Captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife have reportedly arrived in New York after U.S. forces seized them from their home in an extraordinary military operation.<\/a><\/p>\n Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, have arrived at New York\u2019s Stewart Air National Guard Base, a federal official told CNN<\/a>.<\/p>\n Following Maduro\u2019s capture, President Donald Trump said the U.S. will run Venezuela<\/a> for now and earlier shared a photograph of Maduro in handcuffs<\/a> en route to New York, where he has been indicted with several offenses<\/a>, including Narco-Terrorism Conspiracy.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are going to run the country until such time that we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition,\u201d Trump vowed at a press conference<\/a> Saturday from his residence in Mar-a-Lago, where he also suggested that the U.S. would rely on revenue from oil sales to pay for running the country. <\/p>\n \u201cWe’re not afraid of boots on the ground,\u201d Trump added. <\/p>\n The president was pressed by reporters about who would be running Venezuela during the transition period and offered few details on who exactly would be in charge.<\/p>\n Gen. Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, revealed the mission, called \u201cOperation Absolute Resolve,\u201d was a months-in-the-making.<\/p>\n More than 150 aircraft, including several fighter jets, helicopters and bombers, launched from 20 different points after Trump gave the order Friday night, with service members from across the military branches.<\/p>\n With reporting from Rosali Hernandez in Caracas<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/a>When could Maduro appear in court?<\/p>\n Deposed Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro could appear in court as soon as Monday.<\/p>\n A 25-page document from federal prosecutors in New York City claims Maduro, his wife and Venezuelan officials have \u201cabused their positions of public trust and corrupted once-legitimate institutions to import tons of cocaine into the United States.\u201d<\/p>\n The four-count indictment, unsealed hours after Donald Trump announced the capture of Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores, claims the Venezuelan president and his family enriched themselves with a \u201ccycle of narcotics-based corruption.\u201d<\/p>\n Maduro and Flores are expected to make an initial appearance on the charges in Manhattan federal court as soon as Monday.<\/p>\n Rhian Lubin, Alex Woodward3 January 2026 22:21<\/p>\n <\/a>Pictured: Defense Department aircraft reportedly carrying Maduro lands in New York<\/p>\n A Defense Department aircraft believed to be carrying captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife has landed at New York\u2019s Stewart Air National Guard Base. <\/p>\n President Donald Trump earlier said that Maduro was being transported via a U.S. Navy vessel USS Iwo Jima. <\/p>\n Trump shared a photograph of Maduro aboard the ship in handcuffs.<\/p>\n Maduro and wife Cilia Flores were dragged from their bedroom during the operation that took place late Friday and into the early hours of Saturday, according to CNN.<\/p>\n Rhian Lubin3 January 2026 22:15<\/p>\n <\/a>NEW: Maduro and his wife arrive in New York<\/p>\n Captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife have reportedly arrived in New York after U.S. forces seized them from their home in an extraordinary military operation.<\/p>\n Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, have arrived at New York\u2019s Stewart Air National Guard Base, a federal official told CNN<\/a>.<\/p>\n Rhian Lubin3 January 2026 21:57<\/p>\n <\/a>In pictures: Maduro supporters in Caracas burn the American flag in protest<\/p>\n Supporters of captured president Nicolas Maduro in Caracas have been pictured burning the American flag in protest against the U.S. military action in the country.<\/p>\n Rhian Lubin3 January 2026 21:40<\/p>\n <\/a>Venezuelan VP denies Trump’s claims she plans to help US run the country<\/p>\n Venezuela\u2019s Vice President Delcy Rodriguez denied the Trump administration\u2019s claims that she plans to help the U.S. government run the country, despite President Donald Trump saying earlier she is \u201cessentially willing to do what we think is necessary to make Venezuela great again.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThere is only one president in this country, and his name is Nicolas Maduro Moros,\u201d Rodriguez said in remarks Saturday.<\/p>\n She said Venezuela\u2019s government is open to resuming a relationship with the Trump administration, but only within the framework of international and Venezuelan law.<\/p>\n \u201cThat is the only type of relationship I will accept, after they have attacked and militarily assaulted our beloved nation,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Alex Woodward, Rhian Lubin3 January 2026 21:20<\/p>\n <\/a>What happens next in Venezuela? <\/p>\n President Donald Trump said an interim \u201cgroup\u201d with top administration officials will \u201crun\u201d the country for \u201ca period of time\u201d until the United States determines a \u201cpeaceful and just transition\u201d can take place.<\/p>\n That group appears to include Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller, CIA director John Ratcliffe, and General Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.<\/p>\n What happens next after a series of escalating attacks and threats of regime change hinges on the responses from Venezuelan officials, regional governments and armed forces in an increasingly volatile situation amid the possibility of further American intervention.<\/p>\n Alex Woodward<\/strong> breaks it down…<\/p>\n Alex Woodward3 January 2026 21:00<\/p>\n <\/a>Venezuelans deeply concerned over Trump plan for US to run the country<\/p>\n Venezuelans expressed deep concern over Donald Trump\u2019s shock statement that the US was planning to \u201crun the country\u201d and his apparent endorsement of Maduro\u2019s second-in-command Delcy Rodriguez as an interim leader of that transition.