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Venezuela Political and Military Crisis

US military operations against Nicolás Maduro, oil sanctions, and the turbulent push for political transition in Venezuela

Families of US deportees to Venezuela search for missing after quakes

Illustration accompanying article: Families of US deportees to Venezuela search for missing after quakes
  • A deportation flight carrying 146 Venezuelans, including 19 women and seven children, landed in Caracas on June 24 hours before twin earthquakes struck, killing at least 2,200 people and leaving 50,000 missing, according to UN figures.
  • The deportees were housed by Venezuelan authorities at Hotel Santuario La Llanada in La Guaira, which collapsed when the quakes hit; survivors and families described searches for missing relatives.
  • Abelardo Rincón, a 23-year-old who had lived in the U.S. for six years, called his family after landing; his grandfather later searched a Caracas morgue and viewed at least 200 bodies without finding him.
  • Darwin Eliecer Serrano Lopez, 35, called a cousin to say he had returned after four years in the U.S.; the first quake struck less than 30 minutes later, and relatives said they had searched for nearly a week without any sign of him.
  • A U.S. Department of Homeland Security spokesperson said the flight "safely reached Venezuela" and that ICE was "no longer responsible" for the deportees after they were returned.
 2026-07-02 · 3 MIN READ

NASA estimates 58,870 buildings damaged in Venezuela quakes

Illustration accompanying article: NASA estimates 58,870 buildings damaged in Venezuela quakes
  • NASA has estimated that 58,870 buildings were damaged or destroyed in Venezuela following the twin earthquakes on June 24, using satellite radar data from the European Space Agency's Sentinel-1 satellites.
  • Independent professional organizations, including the Venezuelan College of Engineers, said the widespread collapse of buildings constructed under the Great Venezuela Housing Mission reflects years of financial opacity and contracts awarded without adequate oversight.
  • Chilean civil engineer Rubén Boroschek told El País that it is "difficult to justify" catastrophic collapses in buildings constructed after 1980, given modern engineering standards.
  • Acting Venezuelan President Delcy Rodriguez said the government will begin a housing reconstruction program and has identified families who lost their homes for placement in temporary shelters.
 2026-06-30 · 4 MIN READ
Illustration accompanying article: Deportees held at Venezuela hotel when quakes struck, survivors say

Feds charge soldier with using intel to win $400K bet on Maduro raid

2026-04-24

A U.S. special forces soldier involved in the January operation to capture Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro was charged with using classified information about the mission to profit from a Polymarket prediction bet worth more than $400,000, federal officials said Thursday. Prosecutors said Gannon Ken Van Dyke was part of the planning and execution for about a month starting Dec. 8, 2025, and allegedly used that access despite nondisclosure agreements.

Venezuelan opposition leader draws Madrid crowd, declines Spain's PM meeting

2026-04-18

Venezuela's exiled opposition leader María Corina Machado drew several thousand supporters to a rally in Madrid on Saturday, declining a meeting with Spain's progressive Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez while expressing support for U.S. President Donald Trump's removal of Nicolás Maduro in January. Machado's decision came as Sánchez hosted a summit of progressive world leaders in Barcelona. Standing beside Madrid's conservative regional leader Isabel Díaz Ayuso at the Puerta del Sol, Machado described the progressive summit as a reason the meeting with Sánchez "was not advisable." The Venezuelan opposition leader, who holds the Nobel Peace Prize, presented the award to Trump earlier this year and said she remains in close contact with his administration about Venezuela's political future.

US aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford breaks post-Vietnam deployment record

2026-04-16

The USS Gerald R. Ford has broken the U.S. record for the longest post-Vietnam War deployment by an aircraft carrier, returning after nearly 10 months at sea that included a military raid in Venezuela and the early phase of the Iran war, the Associated Press reported. The ship logged its 295th day at sea this week, surpassing the prior U.S. record for carriers in the past half-century.

Another US strike on suspected drug boat kills 4 in eastern Pacific

2026-04-15

The U.S. military launched another strike on a boat suspected of trafficking drugs in the eastern Pacific Ocean, killing four people on Tuesday, the Associated Press reported. The attack was the fourth such strike announced in days, and the latest in a broader campaign described by the Trump administration as targeting cartel routes in Latin American waters.

