US raid in Venezuela capturing Nicolas Maduro (Operation Absolute Resolve)
In the early hours of 3 January 2026, US aircraft struck air-defence and military sites around Caracas while special forces seized President Nicolas Maduro and his wife and flew them to New York to face drug-trafficking charges. Venezuela and Cuba reported dozens of their personnel killed. Vice President Delcy Rodriguez became acting president on 5 January 2026.
Strike map
Click a shape for details and sourcesZones, lines of contact and strike arcs are approximate and illustrative, drawn from public reporting. They are not authoritative; click a shape for its sources. Borders from Natural Earth, with Crimea shown as part of Ukraine in line with UN General Assembly resolution 68/262.
Key facts
Reported strikes
| Date | Target | By | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Jan 2026 | Fort Tiuna and La Carlota air base, Caracas (origin approximate: Caribbean) | United States | CSIS as of 9 Jan 2026 |
| 3 Jan 2026 | La Guaira port (origin approximate) | United States | CSIS as of 9 Jan 2026 |
| 3 Jan 2026 | Higuerote airport (origin approximate) | United States | CSIS as of 9 Jan 2026 |
Arcs on the map run from the reported launch area to the target and are approximate.
Human cost
- 55 reportedFox News (Venezuelan military list and Cuban government) as of 8 Jan 2026Military only: 23 Venezuelan soldiers named by Venezuela's military plus 32 Cuban personnel named by Cuba.
- 100 reportedFox News (Venezuelan interior minister Diosdado Cabello) as of 8 Jan 2026All deaths in the 3 Jan 2026 operation, Venezuelan government claim.
Parties and actors
- United States Armed Forces (incl. Delta Force) and FBI State armed forces / law enforcement · aligned with United States
- Bolivarian National Armed Forces of Venezuela State armed forces · aligned with Venezuela
- Cuban military and security personnel guarding Maduro Foreign state security personnel · aligned with Venezuela
Parties are listed factually by name and role. Inclusion does not imply any judgement.
Negotiations
Negotiations hubNo negotiation track is currently tracked for this conflict.
Sources and further reading
- Fox News (Venezuelan interior minister Diosdado Cabello) as of 8 Jan 2026
- Fox News (Venezuelan military list and Cuban government) as of 8 Jan 2026
- Air & Space Forces Magazine (Gen. Caine briefing) as of 3 Jan 2026
- CSIS as of 9 Jan 2026
- Al Jazeera as of 5 Jan 2026
- Fox News as of 8 Jan 2026
- House of Commons Library: The US capture of Nicolas Maduro as of 2 Oct 2026
- CFR Global Conflict Tracker: U.S. Confrontation With Venezuela as of 2 Oct 2026