/en-us/
2). “Trump says Venezuela's Maduro captured after strikes”, Jan 3, 2026, 6:11 AM CST, Idrees Ali & Jasper Ward, Reuters, at < https://www.reuters.com/world/
3). “US strikes Venezuela: President Maduro captured by US Delta Force; special unit's role in al-Baghdadi killing”, Updated: Jan 03, 2026, 17:50 IST, TOI World Desk / TIMESOFINDIA.COM, at < https://timesofindia.
4). “World reacts to US strikes on Venezuela”, Jan 3, 2025, 6:30 AM CST, Anon, Reuters, at < https://www.reuters.com/world/
~~ recommended by desmond morista ~~
Introduction by desmond morista: Elements of the U.S. Empire's thug & covert action forces attacked Venezuela's Political and Socioeconomic and military institutions at about 4 AM today. They succeeded in abducting Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife; and Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi announced bombastically that Maduro will be tried in a U.S. kangaroo court on the absurd Narco-Terrorism charges that they have been noisily hyping for the past few weeks and months now.
Item 1). “US seizes Venezuela's Maduro ….”, is a pretty comprehensive work. It contains a 25 image slide show and questions about how the former president of Honduras, convicted of drug trafficking, was pardoned by President Trump just a few weeks ago, giving the lie to the absurd BS about Maduro and the Narco-Terrorism charge that toady Attorney General Pam Bondi will pursue against Maduro and his wife.
In a post on X, US Attorney General Pam Bondi announced that Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, had been charged in the Southern District of New York and that:
“The charges include narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, possession of machine guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices against the United States. 'They (Maduro and Flores) will soon face the full wrath of American justice on American soil in American courts,' she wrote.
'On behalf of the entire US DOJ (Department of Justice), I would like to thank President Trump for having the courage to demand accountability on behalf of the American people, and a huge thank you to our brave military who conducted the incredible and highly successful mission to capture these two alleged international narco traffickers.' ”
Trump announced the action in a 4 am Truth Social post:
Donald J. TrumpItem 2). “Trump says Venezuela's ….”; and Item 3)., “US strikes Venezuela: ….” present a couple of other media outlet's impressions of what has happened. Item 3 is a view from the Global South, from the Times of India. Item 4)., “World reacts to US strikes ….” presents a number of statements from a variety of counties' administrations and even a statement from Lebanon's Hezbollah. There are some good embedded videos in the different articles.
An important point here is to remember that these sorts of spectacular operations, carried out by elite commandos have become a U.S. specialty. Longer term and more difficult operations that require large numbers of U.S. young people as troops appear to be beyond the capability of the current day U.S. ruling class and their political allies.
US seizes Venezuela's Maduro in 'large scale' attack, Trump says: Live
The United States seized Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife in an overnight military operation on Jan. 3, President Donald Trump said, as explosions rocked Caracas and targets across the country.
The U.S. "successfully carried out a large scale strike against Venezuela and its leader, President Nicolas Maduro, who has been, along with his wife, captured and flown out of the Country," Trump said in a post on Truth Social. "This operation was done in conjunction with U.S. Law Enforcement."
Maduro and his wife were being taken to New York to face charges, Trump told Fox News. Maduro is under a federal drug trafficking indictment and "will soon face the full wrath of American justice," Attorney General Pam Bondi said.
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Images and video from Venezuela showed explosions, burning vehicles, plumes of smoke rising over the capital and a swarm of low-flying helicopters.
Venezuela's government declared a state of emergency and denounced what it called "extremely serious military aggression perpetrated by the current Government of the United States of America against Venezuelan territory and population."
Maduro began his third term as president in January 2025 after claiming he won Venezuela's last elections. International observers and several governments, including the U.S., cast doubt on the official results.
The attack came after a United States military buildup in the Caribbean, U.S. strikes on alleged drug boats, the seizure of Venezuelan oil tankers and threats by Trump against Maduro and his government.
Venezuelan exile celebrates Maduro’s capture
Venezuelan American Miriam Hidalgo, 66, woke up at 3 a.m. to a phone call she’s waited decades to receive.
Her brother, calling from Barquisimeto, Venezuela, told her that President Nicolás Maduro had been taken into custody, according to reports circulating in the country amid overnight explosions in the country's capital, Caracas.
“I’ve been waiting for this for so many years,” Hidalgo told The Palm Beach Post near Mar-a-Lago, where she joined other supporters celebrating what they believe is a turning point for Venezuela. “After 30 years living in this country, to see the government doing something so wonderful, it makes me so happy.”