Ataque de EE.UU. a lancha presuntamente ligada a narcotráfico deja 2 muertos

2026-04-15

El Ejército de Estados Unidos informó que el lunes realizó un ataque contra una embarcación que, según el gobierno, transportaba drogas en el océano Pacífico oriental, en el que murieron dos personas. El anuncio se suma a una campaña de ataques contra embarcaciones en rutas del contrabando que se ha extendido por más de siete meses, incluso mientras el país ha estado ocupado con la guerra en Irán.

US Military Says Boat Strike in Pacific Kills Two

2026-04-14

The U.S. military reported conducting another strike on a boat in the eastern Pacific Ocean on Monday, resulting in the deaths of two individuals. The military alleges the boat was involved in drug trafficking.

US Military Strike Kills Two on Boat in Eastern Pacific

2026-04-13

The U.S. military reported conducting another strike on Monday against a boat in the eastern Pacific Ocean, resulting in the deaths of two individuals. The military asserted that the vessel was involved in drug trafficking.

Trinidad prime minister demands CARICOM secretary-general exit after Aug term

2026-04-11

Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has escalated a feud with Caribbean neighbors over U.S. policy toward drug trafficking and Venezuela, demanding CARICOM Secretary-General Carla Barnett leave after her term ends in August. The dispute, tied to the bloc’s responses to U.S. military action in the South Caribbean, boiled over into a verbal conflict late Friday, prompting an emergency meeting.

Polymarket flagged a classified-info trade as the Maduro raid bet led to a $400,000 win

2026-04-11

Prediction markets have increasingly drawn scrutiny as regulators and lawmakers probe whether geopolitics and insider information are being turned into profit online. The Associated Press reported this week that the U.S. government charged a U.S. special forces soldier connected to a January raid on former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, with allegations that the soldier used classified information to bet on Maduro’s downfall on Polymarket. Polymarket said it alerted the Justice Department after it determined someone traded on classified government information and cooperated with investigators.

Police block workers' protest toward Venezuela's presidential palace

2026-04-10

Union leaders, retirees and public-sector workers in Caracas marched Thursday toward the presidential palace demanding higher wages and dignified pensions, but police blockades halted the crowd. The protests came the day after acting President Delcy Rodríguez appealed for patience on national television as her government seeks to improve the economy.

Acting Venezuela President Delcy Rodríguez promises May wage increase

2026-04-09

Venezuelan acting President Delcy Rodríguez asked public and private sector workers in a televised address for patience as her government works to improve the economy. She promised a wage increase on May 1, while warning it would be designed to avoid an inflation surge like the one after the last minimum wage increase.

Indigenous leader Raoni backs Lula despite opposing Amazon railway

2026-04-09

Raoni Metuktire, the Amazon’s internationally known indigenous leader, said on Wednesday he still supports President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and plans to campaign for Lula’s reelection in October, despite protesting government-backed projects. He spoke at the Free Land encampment in Brasilia, Brazil’s largest indigenous mobilization, where about 7,000 people from 200 groups have camped for a week.

Brazil’s Lula backs ban on online betting platforms

2026-04-09

In an interview published Wednesday, Brazil President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said he favors a national ban on online betting platforms, which he said have caused “a massive tragedy” for families by driving household debt higher. Lula, who is running for reelection in October, said any such move would require lawmakers’ approval.

Detained aid worker Joseph Figueira Martin freed in Central African Republic

2026-04-08

Detained aid worker Joseph Figueira Martin, held in the Central African Republic for nearly two years, was freed Tuesday, his family told The Associated Press. His brother said he could be in Lisbon within hours. The Central African Republic prosecutor’s office had said Martin was arrested in May 2024 on allegations including spying and contact with armed groups to plot a coup.

Trial reveals secret Venezuela lobbying tied to Trump associates

2026-04-02

In federal court in Miami, lobbyist Brian Ballard testified about what he says were his decisions to cut ties with former Rep. David Rivera after learning in 2020 that Venezuela’s government awarded Rivera a $50 million contract. Ballard, described by prosecutors as a key witness, is testifying in a trial over allegations that Rivera secretly lobbied for Maduro’s government without registering as a foreign agent.

US carrier USS Nimitz and destroyer USS Gridley arrive in Panama for exercises

2026-04-02

The U.S. Navy’s aircraft carrier USS Nimitz and the destroyer USS Gridley arrived in Panamanian waters for “Mares del Sur 2026,” a multinational maritime cooperation exercise in the region, the Associated Press reported. The USS Nimitz docked in the Gulf of Panama on Monday, while the USS Gridley anchored the day before in Panama City, according to the report. The ships are scheduled to remain in Panamanian waters through April 2.

