US forces seize Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in January operation

On 3 January, U.S. military forces carried out a raid in Caracas that resulted in the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores. The two were flown to New York, where they are being held at the Metropolitan Detention Center and face U.S. charges of drug trafficking and terrorism.

Maduro’s son, Nicolás Maduro Guerra, speaking to Spanish media, said the chavista security apparatus failed to protect his father. He told reporters, “Tendríamos que haber hecho más para proteger a mi padre. En ese sentido, fracasamos,” and described his father’s health and daily phone calls from prison. The interview also mentioned the presence of other inmates, including rapper Tekashi 69, and the reading of religious texts by Maduro.

The incident has heightened tensions between the United States and Venezuela and raised concerns about regional stability.