The United States’ unprecedented military operation that resulted in the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro stunned governments and citizens around the world.

Early on January 3, 2026, U.S. forces conducted a coordinated strike on Caracas, Venezuela’s capital, with aerial and ground elements that culminated in Maduro and his wife.

Cilia Flores, being taken into custody and transported to the United States. The rapid sequence of events set off…