Sheinbaum dice que fondos venezolanos pueden pagar abogados de Maduro

2026-04-01

La presidenta mexicana Claudia Sheinbaum dijo el lunes que el gobierno venezolano debería poder usar fondos para pagar los honorarios de los abogados del ex presidente Nicolás Maduro en un juicio por narcotráfico en Estados Unidos. Sus comentarios surgen después de que autoridades estadounidenses se negaran a permitir ese pago con recursos del gobierno venezolano.

Colombia’s army rescues 6 siblings hiding from FARC rebels

2026-04-01

Colombia’s army rescued six siblings after they spent three days hiding in the rainforest in Caquetá province to avoid being captured by a rebel group, the Defense Ministry said. Defense Minister Pedro Sánchez said five children and an adult sister were airlifted from a remote location following a “precise operation” involving helicopters.

US formally reopens embassy in Caracas after relations restored

2026-03-31

The U.S. has formally reopened its embassy in Caracas, Venezuela, resuming full diplomatic operations after the Trump administration removed former President Nicolas Maduro. The State Department said the move began Monday, following more than a month of U.S. diplomats working in Caracas from Colombia.

Clowns in Bolivia protest decree limiting school extracurricular events

2026-03-31

Dozens of clowns marched through La Paz on Monday to protest a government decree that would limit extracurricular activities during the school year, threatening their income. The decree, published in February, requires schools to hold 200 days of lessons each year, which clowns said would effectively end school-day events where they are regularly hired.

Colombia honors 69 killed in military plane crash with national mourning

2026-03-28

Colombia held a solemn ceremony in Bogota to honor 69 members of the security forces killed when a military plane crashed shortly after taking off, according to the Associated Press. Survivors of the crash and officials including Gen. Hugo Alejandro López and Defense Minister Pedro Sánchez took part in the national mourning, which began after the accident on Monday. Authorities said they are investigating the cause and have ruled out an armed attack by illegal groups.

Venezuela’s Delcy Rodriguez asks Trump to lift sanctions for investment

2026-03-27

Venezuela’s acting president, Delcy Rodríguez, urged U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday to lift all sanctions against Venezuela, saying partial licenses do not give foreign investors the legal certainty they need for long-term projects. Speaking during a televised event with local and foreign investors at the Miraflores presidential palace in Caracas, Rodríguez argued that easing sanctions only in specific ways still leaves companies exposed.

Slovenia says it has confirmed foreign influence on last weekend's election

2026-03-27

Slovenia’s government said its intelligence agency has “unequivocally confirmed foreign influences” related to last weekend’s parliamentary election. The government said evidence gathered in Slovenia and abroad has been handed to prosecutors and police, without naming the alleged foreign entity.

Juez en NY considera si Venezuela puede pagar defensa de Maduro

2026-03-27

Un juez federal en Nueva York presionó el jueves al gobierno de Donald Trump sobre su argumento para impedir que el gobierno de Venezuela pague los honorarios legales del expresidente Nicolás Maduro y su esposa, Cilia Flores, en un juicio por narcotráfico. El juez Alvin Hellerstein cuestionó por qué ese fundamento seguía vigente tras una distensión parcial entre ambos países, y dijo que el derecho a la defensa es “el derecho constitucional” aplicable.

Judge presses Trump on blocking Venezuela paying Maduro defense fees

2026-03-26

NEW YORK (AP) — A U.S. judge pressed the Trump administration on Thursday about its legal basis for barring Venezuela from paying former President Nicolás Maduro’s court costs in a U.S. drug trafficking case in which he is jailed in Brooklyn. Judge Alvin Hellerstein questioned the government’s argument that allowing the funds would “undermine the sanctions,” after the U.S. and Venezuela have warmed relations.

Latest US strike on alleged drug boat kills 4 in Caribbean Sea

2026-03-26

The U.S. military said it carried out a strike Wednesday on a boat accused of smuggling drugs in the Caribbean Sea, killing four people, as the Trump administration pushes a campaign against suspected traffickers in Latin America. The attack, carried out in coordination with targeting practices in the eastern Pacific and Caribbean, came amid the administration’s ongoing operations tied to the war against Iran, according to the Pentagon and critics.