<\/p>\n \u201cThey have not clarified the legal, political or the temporal framework of this leadership – who\u2019s going to lead?\u201d asked Maria Corina Roldan Robles, a Venezuelan political analyst currently based in Chile.<\/p>\n She said they were concerned that instead of US cooperating with opposition figures like Nobel Prize winner Maria Corina Machado or Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, who was recognised as winning the 2024 elections, it appeared they were going for \u201cChavismo under a different leadership\u201d.<\/p>\n In the press gathering Mr Trump dismissed Machado as lacking \u201csupport or respect\u201d to take over. He did not even mention Gonzalez in the extraordinary statement, despite the fact that the Venezuelan opposition leader was recognised by the Biden administration as the \u201cpresident-elect\u201d in the wake of the 2024 vote.<\/p>\n Instead Trump confirmed that Secretary of State Marco Rubio had had a lengthy conversation with Delcy Rodriguez, Maduro\u2019s vice president who Robles said was \u201cone of the most central pillars of the regime that governed alongside Maduro\u201d.<\/p>\n Trump said she had already been sworn in as interim leader and was \u201cessentially willing to do what we think is necessary to make Venezuela great again.\u201d<\/p>\n The concern in Venezuela is that the US had been positioning Rodriguez as a \u201cperson that could be considered for a transition\u201d months go, Robles added.<\/p>\n Ana Maria Diez, the head of the Coalition of Venezuela a union of civil society organisations and an advisor on UN mechanism said that while people were celebrating the capture of Maduro, there were growing fears about Trump\u2019s intentions towards Venezuela\u2019s vast oil reserves.<\/p>\n \u201cPresident Trump has repeatedly referred to \u2018our oil\u2019 when speaking of Venezuelan resources. It is important to remind him that these resources belong to the Venezuelan people, who need humanitarian aid and the reconstruction of the country now more than ever, not the rule of outsiders,\u201d she told The Independent.<\/p>\n She added that there was no \u201cpower vacuum\u201d in the country now that Maduro was gone, as in 2024 they \u201coverwhelmingly voted and elected Edmundo Gonz\u00e1lez Urrutia as president, who should be sworn in as soon as possible to govern the country.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe appreciate and welcome American investment, but not the rule of our country.\u201d<\/p>\n Rosali Hernandez in Caracas & Bel Trew3 January 2026 20:40<\/p>\n <\/a>Sen. Jack Reed condemns Trump’s military action as a ‘profound constitutional failure’<\/p>\n Senator Jack Reed, the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, has shredded the Trump administration for launching military action on Venezuela in what he described as a \u201cprofound constitutional failure.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cLast night, President Trump waged war on a foreign nation without authorization, without notification, and without any explanation to the American people,\u201d Reed said in a lengthy statement. \u201cWhatever comes next, President Trump will own the consequences.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cInitially, the White House claimed the purpose of the raid was to capture Nicol\u00e1s Maduro and his wife in Caracas. Now, the President has claimed the United States will \u201crun\u201d Venezuela, and that the objective of this operation is to seize control of Venezuela\u2019s oil reserves. This is ludicrous,\u201d Reed continued. \u201cNo serious plan has been presented for how such an extraordinary undertaking would work or what it will cost the American people.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThis has been a profound constitutional failure. Congress \u2013 not the President \u2013 has the sole power to authorize war,\u201d said Reed. \u201cPursuing regime change without the consent of the American people is a reckless overreach and an abuse of power.\u201d<\/p>\n Rhian Lubin, Alex Woodward3 January 2026 20:20<\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/GettyImages-2253937728.jpg\")
A plane allegedly carrying Maduro lands at New York\u2019s Stewart Air National Guard Base (AFP via Getty Images)![\"Department](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/GettyImages-2254523374.jpg\")
Department of Defense aircraft arrives with Venezuelan leader Nicol\u00e1s Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores at Stewart Air National Guard Base (Getty Images)![\"Nicolas](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/TOPSHOT-US-VENEZUELA-CONFLICT-MADURO-tdadie3f.jpeg\")
Nicolas Maduro en route to the U.S. (@realDonaldTrump\/Truth Social)<\/p>\n![\"Maduro](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/GettyImages-2254513286.jpg\")
Maduro supporters set fire to an American flag in Caracas (Getty Images)![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/GettyImages-2254513287.jpg\")
A man holds up a burning US flag in Caracas (Getty Images)![\"Supporters](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/GettyImages-2254513289.jpg\")
Supporters of Maduro react to news of his capture (Getty Images)<\/p>\n![\"Venezuela\u2019s](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/FILES-VENEZUELA-US-CONFLICT-CRISIS-e0bs4lui.jpeg\")
Venezuela\u2019s Vice President Delcy Rodriguez (AFP via Getty Images)<\/p>\n![\"Supporters](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/SEI279506108.jpeg\")
Supporters of Maduro react to the news in Caracas (AFP via Getty Images)<\/p>\n![\"People](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/SEI279505163.jpeg\")
People in Venezuela are deeply concerned over Trump plan for US to run the country (AFP via Getty Images)<\/p>\n![\"Smoke](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Venezuela_US_76109.jpg\")
Smoke rises from Fort Tiuna, the main military garrison in Caracas, Venezuela (Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)<\/p>\n