Hidalgo, who grew up in Venezuela and moved to the U.S. in 1995 before Hugo Chávez rose to power, said she left because she sensed the country was heading toward instability.
Hidalgo credited President Donald Trump for what she described as decisive action against Maduro’s government.
“I give him my vote. I always believed in his power to control the government,” she said. “This is the right way.”
She urged Americans who oppose U.S. involvement abroad to reconsider. “Without this help, there will be no change,” she said. “Without help, Venezuela will never be free. Just like Cuba.”
−Hannah Phillips
Maduro charged with narco-terrorism, cocaine conspiracy
Maduro's federal indictment charges him with narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, and two illegal weapons counts.
The indictment also sought the seizure of any belongings that resulted from the alleged criminal conspiracy.
Maduro “sits atop a corrupt, illegitimate government that, for decades, has leveraged government power to protect and promote illegal activity, including drug trafficking,” the indictment said.
Other defendants include Diosdado Cabello Rondon, Venezuela's minister of interior, justice and peace; Ramon Rodriguez Chacin, the former minister of interior and justice; first lady Cilia Adela Flores de Maduro; the president’s son, Nicolas Ernesto Maduro Guerra, a member of the country’s national assembly; and the alleged leader of the crime gang Tren de Aragua, Hector Rusthenford Guerrero Flores.
−Bart Jansen
Vance: Maduro capture legitimate because of indictments
Vice President JD Vance argued that Maduro’s capture was legitimate because he faces multiple indictments in the United States for narcoterrorism.
“You don't get to avoid justice for drug trafficking in the United States because you live in a palace in Caracas,” Vance said on social media.
Vance said Trump had offered Maduro several options to avoid a military attack but that U.S. demands were clear that “drug trafficking must stop, and the stolen oil must be returned to the United States.”
“Maduro is the newest person to find out that President Trump means what he says,” Vance said.
−Bart Jansen
Trump: Maduro and wife held on ship, will face charges in NYC
The Venezuelan leader and his wife were being held on the USS Iwo Jima, an amphibious assault ship, in the Caribbean, Trump told Fox news.
"They're on a ship, but they'll be heading into New York. The helicopters took them out," Trump said. "A nice flight, I'm sure they loved it. They've killed a lot of people."
"Even people in their own country, they killed a lot of people to maintain power," Trump added. "He's a very vicious person."
−Francesca Chambers
US forces mostly unharmed, Trump says
President Trump told Fox news in a phone interview that, as far as he knows, no U.S. forces were killed and no American aircraft were lost during the overnight strike on Venezuela.
“I think we had nobody killed,” Trump said. “A couple of guys were hit, but they came back, and they’re supposed to be in pretty good shape.”
One U.S. helicopter was hit hard, Trump added, but the U.S. was able to recover it.
−Francesca Chambers
Democrats rip Trump over Venezuela
Democratic lawmakers accused the Trump administration of conducting an illegal war with Venezuela and misleading Congress about the purpose of its strikes on alleged drug boats in the Caribbean after the U.S. bombed the country and captured its leader overnight.
Sen. Ruben Gallego, an Iraq war veteran who represents Arizona, called the strike the “second unjustified war in my life time” in a social media post.
“This war is illegal, it’s embarrassing that we went from the world cop to the world bully in less than one year,” Gallego said."
Hawaii Sen. Brian Schatz said the U.S. has “no vital national interests in Venezuela to justify war” and the nation should “have learned not to stumble into another stupid adventure by now.”
Sen. Andy Kim of New Jersey, said on X that Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told senators during a December briefing that the seizure of Venezuelan oil tankers and strikes on alleged drug boats were not about regime change.
“I didn’t trust them then and we see now that they blatantly lied to Congress. Trump rejected our Constitutionally required approval process for armed conflict because the Administration knows the American people overwhelmingly reject risks pulling our nation into another war,” Kim said.
−Francesca Chambers
Maduro grab comes after Trump pardoned drug trafficking former Honduran leader
The U.S. capture of Maduro comes just weeks after President Trump gave a full pardon to former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández, who was convicted and serving a 45-year sentence in federal prison for cocaine distribution.
Trump announced he planned to pardon Hernández on Nov. 28, 2025, and White House officials confirmed the pardon by Dec. 2.
Hernández was convicted in March 2024 of conspiring with drug kingpins to bring more than 400 tons of cocaine into the United States in what then-Attorney General Merrick Garland called “one of the largest and most violent drug-trafficking conspiracies in the world.”
In a social media post, Trump said the former Honduran president had been “treated very harshly and unfairly.”
−Jeanine Santucci
Russia blasts US attack, Argentina's president celebrates
Russia's foreign ministry said the U.S. strikes on Venezueala were "deeply concerning and condemnable."
