venezuela president what did he do
Nicolás Maduro, the president of Venezuela, has been accused of running an authoritarian, highly repressive government and is now facing narco‑terrorism charges in the United States, which recently captured him in a military operation.
Who the president is
Nicolás Maduro has been Venezuela’s president since 2013, succeeding Hugo Chávez after his death.
His rule has been widely described by international organizations and many governments as authoritarian , with serious concerns about democracy and human rights.
What he did inside Venezuela
Under Maduro, Venezuela has gone through a deep economic and social collapse, including hyperinflation, shortages, and a mass exodus of millions of people.
Reports from the UN, Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, and an OAS expert panel accuse his government of widespread abuses such as extrajudicial killings, arbitrary detentions, torture, and repression of political opponents and protesters.
Criminal accusations and narco‑terrorism charges
Maduro has been indicted in the United States on narco‑terrorism–related charges, including cocaine trafficking conspiracy and links to a network sometimes referred to as the “Cartel de los Soles,” allegedly involving senior Venezuelan military figures.
US prosecutors say he helped facilitate large cocaine shipments and supported armed groups by providing weapons and protection, effectively turning parts of the Venezuelan state into a criminal structure tied to drug trafficking.
Recent US strike and capture
In early January 2026, the US carried out a rapid, large‑scale strike on Venezuela, saying it targeted Maduro and associated “narco‑terrorist” infrastructure.
US officials say Maduro and his wife were captured, taken out of Venezuela, and are to face trial in American courts, while Venezuela has declared a national emergency and condemned the action as an imperialist attack.
Why everyone is talking about it now
The operation has triggered intense global debate: some see it as long‑delayed accountability for an abusive leader, while others view it as a dangerous precedent of one country overthrowing another’s head of state by force.
Online discussions and forums are highlighting multiple angles at once: US motives (including oil and regional power), the suffering of ordinary Venezuelans under Maduro, and fear that the power vacuum could make things even worse.
Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.