Venezuela President captured: Trump warns Venezuela to cooperate or risk new U.S. military attack

US special forces captured President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores during a pre-dawn raid on their residence at Fort Tiuna on 3 January 2026. The operation involved over 150 aircraft providing cover for a ground force that extracted the couple within two and a half hours.

Following his extraction, Maduro was flown to New York and processed by the Drug Enforcement Administration before appearing in a Manhattan federal court. He pleaded not guilty on 5 January 2026 to charges of narco-terrorism conspiracy and cocaine importation.

President Trump has threatened a second military intervention if the remaining Venezuelan leadership fails to cooperate with US demands. He stated that the US is prepared to launch another attack to ensure the country is "fixed" according to American interests.

Trump issued a direct warning to newly sworn-in interim leader Delcy Rodriguez, stating she could pay a “bigger price than Maduro” if she resists. While Rodriguez has called for a respectful relationship, Trump maintains that the US is now effectively in charge.

The US is currently maintaining a 15,000-strong military force in the Caribbean to sustain leverage over the transition in Caracas. Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed this force serves as a "quarantine" to control the entry and exit of strategic resources.

President Trump has emphasised that the US will take a leadership role in managing Venezuela’s oil sector and strategic mineral resources. Experts suggest the ouster aims to reroute oil exports back to American refiners and away from international competitors like China.

Russia, China, and the European Union have condemned the US operation as a violation of international law and Venezuelan sovereignty. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed deep concern that the raid sets a dangerous precedent for international security.