In a stunning escalation of a months-long pressure campaign, the United States has captured Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife in an overnight military operation. President Donald Trump has declared that the US will now "run" the South American nation for an indefinite period, directly intervening in its governance and oil industry.
US Administration Outlines Plan for Control
Speaking on Saturday 3 January 2026, President Trump confirmed that an interim group of top US officials would oversee Venezuela. This group is reported to include Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller, CIA director John Ratcliffe, and General Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
While not explicitly confirming a long-term ground troop presence, Trump indicated US military assets would be involved, particularly "as it pertains to oil." He framed the intervention as cost-neutral, claiming major American oil companies would invest billions to rebuild Venezuela's crumbling oil and gas infrastructure, which holds the world's largest proven reserves.
"The oil business in Venezuela has been a bust, a total bust, for a long period of time," Trump stated. "We're going to have our very large US oil companies... go in, spend billions of dollars, fix the badly broken oil infrastructure, and start making money." He further accused Venezuela of having stolen American oil after nationalising its industry.
Venezuelan Response and Constitutional Crisis
The US action has triggered a constitutional and political crisis within Venezuela. Following the attacks in Caracas and the states of Miranda, Aragua and La Guaira, the country declared a state of emergency.
Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez was swiftly sworn in as interim president, a move that under the constitution could lead to elections within 30 days. She vehemently rejected President Trump's claims that she would collaborate with the US administration. "There is only one president in this country, and his name is Nicolás Maduro Moros," Rodríguez asserted on Saturday.
She condemned the military assault but left the door open for dialogue, stating Venezuela would only resume a relationship with the Trump administration within the strict framework of international and Venezuelan law. The nation's communications ministry called on all social and political forces to mobilise and repudiate what it labelled an "imperialist attack."
International Condemnation and Warnings of Chaos
The Trump administration's move has drawn sharp criticism and warnings of catastrophic consequences. Senator Jack Reed, the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, denounced the apparent motive of seizing oil reserves. "It violates international law and has failed catastrophically in the past," he said, calling it a reckless abuse of power.
Analysts warn the path ahead is fraught with danger. Tiziano Breda, a senior Latin America analyst at the conflict monitor ACLED, noted that previous US strikes failed to break Maduro's inner circle, leading to this direct action on Venezuelan soil. "A smooth transition remains unlikely, and the risk of resistance from pro-regime armed groups... remains high," Breda added.
Notably absent from Trump's plans were key Venezuelan opposition figures. The Biden administration had recognised exiled candidate Edmundo González as the true winner of the 2024 election, while Nobel Peace Prize winner María Corina Machado won a 2023 opposition primary before being barred from running. Trump dismissed Machado, saying she "doesn't have the support inside the country or the respect."
The Washington Office on Latin America warned the attacks create a "worrisome precedent for the region," escalating tensions through "gunboat diplomacy" and a disregard for international law. The group urged an immediate focus on de-escalation, civilian protection, and a peaceful democratic transition.