"The pretexts used to justify such actions are unfounded," the ministry said in a statement. "Ideological animosity has prevailed over business pragmatism and the willingness to build relationships based on trust and predictability."
"In the current situation, it is important, first and foremost, to prevent further escalation and to focus on finding a way out of the situation through dialogue."
Russia has been an ally of Venezuela's even as the U.S. turned against its socialist government. Maduro and Russian President Vladimir Putin last met in Moscow in May.
Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula Da Silva said the "bombings on Venezuelan territory and the capture of its president cross an unacceptable line," one of many condemnations from Latin American leaders, while Argentinian President Javier Milei, a Trump ally, posted in all caps: "FREEDOM MOVES FORWARD. LONG LIVE FREEDOM DAMMIT."
Why did the US capture Maduro?
Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, will face trial on U.S. soil on charges of "Narco-Terrorism Conspiracy, Cocaine Importation Conspiracy, Possession of Machineguns and Destructive Devices, and Conspiracy to Possess Machineguns and Destructive Devices against the United States," Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a post to X.
"They will soon face the full wrath of American justice on American soil in American courts," Bondi wrote.
Bondi's post appeared to reference charges Maduro and his top officials have already faced since 2020, when they were indicted by the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York. Flores was not charged in those indictments.
−Cybele Mayes-Osterman
Maduro capture echoes arrest of Noriega in Panama three decades ago
Exactly 36 years before the U.S. captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in an early morning military operation in Venezuela, U.S. forces took seized Panamanian General Manuel Noriega on Jan. 3, 1990.
The arrest of Noriega shares more similarities with the Trump administration's alleged capture of Maduro than just a date on the calendar. Noriega was first a CIA asset before he rose to power as Panama's military strongman leader. The U.S. indicted him on drug trafficking charges, and in late 1989, then-President George H.W. Bush dispatched tens of thousands of troops to Panama to capture Noriega and bring him to face trial in the U.S.
The Trump administration's effort to oust Maduro also centered on his alleged ties to drug trafficking, for which he was charged by a U.S. court in 2020. Experts have said that, while Maduro's regime profits from drug trafficking, he does not lead a vast drug smuggling network like the role Noriega played.
−Cybele Mayes-Osterman
Shocked Venezuelans hunker down
Venezuelan security forces patrolled largely empty streets at dawn in the capital, Caracas, hours after loud explosions woke residents to the news that U.S. commandos had bombed the country and captured President Maduro.
Streets close to the Miraflores presidential palace were deserted except for checkpoints manned by uniformed gunmen, as residents were left guessing who was now in charge of the oil-rich nation.
Smoke streaked the sky, with a dark plume still billowing from the direction of the Port of La Guaira to the north, while another was visible near an air base in the capital.
For supporters of the opposition, led by Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Corina Machado, excitement was also in the air.
"My sister, who is in the United States, woke me up with the news; she was crying. We cried together out of happiness," said Jairo Chacin, 39, a mechanic and workshop owner in oil hub Maracaibo, as he waited in a long line to stock up on groceries.
−Reuters
Senate Intel chairman confirms Maduro will face charges
Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Tom Cotton said Saturday morning that he’d spoken to Marco Rubio and the Trump official confirmed that Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro is in U.S. custody and will face criminal charges.
“Nicolas Maduro wasn’t just an illegitimate dictator; he also ran a vast drug-trafficking operation. That’s why he was indicted in U.S. court nearly six years ago for drug trafficking and narco-terrorism,” Cotton said in a post on X.
The Arkansas Republican said, “The interim government in Venezuela must now decide whether to continue the drug trafficking and colluding with adversaries like Iran and Cuba or whether to act like a normal nation and return to the civilized world. I urge them to choose wisely.”
It was not immediately clear if the Trump administration notified Cotton, one of the top congressional leaders on intelligence matters, before the strike took place.
–Francesca Chambers
Venezuela calls for urgent United Nations meeting
Venezuela called for an urgent United Nations Security Council meeting after President Trump announced the U.S. had captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in an early morning military operation on Jan. 3.
In a letter dated that day, Venezuela's representative to the U.N. denounced the U.S. "armed aggression" and its "grave implications" for peace and security. The letter was addressed to Abukar Dahir Osman, Somalia's U.N. ambassador, who took over the rotating presidency of the Security Council on Jan. 1, and was posted to X by Yvan Gil, Venezuela's foreign minister.
U.S. military forces had carried out "brutal, unjustified and unilateral" attacks in Caracas, Venezuela's capital, and other cities in the country, the letter said.
