Shortly afterwards, Donald Trump announced that US forces had captured the Venezuelan president, Nicolás Maduro, and his wife, Cilia Flores, and had flown them out of the country. Fire at Fuerte Tiuna, Venezuela's largest military complex, is seen from a distance after a series of explosions in Caracas on January 3rd. Under the Trump administration, the US has portrayed the Maduro government as illegitimate, recognising Juan Guaidó, the speaker of the parliament, as Venezuela’s president in 2019. Venezuela's president Nicolas Maduro has reportedly been captured by US forces. Though Maduro has been captured, Venezuela’s institutions and military appear to be intact.

Source: The Irish Times January 03, 2026 22:12 UTC