U.S. military forces have detained Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Adela Flores, following a large-scale operation in the capital Caracas, sparking sharp condemnation from Venezuela’s allies and widespread international reaction.
According to reports, American forces carried out coordinated strikes at multiple locations across Caracas before apprehending Maduro and Flores and removing them from the country. U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed the operation, stating that U.S. troops had captured the Venezuelan leader and forced him into exile.
The Venezuelan government denounced the operation as an “extremely serious military aggression” by Washington and immediately declared a nationwide state of emergency. Several senior Venezuelan leaders and close allies of Maduro condemned the U.S. action, warning of grave regional and global consequences.
International reactions
Iran:
Iran, a close ally of oil-rich Venezuela, strongly condemned what it described as a U.S. military attack, calling it a blatant violation of Venezuela’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Colombia:
Colombian President Gustavo Petro described the operation as an assault on Latin American sovereignty and warned it could trigger a humanitarian crisis. He urged the immediate convening of an emergency session of the United Nations Security Council.
Cuba:
Venezuela’s longstanding ally Cuba labeled the action “state terrorism against the brave Venezuelan people” and called on the international community to respond decisively.
Russia:
Russia condemned the U.S. move as “armed aggression” against Venezuela, saying there was no legitimate justification and accusing Washington of allowing ideological hostility to override diplomacy.
Spain:
Spain called for de-escalation and offered to mediate in pursuit of a democratic, dialogue-based and peaceful resolution to the crisis.
Germany:
Germany said it was closely monitoring developments and maintaining coordination with international partners.
Italy:
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s office stated that Rome was closely following the situation and gathering information on the safety of Italian nationals in Caracas.
Belgium:
Belgium’s foreign minister said the country was coordinating with European partners to closely monitor the rapidly evolving situation in Venezuela.
Trinidad and Tobago:
Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar said that on Saturday morning, January 3, 2026, the United States launched a military operation inside Venezuela, stressing that Trinidad and Tobago was not involved in any aspect of the action and continues to maintain peaceful relations with the Venezuelan people.
Indonesia:
Indonesian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Yvone Muwengang said Jakarta was closely observing developments and urged all parties to prioritize de-escalation, dialogue and the protection of civilians.
Domestic U.S. criticism
In the United States, several Democratic senators criticized the operation. Senator Brian Schatz said there was no national interest that justified going to war in Venezuela. Senator Ruben Gallego described the action as illegal, writing that in less than a year the United States had shifted from being the “world’s police” to the “world’s bully.”
Former Bolivian president Evo Morales, another close ally of Maduro, also strongly rejected what he described as U.S. “bombing” of Venezuela.
Reports of airstrikes
Multiple media outlets reported airstrikes near Fort Tiuna, a major military complex in southern Caracas. Videos circulating on social media purport to show the moment of the attacks in the area. Preliminary reports also claimed that U.S. CH-47 Chinook helicopters were seen flying over Caracas during strikes targeting the Generalísimo Francisco de Miranda Air Base. Wide-angle footage shared online allegedly shows U.S. airstrikes hitting several targets across the city.
The situation remains fluid, with fears mounting of further escalation and regional instability following the dramatic detention of Venezuela’s president.
Sources: Anadolu Agency, Al Jazeera.