The statement called on governments of Latin America to mobilize in solidarity with Venezuela in response to what the letter called an attack on regional independence.
−Cybele Mayes-Osterman
Maduro will 'stand trial' in U.S., senator says
Republican Sen. Mike Lee said in a post on X that Secretary of State Marco Rubio told him Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro will "stand trial on criminal charges in the United States."
"Just got off the phone" with Rubio, Lee wrote on Jan. 3.
"He informed me that Nicolás Maduro has been arrested by U.S. personnel to stand trial on criminal charges in the United States, and that the kinetic action we saw tonight was deployed to protect and defend those executing the arrest warrant."
In a second post, Lee said Rubio "anticipates no further action in Venezuela now that Maduro is in U.S. custody."
−Cybele Mayes-Osterman
Venezuela's vice president demands 'proof of life' for Maduro
Delcy Rodriguez, Venezuela's vice president, said the Venezuelan government does not know the whereabouts of President Nicolás Maduro or his wife, Cilia Flores, after President Trump announced that the U.S. had captured Maduro and flown him out of the country.
"We demand immediate proof of life of President Nicolás Maduro and the first lady Cilia Flores," Rodriguez said on Venezuelan state TV.
"Proof of life" is a term associated with kidnappings, in which captors provide confirmation that the victim they are ransoming is still alive.
−Cybele Mayes-Osterman
Delta Force troops captured Maduro: report
Members of the Army's secretive Delta Force led the raid to capture Maduro and his wife, according to CBS News.
Delta Force, considered the Army's equivalent to the Navy's SEAL Team 6, is trained in counterterrorism and raids against important targets. The unit carried out the 2019 raid that killed Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the head of ISIS.
Videos from Caracas circulating on social media showed several helicopters flying over the city and firing at targets. The Army's 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment routinely supports Delta Force and other U.S. special operations forces on high-stakes missions.
–Davis Winkie
Opposition says multiple military targets hit
David Smolansky, a spokesperson for Maria Corina Machado, the leader of the Venezuelan opposition, told USA TODAY that strikes carried out by the U.S. targeted several critical infrastructure and military facilities.
Those include Fuerte Tiuna, the main military base in Caracas, La Carlota, a military airbase, a site for signal antennae and communications infrastructure on a peak overlooking Caracas called El Volcán, and a port on the Caribbean coast called La Guaira.
−Cybele Mayes-Osteman
Trump has for years pushed to oust Maduro
President Trump has had his sights set on toppling Nicolas Maduro, Venezuela's strongman leader, since his first term in the White House.
In 2019, the Trump administration threw its weight behind Juan Guaido, an opposition politician who attempted to unseat Maduro in a failed coup. Maduro and some high-level Venezuelan officials were indicted the next year in a U.S. court on drug trafficking and corruption charges.
A former bus driver, Maduro rose through the ranks of Hugo Chavez' socialist party and took over as his handpicked successor after an election held after Chavez' death in 2013.
Maduro has been widely accused by election monitoring organizations and the Venezuelan opposition of rigging the next two elections to stay in power.
−Cybele Mayes-Osterman
US citizens in Venezuela should 'shelter in place,' leave: embassy
The State Department acknowledged "reports of explosions in and around Caracas, Venezuela," in a post to the U.S. Embassy Venezuela website.
"U.S. citizens in Venezuela should shelter in place and depart immediately when it is safe to do so," said the post by the U.S. Embassy Colombia. (The American embassy in Caracas closed in 2019.)
The alert reiterated earlier travel guidance from Dec. 3 warning "all U.S. citizens in Venezuela ... to depart immediately."
–Davis Winkie
Venezuela defense minister condemns 'criminal military aggression'
Gen. Vladimir Padrino López, Venezuela's defense minister, called the U.S. operation "the most criminal military aggression" in a statement shared by state media outlet teleSUR TV.
Padrino López, who has held his position for more than a decade, is under U.S. sanctions and was indicted on U.S. drug trafficking charges in 2019.
–Davis Winkie
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Trump says Venezuela's Maduro captured after strikes
- Trump says US successfully hit Venezuela, took away Maduro
- Most direct US action in region since 1989 Panama invasion
- Explosions rock capital Caracas and other locations
- Maduro government defiant, accuses US of oil grab
- Venezuelan leader may face drug trial in US
WASHINGTON, Jan 3 (Reuters) - The U.S. attacked Venezuela and deposed its long-serving autocratic President Nicolas Maduro on Saturday, President Donald Trump said, in Washington's most direct intervention in Latin America since the 1989 invasion of Panama.
