2026 United States intervention in Venezuela (1h 1min, jan 3, 2026 y – 3h 29min, jan 3, 2026 y)

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On 3 January 3rd, 2026, the United States launched a military strike in Venezuela and captured incumbent Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. The US operation, codenamed Operation Absolute Resolve, began around 2 a.m. local time, when explosions were observed. The US Armed Forces bombed infrastructure across northern Venezuela to suppress air defenses as an apprehension force attacked Maduro's compound in Caracas. Maduro and Flores were transported to New York City by US forces to face their trial for drug trafficking there. The operation is sometimes considered a military conflict because seven US soldiers were injured. At 2 hours and 28 minutes, it qualifies as one of the shortest wars in history.

The US federal government announced that Maduro and Flores had been indicted on several charges related to narcoterrorism. Maduro and Flores pleaded not guilty to the charges in Manhattan federal court on January 5th, 2026. US president Donald Trump and his administration justified the operation as a law-enforcement action, with military support, that the president has "inherent constitutional authority" to undertake.

Venezuelan vice president Delcy Rodríguez denounced Maduro's "kidnapping". Venezuelan officials said at least 23 Venezuelan security officers were killed during the attack. The Cuban government said that 32 members of the Cuban military and intelligence agencies were killed. Officials in the United Nations (UN), the US, and other countries, as well as international law experts said the raid violated the UN Charter and Venezuela's sovereignty. Other reactions around the world included celebrations by the Venezuelan diaspora and protests against the attack.

The Venezuelan government remained in place, with Rodríguez sworn in as acting president on January 5th, 2026. Multiple political prisoners (including foreigners) detained in Venezuela were released, a gesture which, according to Trump, contributed to avoiding a second wave of attacks. On January 30th, Rodríguez announced an amnesty bill for political prisoners covering the period of 1999 to present, which was approved on February 19th. As of March 8th, the number of political prisoners released confirmed since January 8th was 621 out of an estimate of over 800 held before January, according to human rights organizations. By February, the US and Venezuela had already restarted diplomatic relations, with the Embassy of the United States, Caracas, being reopened for the first time since its closure in 2019.

Trump and his administration made clear that access to Venezuelan oil was a core reason for the action. The US announced a 50-million-barrel oil supply deal with the remaining government in Venezuela, with the first $300 million already received on January 20th. On January 29th, a new law was passed by Rodríguez to give private companies control over the production and sale of oil. In parallel, the US lifted sanctions imposed on Venezuelan oil trade and issued licenses for companies to trade Venezuelan oil. According to US secretary of energy Chris Wright, who visited Venezuela in February, sales of Venezuelan oil have already reached over $1 billion since Maduro's capture and about $5 billion are expected in the upcoming months.

In May 2026, the interim Venezuelan authorities also collaborated in the capture and deportation to United States of Alex Saab, a close ally of Maduro who was previously pardoned by previous US president Joe Biden during a prisoner exchange and in request for democratic presidential elections in Venezuela in 2024.

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