DEA designa a Petro “objetivo prioritario” mientras fiscales investigan presuntos nexos

2026-03-22

El presidente colombiano Gustavo Petro fue designado por la DEA de Estados Unidos como un “objetivo prioritario”, mientras fiscales federales en Nueva York investigan presuntos vínculos con narcotraficantes, según registros y personas familiarizadas con el asunto vistos por The Associated Press. Horas después de conocerse la noticia, Petro negó cualquier vínculo con narcotraficantes y dijo que su investigación electoral en Colombia no halló “ni un solo peso de narcotraficantes”.

DEA names Colombian president 'priority target' as U.S. probes drug ties

2026-03-21

Colombian President Gustavo Petro has been designated a “priority target” by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, according to records and people familiar with the matter. The designation comes as federal prosecutors in New York probe alleged ties between Petro’s representatives and drug traffickers, including allegations about bribery to block extraditions, the Associated Press reported.

US strikes alleged drug boat off Costa Rica’s Pacific coast, killing 2

2026-03-21

SAN JOSE, Costa Rica — A U.S. strike on a boat suspected of transporting illegal drugs along Costa Rica’s Pacific coast left at least two people dead and one critically injured, Costa Rican authorities said Friday. Costa Rica’s National Coast Guard Operations Center reported it received a shipwreck alert and dispatched a response vessel, while the Costa Rican Judicial Investigation Agency said bodies were handed over to local authorities.

U.S. attack on alleged drug-smuggling boat kills 2, leaves 1 survivor

2026-03-21

A U.S. military attack on an alleged drug-smuggling vessel in the eastern Pacific killed two people and left one survivor, U.S. officials said Friday. The incident prompted U.S. Coast Guard search efforts after the strike, and the Coast Guard said it recovered two dead bodies and one survivor.

Paraguay ratifies Mercosur-EU free trade deal after long negotiations

2026-03-19

Paraguay’s lower house ratified the Mercosur-European Union free trade agreement on Tuesday, making it the final South American country to approve the pact. The European Commission said it will provisionally ratify the deal, which could take effect while European lawmakers’ legal challenge works its way through the European Court of Justice.

Colombia seeks OFAC license to invest in Venezuelan gas and power

2026-03-18

Colombia said it is seeking an exemption from U.S. sanctions to invest in Venezuelan electricity projects and natural gas ventures, a move Colombia said could include reopening a gas pipeline between the neighboring countries. The request would go to the U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control, or OFAC, Colombian Mines and Energy Minister Edwin Palma said Tuesday.

El Salvador’s Bukele backs life sentences in constitutional change

2026-03-18

El Salvador’s Congress approved a constitutional amendment pushed by President Nayib Bukele on Tuesday that would allow life sentences for crimes including murder and rape, according to the Associated Press. The measure won support from 59 of 60 lawmakers and is set to be ratified next week.

Ecuador president denies bombing Colombia amid border tensions

2026-03-16

Ecuador President Daniel Noboa rejected allegations Tuesday that his government bombed targets in neighboring Colombia, saying his forces act only within Ecuador’s territory. The denial came after Colombian President Gustavo Petro accused Ecuador of carrying out attacks across the border and after Colombia showed what it said was an unexploded bomb found near the frontier.

Ugandan opposition leader Bobi Wine says he left the country

2026-03-15

Ugandan opposition leader Bobi Wine said he fled the country to avoid a military search after a disputed presidential election. In a video posted on X on Saturday, Wine said he would leave Uganda for “critical engagements outside Uganda” and would return when the time is right, without disclosing where he is.

Bolsonaro’s kidney function worsens in ICU; pneumonia stabilized, hospital says

2026-03-15

Jair Bolsonaro, a former Brazilian president, has had his kidney function worsen after he was transferred to an intensive care unit in Brasilia, according to a hospital statement. The hospital said his pneumonia was stabilized, and it described his condition as serious but stable while he receives treatment following symptoms that included high fever and low oxygen.

Trinidad and Tobago extends state of emergency for three months

2026-03-15

Trinidad and Tobago’s government has received House of Representatives approval to extend a state of emergency for three months over crime, according to an Associated Press report. The measure, approved late Friday in a 26-12 vote, allows additional powers including arrests and searches without warrants.

