United States invades Venezuela and kidnaps President Maduro

On January 3, 2026, United States forces conducted a military invasion of Venezuela, which included bombing targets, storming the capital of Caracas, and the kidnapping of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores.

This action follows the 2025 National Security Strategy, which aimed to restore American preeminence in the Western Hemisphere by reiterating the Monroe Doctrine. The strategy emphasized securing sole-source contracts for American companies and removing foreign influence from regional infrastructure projects. Following the military intervention, Donald Trump stated that the United States would ‘run’ Venezuela and claimed the nation had secured the largest oil deal in history.