U.S. President Donald Trump holds a press conference as Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth looks at him following a U.S. strike on Venezuela where President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were captured, from Trump's Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida, U.S., January 3, 2026. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst     TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
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CNBC TV1803-01-2026, 22:32

US Forces Capture Venezuelan Leader Nicolás Maduro in Daring Overnight Raid

  • US President Donald Trump ordered a brazen overnight operation to capture Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores.
  • Maduro was seized from his "fortress-like" presidential palace in Caracas, unable to reach his steel-reinforced "safety space."
  • American forces used "massive blowtorches" and turned off "almost all of the lights in Caracas" during the less than 30-minute raid.
  • Maduro and Flores were flown to a US warship, destined for New York to face narco-terrorism conspiracy charges.
  • The operation followed months of US military pressure and previous strikes against drug-carrying boats and facilities.

Why It Matters: Trump confirms US forces captured Nicolás Maduro for trial, escalating pressure on Venezuela.

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