Nicolás Maduro has been captured by U.S. forces and removed from Venezuela after a large‑scale strike ordered by President Donald Trump, so his immediate political future is now in the hands of U.S. authorities and whatever international process follows. What will happen to him next is uncertain, but most discussion centers on prosecution on drug‑trafficking and corruption charges, and on how his fate will shape Venezuela’s transition and regional stability.

Quick Scoop

  • Maduro is no longer in power.
    U.S. officials say a major strike hit Venezuela on January 3, 2026, during which Maduro and his wife were captured and flown out of the country, ending his 12‑year rule. Control inside Venezuela is still fluid, with questions over who is governing and how institutions will function in the short term.
  • He faces serious criminal exposure.
    U.S. indictments describe Maduro as head of a “corrupt, illegitimate regime” involved in large‑scale cocaine trafficking and other crimes, and new charges were unveiled alongside his capture. This makes a full criminal trial in a U.S. court, rather than a quick negotiated exit, the most frequently mentioned scenario in expert and media discussion.
  • Washington signals a long game.
    Senior U.S. officials are portraying the operation as the end of a tyrannical era and “a new dawn for Venezuela,” suggesting they intend to use Maduro’s detention to reshape Venezuelan politics rather than quickly releasing or exiling him. Trump has even said the U.S. is “going to run the country” for now, which implies Maduro’s personal future is tied to a broader U.S. nation‑building or transition strategy.
  • International backlash and negotiation pressure.
    Governments in Latin America and beyond are condemning the strike as a violation of sovereignty and warning about refugee flows, which could increase calls for some kind of international legal or diplomatic framework to decide Maduro’s fate. In that context, options being debated include a U.S. domestic trial, an international tribunal–style process, or a political deal that trades leniency for cooperation and information.
  • Speculative but plausible paths from here.
    Commentators and forum discussions focusing on what will happen to Maduro tend to converge on a few possibilities: a high‑profile U.S. trial and long imprisonment; a plea deal in exchange for testimony about networks and allies; or, less likely, a negotiated exile if political costs rise for Washington. The choice among these will depend on U.S. domestic politics, global reaction to the strike, and how chaotic the transition inside Venezuela becomes over the next weeks and months.

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