US Capture of Venezuela President Maduro: A Global Shockwave and Trump's New Interventionalism

The world just woke up to a seismic shift in global power. In a lightning-fast military operation on January 3, 2026, US forces captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, whisking them away to New York on drug charges. President Donald Trump didn't stop at the arrest—he boldly declared that the US will "run" the country until a transition to a new government is complete.

Trump Vows to Run Venezuela Following Maduro Capture

The operation, characterized as a large-scale military strike, has left the world reeling. Maduro is currently in custody in New York, facing serious drug trafficking indictments. Trump frames this as a necessary step for regional stability, while Secretary of State Marco Rubio hinted that nations like Cuba should be concerned about their own "incompetent leaders."

Sovereignty or Justice? Global Leaders React

The response from world capitals was immediate and fiercely divided. China expressed that it's "deeply shocked" and condemned the use of force, while Russia slammed the move as an "act of armed aggression." Brazilian President Lula Da Silva was particularly vocal, stating the US has "crossed an unacceptable line" and warned of a world descending into chaos if international law is ignored.

Meanwhile, the UK's Keir Starmer took a more pragmatic—if evasive—stance. He told the BBC he'd "shed no tears" for Maduro's end but refused to comment on whether the strikes broke international law. In contrast, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called the incident a "dangerous precedent" that violates the core principles of national sovereignty.