By MAKALYA JOHNSON ’26
Updated 11:50 a.m. EDT, 6 Feb 2026
Under the cover of darkness on Jan. 3, 2026, at approximately 4:20 a.m., the United States (US) Special Forces were deployed in Caracas, Venezuela. They completed their objective: capturing the Venezuelan president, Nicolás Maduro, and his wife, Cilia Flores de Maduro.
Matthew Olay, with Pentagon News and published through the US Department of War website, reported on US President Donald Trump’s announcement of the event. According to Trump, the capture took place at Maduro’s “heavily fortified military fortress in the heart of” the capital, and had the goal of bringing the “outlaw dictator … to justice.” The mission, titled “Operation Absolute Resolve,” was the product of a long preparation period and “U.S. joint forces.” Gareth Evans of the British Broadcasting Company (BBC) expanded on the details of the assignment, which consisted of “months of meticulous planning and rehearsals, which even included elite US troops creating an exact full-size replica of Maduro’s Caracas safe house.”
Following his capture, Maduro appeared in court on Jan. 5. According to Michael Ruiz, Maria Paronich, and Brendan McDonald at Fox News, he is being charged on four accounts: “narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, possession of machine guns and destructive devices and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices.” Cilia Flores de Maduro also appeared in court on Jan. 5, and they are both pleading not guilty on all counts.
Maduro is expected back in court on March 17 to face trial.
One point of contention over this case has been Trump’s lack of receiving Congressional approval for this mission. There has been speculation about whether this is a violation of the constitutionally granted power to declare war given to Congress. Though the US did not declare war with this act, some argue that initiating aggression or military force can fall under Congress’s war powers even without a formal declaration.
Further, some argue that Trump lacks a follow-up plan that is equipped for the hostility he began. Evans reported that US Senator Chuck Schumer understands that “Nicolás Maduro is an illegitimate dictator,” but Trump’s “launching [of] military action without congressional authorization and without a credible plan for what comes next is reckless.”
Another point of contention is highlighted through Trump’s rhetoric following the capture. Kylie Atwood with Cable News Network (CNN) discussed Trump’s frequent mentions of his “desire to exert US control over Venezuela’s vast oil resources … both before and after Maduro’s January 3 capture.” Atwood also reported that “while multiple Trump administration officials have said the oil profits would go towards benefiting the people of Venezuela.” Trump himself seems to tell another story. He has mentioned “taking back the oil” in Venezuela, which he claims to have been “‘stolen from us,’ a reference to Venezuela’s past nationalization of assets and infrastructure owned by US oil companies.”
Maduro’s capture opened dialogue about the extent of the US’ international powers. Critics argue that the US has overstepped its authority in pursuit of oil interests, while others praise the Trump administration for freeing Venezuelans from a dictatorship. As the country awaits the trial set to take place in March, the case remains unresolved.★
A Note from the Editors: This article is written from a Western perspective, and we encourage readers to read further on the Venezuelan and global view of this issue.
