After the US military operation in Venezuela that resulted in the capture of President Nicolas Maduro, effective control of the country passed to Vice President Delcy Rodriguez. Donald Trump said Washington was prepared to oversee a transitional period until a new authority was formed, and warned Rodriguez of a “very high price” if she refused to cooperate.
According to the report, on the night of January 3, 2026, the United States carried out airstrikes on targets in Caracas, after which special forces conducted a raid and removed Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. The operation, codenamed Absolute Resolve, was reportedly prepared over several months: US forces studied the president’s routine, his security arrangements, and trained on a replica of the presidential residence. Trump said the assault itself lasted less than 30 minutes. The New York Times reported at least 80 deaths, including military personnel and civilians; among them, according to those figures, were 32 Cuban nationals.
Maduro was taken to a detention facility in Brooklyn, and on January 5 he was due to be formally charged with narcoterrorism, cocaine importation, and possession of weapons and explosive devices. At the same time, Trump said US oil companies would be able to continue operating in Venezuela in order to restore damaged oil infrastructure. Experts cited by the BBC and other outlets noted, however, that even with a change of power, rebuilding the sector could take up to 10 years and require tens of billions of dollars.
After Maduro’s overthrow, media and analysts said the country had entered a period of chaos, though not an immediate institutional vacuum. Venezuela’s Supreme Court declared Rodriguez acting head of state. She initially demanded Maduro’s release and described what had happened as barbaric, but later softened her tone.
“We invite the US government to cooperate with us within an agenda focused on joint development under international law,” Delcy Rodriguez said in a statement.
According to Bloomberg and the NYT, the White House had already viewed Rodriguez as an acceptable transitional figure, believing it could build a working relationship with her and protect future US energy interests. In an interview with The Atlantic, Trump said that if she failed to comply, she would pay “probably an even higher price than Maduro.”
International reaction was divided. The EU called for restraint, respect for international law, and a peaceful resolution; 26 member states backed the statement, with Hungary dissenting. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called the events a dangerous precedent. In Latin America, Argentina supported the US action, while Brazil, Chile, Mexico, and Colombia condemned it. Russia, China, Belarus, and North Korea also described the events as an act of aggression and demanded Maduro’s release.