The United States has just carried out large-scale military strikes in Venezuela, captured President Nicolás Maduro, and Trump has said the U.S. will effectively “run” the country for now, which marks a huge break from years of sanctions and pressure into open intervention.

Quick Scoop

  • In the early hours of January 3, 2026, U.S. forces launched a large-scale assault on Venezuela, hitting targets in and around Caracas.
  • The U.S. announced that Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro was captured and removed from the country during the operation.
  • Donald Trump publicly declared that the U.S. would “run” Venezuela on an interim basis after Maduro’s removal, framing it as part of a campaign against drugs and corruption.

How It Got This Far

  • Tensions had been rising through 2025, as Trump’s second term brought tougher sanctions, a naval buildup in the Caribbean, and a “total blockade” on Venezuelan oil tankers.
  • The U.S. increasingly treated Maduro’s government as a hostile actor linked to drug trafficking, designating entities tied to Caracas as terrorist or cartel organizations.
  • American forces had already been striking alleged drug-smuggling boats in the region for months, killing scores of people and signaling a more aggressive posture.

What Exactly Happened “Between Us and Venezuela”?

  • The shift is from hostile diplomacy and economic strangling (sanctions, blockades, covert operations) to direct military intervention and regime-change style action.
  • U.S. strikes hit military facilities and other sites in Caracas; Venezuelan officials accuse Washington of “imperialist” aggression and say civilians were also harmed.
  • After Maduro’s capture, Washington is talking about managing Venezuela temporarily, which many abroad see as crossing a line on sovereignty.

How The World Is Reacting

  • Many Latin American leaders, including in Brazil and Colombia, have sharply criticized the operation, warning it sets a dangerous precedent and could destabilize the region.
  • U.S. allies and rivals alike are voicing concern about legality, fears of escalation, refugee flows, and the risk that Venezuela could become a long-term occupation or proxy battleground.
  • Some opposition figures outside Venezuela are cautiously welcoming Maduro’s removal but remain anxious about whether Venezuelans themselves will have genuine control over what comes next.

What To Watch Next

  • Whether the U.S. installs an interim Venezuelan authority seen as legitimate at home, or one viewed as a foreign-controlled government.
  • The scale of humanitarian fallout: possible refugee surges into neighboring countries already hosting millions of Venezuelan migrants.
  • International pushback at the UN and in regional bodies, which could limit how long and how openly the U.S. maintains direct control.

TL;DR: years of sanctions, military buildup, and anti-Maduro pressure have exploded into outright U.S. strikes, Maduro’s capture, and talk of Washington “running” Venezuela for now, triggering global alarm and uncertain consequences.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.