U.S. flag raised at Venezuela embassy for first time since 2019

2026-03-15

The American flag was raised Saturday over the U.S. Embassy in Venezuela for the first time since 2019, the U.S. Embassy team said, as relations between Washington and Caracas have shifted under President Nicolás Maduro’s successor. The flag was raised “exactly seven years after it was taken down,” according to a statement shared through the embassy’s social media channels.

Brazil hospital says ex-President Bolsonaro remains in intensive care

2026-03-14

Jair Bolsonaro’s kidney function has improved, but doctors say the former Brazilian president will remain in intensive care because of pneumonia. The hospital in Brasilia said it has given him more antibiotics and that he remains hospitalized while serving a 27-year prison sentence.

Bolsonaro hospitalized with pneumonia in ICU in Brazil, hospital says

2026-03-14

Brazil’s former president Jair Bolsonaro is hospitalized in intensive care in Brasilia with pneumonia, a hospital said Friday. The hospital said doctors found bronchopneumonia likely caused by aspiration, and that he was receiving intravenous antibiotics and non-invasive clinical support.

Colombia cancels Petro-Delcy meeting at border after Venezuela cites force majeure

2026-03-14

The Colombian government said a planned Friday meeting between Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro and Venezuela’s interim president Delcy Rodríguez at the international Atanasio Girardot bridge was canceled. Venezuela’s government later said the meeting would not take place Friday due to “force majeure” and that the two sides would postpone it to a later date.

Families of Colombians detained in Venezuela wait as meeting is canceled

2026-03-14

Javier Giraldo arrived Friday at the Atanasio Girardot Binational Bridge between Colombia and Venezuela hoping to display a sign asking for his father’s release from a Venezuelan prison. Instead, Colombian President Gustavo Petro and Venezuelan acting President Delcy Rodríguez canceled a scheduled meeting late Thursday, dashing hopes for a handover at the border.

Families of Colombian detainees lose hope after Petro‑Rodríguez meeting is canceled

2026-03-14

Javier Giraldo travelled to the Atanasio Girardot Binational Bridge on Friday hoping to display a sign pleading for his father’s release from a Venezuelan prison, only to learn that the scheduled meeting between Colombian President Gustavo Petro and Venezuelan Acting President Delcy Rodríguez had been abruptly called off. The cancellation shattered the expectations of dozens of families whose relatives remain detained in Venezuela, renewing worries that diplomatic progress on the issue is stalled.

Families of Colombian Prisoners in Venezuela Lose Hope After Canceled Meeting

2026-03-14

Javier Giraldo arrived at the international bridge between Colombia and Venezuela on Friday hoping to display a sign requesting his father’s release during a meeting between the two countries’ presidents. But the meeting between Colombian President Gustavo Petro and Venezuelan acting President Delcy Rodríguez was abruptly canceled, dashing the families’ hopes once again.

Machado calls Trump a “fundamental ally” despite U.S. backing Delcy Rodríguez

2026-03-13

Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado said the Trump administration remains a “fundamental ally” for Venezuela’s democratic transition, even as Washington has endorsed acting President Delcy Rodríguez. Speaking in Santiago, Chile, Machado laid out a U.S.-linked roadmap that she said includes “three phases” and also addressed the displacement of Venezuelans in the region.

Machado calls Trump a "fundamental ally" as U.S. backs Delcy Rodríguez

2026-03-13

Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado said Thursday that the Trump administration remains a “fundamental ally” for Venezuela’s democratic transition, even as the United States has supported acting President Delcy Rodríguez as the country’s legitimate president. Speaking in Santiago, Chile, Machado also said the U.S. is a partner and described a U.S.-backed road map that, she said, includes “three phases.”

Venezuela, Colombia cancel presidents’ meeting citing “force majeure”

2026-03-13

Venezuela and Colombia abruptly canceled a planned meeting between their presidents, with the governments citing “force majeure,” according to a joint statement released by Venezuela’s Foreign Affairs Ministry on Thursday. The meeting had been scheduled for the following day at their shared border, and would have been Venezuelan acting President Delcy Rodríguez’s first official meeting with a Latin American leader since she was sworn in in January.

José Antonio Kast sworn in as Chile president in sharp rightward shift

2026-03-12

José Antonio Kast was sworn in as Chile’s president Wednesday in a ceremony at the National Congress in Valparaíso, with dozens of heads of state attending. In his first speech as president, Kast pledged an “emergency government” focused on combating crime and irregular migration.