"The United States of America has successfully carried out a large scale strike against Venezuela and its leader, President Nicolas Maduro, who has been, along with his wife, captured and flown out of the country," Trump said in a Truth Social post.
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Ahead of the overnight strikes, the U.S. had accused Maduro of running a "narco-state" and rigging the 2024 election.
The Venezuelan leader, a 63-year-old former bus driver handpicked by the dying Hugo Chavez to succeed him in 2013, has denied those claims and said Washington was intent on taking control of his nation's oil reserves, the largest in the world.
Speaking to Fox News, Trump said Maduro was captured by special operations forces and whisked by helicopters to the Iwo Jima, an amphibious assault ship in the Caribbean, ahead of his transfer to New York.
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The fate of Maduro's government remains an open question.
Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez is in Russia, four sources familiar with her movements said, stoking confusion about who is next in line to govern the South American country. Russia's foreign ministry said the report that Rodriguez is in Russia was "fake".
Details of the overnight intervention have not yet been made public. Trump told Fox the raid had been planned for several days earlier but had been repeatedly delayed because of weather.
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The U.S. has not made such a direct intervention in its backyard region since the invasion of Panama 37 years ago to depose military leader Manuel Noriega over similar allegations.
Venezuela's ruling "Chavismo" movement, named for Maduro's revered predecessor, said civilians and military personnel died in Saturday's strikes but did not give figures.
It was unclear if the U.S. would now stand back while other senior figures in Venezuela's ruling party - like vice president Delcy Rodriguez - fill the void or if there would be pressure for their ouster as well. The opposition, headed by recent Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Corina Machado, had no immediate comment but has said for 18 months that it won the 2024 election and has a democratic right to take power.
MADURO MAY FACE CRIMINAL CHARGES IN U.S.
Trump said the operation was carried out "in conjunction with U.S. Law Enforcement," promising more details at an 11 a.m. (1600 GMT) press conference at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida.
Maduro was captured by a team that included elite U.S. special forces, including the U.S. Army’s Delta Force, a U.S. official told Reuters. Republican U.S. Senator Mike Lee said Secretary of State Marco Rubio had told him Maduro would stand trial on criminal charges in the U.S. and that no further action was anticipated inside Venezuela.
Maduro was indicted in U.S. federal court in 2020 on narco-terrorism and other charges for running what prosecutors called a scheme to send tonnes of cocaine to the U.S. through an alleged "Cartel de Los Soles". He has always denied that.
"They will soon face the full wrath of American justice on American soil in American courts," Attorney General Pam Bondi said on X about Maduro and his wife.
In the Panama case, Noriega ended up in prison for 20 years.
Vice-president Rodriguez said she did not know the whereabouts of Maduro or his wife and demanded proof of life.
Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino condemned the intervention. "In the unity of the people we will find the strength to resist and to triumph," he said in a video message.
Another senior official, Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello, appeared on a street wearing a helmet and flak jacket, urging people not to cooperate with the "terrorist enemy."
With Rodriguez potentially taking the presidency but Padrino and Cabello having significant influence over the military, Venezuelans were nervously guessing what might come next. Analysts say military backing had helped keep Maduro in power so long despite his unpopularity on the streets and significant evidence that he lost national votes.
VENEZUELAN OPPOSITION LEADER MACHADO'S WHEREABOUTS UNKNOWN
Item 1 of 7 Smoke rises near Fort Tiuna during a full blackout, following explosions and loud noises, after U.S. President Donald Trump said the U.S. has struck Venezuela and captured its President Nicolas Maduro, in Caracas, Venezuela, January 3, 2026. REUTERS/Leonardo Fernandez Viloria
[1/7]Smoke rises near Fort Tiuna during a full blackout, following explosions and loud noises, after U.S. President Donald Trump said the U.S. has struck Venezuela and captured its President Nicolas Maduro, in Caracas, Venezuela, January 3, 2026. REUTERS/Leonardo Fernandez Viloria Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab
Venezuela's opposition says Maduro has repeatedly cheated it of power in votes, as well as crushing street protests and jailing opposition figures.
Maduro has mocked Machado as being in Trump's pocket.
Her whereabouts, after recently fleeing Venezuela in disguise to pick up her Nobel prize, were unknown.
One source close to the opposition, who asked not to be named, said Maduro's removal was an "inside job" aided by Venezuela's military. "For now no more military action, but this was a message to the rest of the members of Venezuela's government - look what the United States is capable of, get out now and negotiate," the source said, without offering evidence.
At around 2 a.m. (0600 GMT) on Saturday, explosions rocked Caracas with blasts, aircraft and black smoke seen for about 90 minutes. The Venezuelan government said attacks also took place in the states of Miranda, Aragua and La Guaira.
