Overview
- U.S. forces struck Caracas on January 3 and seized President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, transferring them into U.S. custody.
- Maduro faces U.S. narcoterrorism-related charges, and both he and Flores pleaded not guilty during a court appearance in New York.
- The United Nations said it has received no formal U.S. explanation for the operation, and the secretary‑general said Washington did not follow international law.
- Venezuela declared a state of emergency, and Vice President Delcy Rodríguez was sworn in as acting president after the Supreme Court transferred duties.
- Russia and China demanded Maduro’s release, hundreds protested in Rio de Janeiro, and U.S. House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries called the action an act of war requiring congressional approval.