Night Raid Ends Decades of Rule: The Full Story of Nicolas Maduro US Abduction 2026
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife were abducted by US special forces on January 3, 2026. A detailed look at the operation and Maduro's political history.
A decade of iron-fisted rule ended in a single night. United States special forces have abducted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, First Lady Cilia Flores. The operation, which occurred on January 3, 2026, was confirmed by a photograph shared on Donald Trump's Truth Social account, reportedly showing Maduro aboard the USS Iwo Jima.
Nicolas Maduro US Abduction 2026: The Tactical Escalation
The abduction is the culmination of a high-stakes campaign by the Trump administration since it returned to power last year. Citing drug- and weapons-related charges, U.S. officials moved to secure Maduro's person to face trial in a U.S. court. This follows a period of intense pressure, including a 25 percent tariff on Caracas and doubled bounties on high-ranking Venezuelan officials.
According to Reuters, the White House had been conducting military strikes on 'narco-terrorism' vessels since September, signaling a shift toward direct intervention.
The Rise and Fall of the Union Leader
Born in 1962, Maduro rose from a bus driver in the Caracas metro system to the highest echelons of power. Handpicked by Hugo Chavez in 2012 as his successor, he maintained a firm grip on institutions despite a collapsing economy. His presidency was marked by violent crackdowns on protests, with casualty counts exceeding 100 during the 2017 unrest.
Maduro's tenure was increasingly challenged by domestic opposition, notably Maria Corina Machado, the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize winner. The controversial 2024 election, widely viewed as fraudulent by over 45 countries, further isolated his regime globally before the final U.S. intervention.
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