Residents expressed shock and fear as they captured video of billowing smoke and bright orange flashes in the sky. “My love, oh no, look at that,” said one woman in a video, gasping at blasts in the distance.
Carmen Marquez, 50, a resident of the eastern part of the capital, said she went to her roof and could hear planes at different altitudes, though she could not see them.
"Flare-like lights were crossing the sky and then explosions could be heard. We’re worried about what’s coming next. We don’t know anything from the government, only what the state television says," she said.
A local media outlet allied with the ruling Socialist Party said explosions had taken place near the Fuerte Tiuna and La Carlota military bases. State TV images of La Carlota showed what appeared to be a destroyed tank and buses.
While various Latin American governments oppose Maduro and say he stole the 2024 vote, direct U.S. action revives painful memories of past interventions and is generally strongly opposed by governments and populations in the region.
Trump's action recalls the Monroe Doctrine, laid out in 1823 by President James Monroe, laying U.S. claim to influence in the region, as well as the "gunboat diplomacy" seen under Theodore Roosevelt in the early 1900s.
'NEW DAWN, THE TYRANT IS GONE,' US OFFICIAL SAYS
"A new dawn for Venezuela! The tyrant is gone," U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau wrote on X.
The streets of Venezuela appeared relatively calm as sun rose. Soldiers patrolled some parts and some small pro-Maduro crowds began gathering in Caracas.
Others, however, expressed relief.
"I'm happy, I doubted for a moment that it was happening because it's like a movie," said merchant Carolina Pimentel, 37, in the city of Maracay. "It's all calm now but I feel like at any moment everyone will be out celebrating."
Venezuelan allies Russia, Cuba and Iran were quick to condemn the strikes as a violation of sovereignty. Tehran urged the U.N. Security Council to stop the "unlawful aggression."
Among major Latin American nations, Argentina's President Javier Milei lauded Venezuela's new "freedom" while Mexico condemned the intervention and Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said it crossed "an unacceptable line."
In the run-up, Trump had sought a "blockade" of Venezuelan oil, expanded sanctions against the Maduro government and staged more than two dozen strikes on vessels the U.S. alleges were involved in trafficking drugs, killing more than 110 people.
It was unclear under what legal authority the latest U.S. strikes were carried out.
Trump’s move risks a backlash from the U.S. Congress, which has the constitutional right to declare war, and from his own political base, which favors an “America first” policy and largely opposes military intervention abroad.
Venezuelan state-run energy company PDVSA's oil production and refining were normal and its most important facilities had suffered no damage according to an initial assessment, two sources with knowledge of the company's operations said.
MST Marquee analyst Saul Kavonic said oil prices were likely to jump on the near-term risk to supply but that the U.S. strike could be bearish in the medium term if a new Venezuelan government results in sanctions being lifted and renewed foreign investment.
Reporting by Reuters bureaux worldwide; Writing by Andrew Cawthorne; Editing by William Mallard, William Maclean
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab
National security correspondent focusing on the Pentagon in Washington D.C. Reports on U.S. military activity and operations throughout the world and the impact that they have. Has reported from over two dozen countries to include Iraq, Afghanistan, and much of the Middle East, Asia and Europe. From Karachi, Pakistan.
Jasper Ward is a breaking news reporter in Washington. She primarily covers national affairs and U.S. politics. Jasper was previously based in The Bahamas where she covered the collapse of FTX and the subsequent arrest of its founder Sam Bankman-Fried. She was a part of the Reuters team that won the Gerald Loeb Award for breaking news for its FTX coverage.
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NB note - the following article would not copy to Blogger. Apologies!
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I also failed to condense the following article within the margins. I suggest you click on the link to read it. Sorry guys!
World reacts to US strikes on Venezuela
By Reuters [1/3]People holding Venezuelan flags react to the news after U.S. President Donald Trump said the U.S. has struck Venezuela and captured its President Nicolas Maduro, in Doral, Miami, Florida, U.S., January 3, 2026. REUTERS/Marco Bello Purchase Licensing RightsJan 3 (Reuters) - Following are reactions to Saturday's U.S. strikes on Venezuela.
CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY
"China is deeply shocked and strongly condemns the use of force by the U.S. against a sovereign country and the use of force against the president of a country," a ministry statement said.
"China firmly opposes such hegemonic behaviour by the U.S., which seriously violates international law, violates Venezuela's sovereignty, and threatens peace and security in Latin America and the Caribbean. We urge the U.S. to abide by international law and the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and stop violating the sovereignty and security of other countries."
