A Ruckus in Caracas
Caracas did not ease into this Saturday morning. It was jolted awake.
Shortly before dawn on Saturday, January 3, 2026, residents across Venezuela’s capital reported explosions, fires, and power outages. Blasts were heard near major military installations, including Fuerte Tiuna and areas surrounding La Carlota air base. Venezuelan authorities said strikes also occurred in the states of Miranda, Aragua, and La Guaira. The Associated Press and Reuters both reported multiple explosions and visible fires, with smoke rising over parts of the city as the operation unfolded.
What followed moved fast, and then all at once, the country’s leadership was gone.
🚨 President Trump on Venezuela strike pic.twitter.com/r2PoCkHu5I
Advertisement— Kayleigh McEnany (@kayleighmcenany) January 3, 2026
Trump Announces the Capture
Within hours, President Donald Trump announced that the United States had conducted a “large-scale strike” inside Venezuela and that President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, had been captured and flown out of the country. The statement was carried by major U.S. outlets, including the Associated Press and CBS News, though the White House did not immediately release details about their destination or custody status.
The announcement marked the first time a sitting Venezuelan president was reportedly seized by U.S. forces during an active military operation.
As the legacy media and left-wing politicians condemn the arrest of Maduro, this is how ALL of Venezuela feels… pic.twitter.com/uA7GkXO3WR
Advertisement— Inevitable West (@Inevitablewest) January 3, 2026
Snatch-and-Grab
The clearest reporting on who carried out the capture came from CBS News, which cited U.S. officials saying the mission to seize Maduro and Flores was conducted by Army Delta Force. The Guardian separately reported the same unit’s involvement.
SOFREP has it on good authority from a highly placed source that this was a joint operation with SEAL Team Six owning the maritime operation and Delta conducting the raid.
Other outlets, including Reuters and AP, referred more broadly to elite U.S. special operations forces without naming the unit.
Taken together, the reporting points to a short-duration Joint Special Operations Command-style raid focused on leadership capture rather than territorial control. The Associated Press reported the operation was described as lasting less than 30 minutes, emphasizing speed and precision over prolonged engagement.
As of publication, the Pentagon has not released a detailed operational briefing confirming unit participation or timelines, and no imagery or official proof-of-life for Maduro or Flores has been made public.
Venezuela Demands Proof of Life
Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez said the government did not know the whereabouts of Maduro or Flores and demanded immediate proof of life. She condemned the strikes as an act of military aggression and called for mobilization, language echoed by other senior officials in Caracas.
Under Venezuela’s constitution, Rodríguez would be positioned to assume authority if the presidency is deemed vacant or incapacitated, but no independent confirmation of a formal transfer of power has been reported.
Civilian Harm and U.S. Casualties
At this stage, the casualty picture remains unclear.
AP reported that it was not known whether Venezuelan civilians were killed or injured during the strikes. Venezuelan officials claimed that both civilian and military infrastructure were targeted, but independent verification of civilian casualties has not been published by major outlets.
No credible reporting has confirmed any U.S. military casualties from the operation.
Damage on the Ground
Reuters reported that Venezuela’s state oil company, PDVSA, said production and refining operations were continuing and that major oil infrastructure was not damaged. However, the same reporting indicated that La Guaira port suffered severe damage, a significant development for a country whose economy relies heavily on maritime trade.
Power outages and fires were reported in parts of Caracas, but the full scope of infrastructure damage remains under assessment.
Washington Signals the Shooting May Be Over
Senior U.S. officials have framed the operation as limited in scope. Reuters reported that Senator Mike Lee said Secretary of State Marco Rubio briefed him and indicated that no further military action in Venezuela was anticipated now that Maduro was in U.S. custody.
Attorney General Pam Bondi stated that Maduro and Flores would face charges connected to a New York indictment tied to long-standing U.S. accusations involving narcotics trafficking and corruption.
The Federal Aviation Administration issued warnings to U.S. pilots to avoid Venezuelan airspace due to ongoing military activity, underscoring that while the raid may be complete, regional risk remains elevated.
What Comes Next for Venezuela
Removing a leader is a mission. Governing what follows is a grind.
The capture of Maduro creates an immediate power vacuum in a country already fractured by years of economic collapse, sanctions, and political repression. International reactions have been divided, with some governments condemning the U.S. action as a violation of sovereignty while others argue that Maduro’s legitimacy had already collapsed.
The operation has already drawn comparisons to the U.S. capture of Panamanian leader Manuel Noriega in 1990, a parallel noted by the Associated Press. That comparison carries a warning. Ending a regime is faster than stabilizing a nation.
Incidentally, Noriega surrendered to US forces 36 years ago to the day after walking out of the Vatican Embassy in Panama City. Seems like it was only yesterday.
For now, the United States appears to be shifting from kinetic action to legal proceedings.
Whether Venezuela moves toward transition, internal conflict, or another strongman will depend on what fills the space left behind.
The raid ended quickly. The consequences will not.
-This is a developing story. Check back with SOFREP for the latest updates.
