America vs Venezuela

America’s Midnight Operation: How the U.S. Arrested Venezuela’s President and Shook the Global Order

By Aaryan Raj

On the night of January 3, 2026, the world changed in a way no one had imagined. While most of the planet was asleep, a dramatic military operation unfolded in the heart of South America. In the capital city of Caracas, under complete darkness caused by a massive cyberattack, American special forces carried out a secret raid on the residence of Venezuela’s president, Nicolás Maduro.

Us military operation 

Within minutes, the elected leader of a sovereign nation was taken into custody by foreign soldiers. It was not a war declaration. It was not an arrest carried out through international law. It was something far more shocking — a midnight military kidnapping.

President Donald Trump watched the entire operation live from a secure room in Florida. The next day, he described it casually, saying it felt like “watching television.” But this was not entertainment. It was one of the most extraordinary and controversial uses of American military power in modern history.

How the Operation Happened?

The operation began with total secrecy and precision. U.S. military helicopters flew into Venezuelan airspace at extremely low altitude, avoiding radar detection. At the same time, a coordinated cyberattack shut down Caracas’s electricity, leaving the entire city in darkness. Air-defense systems, communications, and emergency networks went offline.

This created a perfect cover for U.S. Delta Force commandos to enter the presidential compound. They descended from helicopters, broke into the building, and moved quickly toward Maduro’s bedroom. The president was asleep with his wife when the soldiers entered.

Maduro tried to escape to a reinforced safe room, but he was captured before he could reach it. In less than five minutes, the president of Venezuela was in American custody.

He was flown to a U.S. Navy ship, then transferred to Guantánamo Bay, and later taken to the United States. Images of Maduro in U.S. custody were later released, confirming to the world that a sitting president had been taken by force from his own country.

The Official Justification

The Trump administration claimed the operation was carried out to arrest Maduro for drug trafficking, terrorism, and organized crime. According to U.S. prosecutors, Maduro had been involved in international cocaine smuggling for decades and was accused of helping send drugs into the United States.

World war begins 

The charges included narco-terrorism conspiracy, weapons violations, and drug importation. Trump described Maduro as a dangerous criminal who deserved to be brought to justice.

However, critics immediately questioned the logic behind this claim.

If Maduro was truly a criminal, why was he not arrested through international courts?

Why was there no extradition request?

Why was a full military assault needed to capture one man?

To many observers, the “drug war” explanation looked like a political cover story.

The Real Reason: Oil

Behind the dramatic headlines lies a powerful truth — Venezuela’s oil.

Venezuela holds the largest proven oil reserves in the world — 303 billion barrels. Even more important, it produces heavy crude oil, which is exactly what many American refineries are designed to process.

The U.S. energy industry has depended on Venezuelan oil for decades.

For much of the 20th century, American oil companies operated freely in Venezuela. But in 1999, President Hugo Chávez came to power and changed everything. He nationalized the oil industry and declared that Venezuela’s resources belonged to the Venezuelan people, not foreign corporations.

This decision angered powerful U.S. oil companies. From that moment on, Washington’s relationship with Venezuela became hostile.

Sanctions were imposed.

Venezuela was economically isolated.

Attempts were made to overthrow its government.

When Chávez died in 2013, Maduro continued the same policies. Under Trump’s first term, the U.S. blocked almost all Venezuelan oil exports, hoping to collapse the government.

Instead, Venezuela turned to China, which began buying most of its oil.

This was unacceptable to Washington.

Trump later openly complained that Venezuela had “stolen” oil from the United States — even though the oil legally belonged to Venezuela.

The raid was not about drugs.

It was about control over energy.

Was This Legal?

Under U.S. law, the president cannot launch military action without approval from Congress. Trump did not ask Congress.

Under international law, especially the United Nations Charter, no country has the right to use military force against another sovereign state except in self-defense or with UN approval. Neither condition was met.

This made the operation illegal.

However, because the United States has veto power at the UN Security Council, it can block any punishment against itself. In other words, the world’s most powerful country cannot easily be held accountable.

A Dangerous New World

This operation has created a terrifying precedent. If the U.S. can kidnap another country’s president, then what is stopping China, Russia, or any other powerful nation from doing the same?

Venezuela President 

This is not about supporting or opposing Maduro as a leader. It is about something much bigger — the survival of international law.

If power replaces rules, the world becomes unstable.

January 3, 2026, will be remembered not just as the night Maduro was captured — but as the night the global order was put in danger.