FRENCH FOREIGN MINISTER
"The military operation that led to the capture of Nicolas Maduro violates the principle of not resorting to force, that underpins international law. France reiterates that no lasting political solution can be imposed from the outside and that only sovereign people themselves can decide their future," Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot wrote on X.
SOUTH AFRICAN DEPARTMENT OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
"South Africa calls on the UN Security Council, the body mandated to maintain international peace and security, to urgently convene to address this situation," a statement by the South African department of international relations said."South Africa views these actions as a manifest violation of the Charter of the United Nations, which mandates that all Member States refrain from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state," it added.
RUSSIA FOREIGN MINISTRY
"This morning, the United States committed an act of armed aggression against Venezuela. This is deeply concerning and condemnable.""The pretexts used to justify such actions are unfounded. Ideological animosity has prevailed over business pragmatism and the willingness to build relationships based on trust and predictability.""In the current situation, it is important, first and foremost, to prevent further escalation and to focus on finding a way out of the situation through dialogue.""Latin America must remain a zone of peace, as it declared itself to be in 2014. And Venezuela must be guaranteed the right to determine its own destiny without any destructive, let alone military, interference from outside.""We support the statement by the Venezuelan authorities and the leaders of Latin American countries calling for an immediate meeting of the UN Security Council."
ARGENTINE PRESIDENT JAVIER MILEI, IN MEDIA INTERVIEW
"What we have to understand is that it's the collapse of the regime of a dictator that was rigging elections, that in the last election was badly defeated and, despite that, he clinged on to power.""That's why I'd say that today's new is excellent news for the free world.""(Edmundo González Urrutia) should assume power. He won the elections, he has a term to fulfil. The president elect is Gonzales Urrutia."
MEXICAN MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
"The Mexican government strongly condemns and rejects the military actions carried out unilaterally in recent hours by the armed forces of the United States of America against targets in the territory of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, in clear violation of Article 2 of the Charter of the United Nations.""Mexico emphatically reiterates that dialogue and negotiation are the only legitimate and effective means of resolving existing differences, and therefore reaffirms its willingness to support any efforts to facilitate dialogue, mediation, or accompaniment that contribute to preserving regional peace and avoiding confrontation."
PARAGUAY GOVERNMENT
"Paraguay is closely monitoring current developments in Venezuela and calls for prioritizing democratic means that guarantee an orderly transition.""Our country had warned in a timely manner about the unsustainable drift of Venezuela under the command of Nicolas Maduro, leader of the Cartel de los Soles. In this regard, as it is a criminal structure formally declared a terrorist organization by the national authorities, its persistence in power represented a threat to the region."
BOLIVIA'S FOREIGN AFFAIRS MINISTRY
"Bolivia reiterates its commitment to peace, democracy, and coordination with the international community for humanitarian assistance, the protection of the civilian population, and support for a credible and definitive process of institutional reconstruction".
PANAMA'S PRESIDENT JOSE RAUL MULINO ON X
"In light of the events that took place early this morning in Venezuela, my government reiterates our position in favor of democratic trials and in favor of accepting the legitimate wishes of the Venezuelan people, as expressed emphatically at the polls, where Edmundo González was elected."
PERU'S FOREIGN MINISTRY
"The Government of Peru calls for a prompt solution to the political situation in Venezuela, in favor of a transition with full respect for international law and human rights, as well as attention to the legitimate and genuine aspirations of the Venezuelan people to live in democracy with the support of the regional community."The illegitimate government of Nicolás Maduro violated the human rights of the Venezuelan people and subjected them to torture and arbitrary and illegal detentions, destroying the rule of law and causing an unprecedented migration crisis in the region."
BRITISH PRIME MINISTER KEIR STARMER
"I want to establish the facts first. I want to speak to President Trump. I want to speak to allies. I can be absolutely clear that we were not involved ... and I always say and believe we should all uphold international law," Starmer said in a statement to British broadcasters.
BRAZIL'S PRESIDENT LUIZ INACIO LULA DA SILVA ON X
"The bombings on Venezuelan territory and the capture of its president cross an unacceptable line. These acts represent a grave affront to Venezuela's sovereignty and yet another extremely dangerous precedent for the entire international community.""Attacking countries in flagrant violation of international law is the first step toward a world of violence, chaos, and instability, where the law of the strongest prevails over multilateralism."
UKRAINE'S FOREIGN MINISTER ANDRII SYBIHA
"Ukraine has consistently defended the right of nations to live freely, free of dictatorship, oppression, and human rights violations. The Maduro regime has violated all such principles in every respect.""We stand for further developments in accordance with the principles of international law, prioritising democracy, human rights, and the interests of Venezuelans."
