What We Know About the US Operation That Captured Venezuela’s Maduro

The Venezuelan leader was captured from the Fort Tiuna military complex in Caracas, according to a member of his ruling party.

Fire at Fuerte Tiuna, Venezuela's largest military complex, is seen from a distance after a series of explosions in Caracas on Jan. 3, 2026. AFP via Getty Images

U.S. special operations forces captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Adela Flores de Maduro, in an overnight operation on Jan. 3, and flew them out of the country to face criminal charges in the United States.

“The United States of America has successfully carried out a large-scale strike against Venezuela and its leader, President Nicolas Maduro, who has been, along with his wife, captured and flown out of the Country. This operation was done in conjunction with U.S. Law Enforcement,” U.S. President Donald Trump announced in a post on his Truth Social platform on Saturday morning.