BELARUS PRESIDENT ALEXANDER LUKASHENKO
"The President of Belarus CATEGORICALLY CONDEMNS the act of American aggression against Venezuela. Alexander Lukashenko spoke about the consequences just recently in an interview with American journalists. In particular, he said that "it will be a second Vietnam. And the Americans don't need it," Belta news agency cited Natalia Eismont, spokesperson for Lukashenko, as saying.
ECUADOR PRESIDENT GABRIEL NOBOA
"The time is coming for all the narco-Chavista criminals. Their structure will finally collapse across the entire continent," he wrote on X."To Corina Machado, Edmundo Gonzalez, and the Venezuelan people: it is time to reclaim your country. You have an ally in Ecuador."
URUGUAY FOREIGN MINISTRY
"The Government of the Eastern Republic of Uruguay is following with close attention and serious concern the events that have been reported from Venezuela in recent hours, including U.S. air strikes against Venezuelan military installations and civilian infrastructure.""Uruguay rejects, as it always has, military intervention by one country in the territory of another and reaffirms the importance of respecting international law and the UN Charter, in particular the basic principle that States must refrain from resorting to the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any State, or in any other manner inconsistent with the Purposes of the United Nations."
EUROPEAN COMMISSION PRESIDENT URSULA VON DER LEYEN
"Following very closely the situation in Venezuela. We stand by the people of Venezuela and support a peaceful and democratic transition. Any solution must respect international law and the UN Charter."
CHILE'S PRESIDENT GABRIEL BORIC ON X
"As the Government of Chile, we express our concern and condemnation of the military actions of the United States in Venezuela and call for a peaceful solution to the serious crisis affecting the country.""Chile reaffirms its commitment to the basic principles of international law, such as the prohibition of the use of force, non-intervention, the peaceful settlement of international disputes, and the territorial integrity of States."
COLOMBIA'S PRESIDENT GUSTAVO PETRO ON X
"The Government of the Republic of Colombia views with deep concern the reports of explosions and unusual air activity in recent hours in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, as well as the resulting escalation of tension in the region."Colombia reaffirms its unconditional commitment to the principles enshrined in the UN Charter, in particular respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of States, the prohibition of the use or threat of use of force, and the peaceful settlement of international disputes. In this regard, the Colombian Government rejects any unilateral military action that could aggravate the situation or put the civilian population at risk.
IRAN'S SUPREME LEADER AYATOLLAH ALI KHAMENEI
"What matters is that when a person realizes the enemy is arrogantly trying to impose something on the country, on the officials, on the government, and on the nation, one must stand firmly against the enemy and bare one’s chest in resistance. We will not yield to the enemy.""Relying on Almighty God, trusting in God, and with confidence in the support of the people, God willing and by divine grace, we will bring the enemy to its knees."
SPANISH FOREIGN MINISTRY
"Spain calls for de-escalation and moderation, and for action to always be taken in accordance with international law and the principles of the UN Charter.""In this regard, Spain is willing to offer its good offices to achieve a peaceful and negotiated solution to the current crisis."
TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO PRIME MINISTER KAMLA PERSAD-BISSESSAR
"Earlier this morning, Saturday 3rd January 2026, the United States commenced military operations within the territory of Venezuela."Trinidad and Tobago is NOT a participant in any of these ongoing military operations. Trinidad and Tobago continues to maintain peaceful relations with the people of Venezuela."
BRITAIN'S REFORM UK PARTY LEADER NIGEL FARAGE
"The American actions in Venezuela overnight are unorthodox and contrary to international law - but if they make China and Russia think twice, it may be a good thing.""I hope the Venezuelan people can now turn a new leaf without Maduro."
OFFICE OF ITALIAN PRIME MINISTER GIORGIA MELONI
"In line with Italy's long-standing position, the Government believes that external military action is not the way to end totalitarian regimes, but at the same time considers defensive intervention against hybrid attacks to its security to be legitimate, as in the case of state entities that fuel and promote drug trafficking."
UK CHATHAM HOUSE THINK TANK'S PROGRAMME DIRECTOR FOR INTERNATIONAL LAW, MARC WELLER
"International law prohibits the use of force as a means of national policy. Short of a U.N. Chapter VII mandate, force is only available in response to an armed attack or possibly to rescue a population under imminent threat of extermination.""Clearly, none of these requirements are fulfilled by the armed operation against Venezuela. The U.S. interest in repressing the drugs trade or claims that the Maduro government was in essence a criminal enterprise offers no legal justification."Reporting by Reuter
Reporting by Reuter
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