ICC drops investigation into U.S. sanctions on Venezuela

2026-03-11

The International Criminal Court said prosecutors have dropped an investigation into whether U.S. sanctions on Venezuela amounted to crimes against humanity. Prosecutors said there was not enough evidence of the “necessary intent” to pursue criminal charges, though they said sanctions may have exacerbated an “existing dire humanitarian situation.”

Venezuelan lawmakers begin debate on mining bill to attract investors

2026-03-10

Venezuelan lawmakers began debating a bill proposed by acting President Delcy Rodríguez to regulate the country’s mining industry and create conditions aimed at attracting foreign investment, including investors seeking safeguards after past expropriations. The debate started Monday in Caracas after Rodríguez announced the measure last week during a visit by U.S. Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum.

Paraguay lawmakers approve SOFA deal expanding U.S. military presence

2026-03-09

Paraguay lawmakers on Tuesday approved a U.S.-Paraguay Status of Forces Agreement, allowing temporary U.S. military and civilian personnel to be present in Paraguay. The Chamber of Deputies vote passed the deal with 53 lawmakers in favor, eight against, four abstentions, and 15 absent, and it awaits President Santiago Peña’s signature to take effect. The agreement sets a legal framework for training, joint exercises and humanitarian assistance, and it would give the United States criminal jurisdiction over its personnel while in Paraguay.

U.S. licenses Venezuelan gold trade, barring Russia, Iran, North Korea and Cuba

2026-03-06

The U.S. issued a license Friday authorizing dealings with Minerven, Venezuela's state-owned gold mining company, as Interior Secretary Doug Burgum concluded a visit to Caracas where he met with acting President Delcy Rodríguez and representatives of more than two dozen American mining and minerals companies, the Associated Press reported.

American Airlines approved to resume flights to Venezuela

2026-03-05

American Airlines said it has received approval to resume regular flights to Venezuela, becoming the first U.S. airline to restart service there. The airline, which suspended Venezuela flights in 2019, said the company plans to restore scheduling after the U.S. government cleared the way while the State Department continues to warn Americans against travel to Venezuela.

Argentine officer Nahuel Gallo urges release of 24 foreign prisoners in Venezuela

2026-03-05

Argentine police officer Nahuel Gallo, freed from a Venezuelan prison after 448 days in detention, urged the international community on March 4 to seek the release of 24 foreign nationals still held at Rodeo I. Gallo said his “mind is still in prison” and called for patience as he prepares to testify in an Argentina investigation into alleged crimes against humanity attributed to the government of former President Nicolás Maduro.

Venezuela pledges security for foreign mining investors, Burgum says

2026-03-05

U.S. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said Thursday that Venezuela's government has pledged to protect foreign companies seeking to invest in the country's mineral sector, concluding a two-day visit to Caracas that advanced the Trump administration's effort to build alternative critical-mineral supplies as competition with China over key raw materials continues. Burgum said acting President Delcy Rodríguez acknowledged concerns about security risks in areas long controlled by guerrillas, criminal gangs and military officials who profit from illegal extraction.

Burgum meets Venezuela's Rodríguez in Caracas to discuss mining investment

2026-03-05

U.S. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum met Wednesday with Venezuelan acting President Delcy Rodríguez in Caracas, leading representatives of more than two dozen American mining and energy companies in talks aimed at opening Venezuela's substantial mineral reserves to U.S. investment. Rodríguez announced she would introduce legislation to overhaul the country's mining law to attract foreign capital, calling the expected change "a win for the social well-being of our people."

Trinidad and Tobago declares new state of emergency as violence persists

2026-03-04

Trinidad and Tobago declared a new state of emergency Tuesday, about a month after the previous one ended, as authorities cited persistent violent crime. Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar said the National Security Council identified attacks planned against law enforcement, a move she said would allow additional powers including arrests and searches without warrants.

St. Vincent leader says Caribbean will talk with U.S. about boat strikes

2026-03-04

Prime Minister Godwin Friday of St. Vincent and the Grenadines said his government did not authorize deadly U.S. strikes on an alleged drug boat in local waters that killed three people. Friday said his administration learned of the Feb. 13 strike through social media and online reports.

Trial begins for Argentine navy officers over ARA San Juan sinking

2026-03-04

The trial of four former high-ranking Argentine navy officers began Tuesday in a court in Santa Cruz province over their alleged responsibility for the 2017 sinking of the submarine ARA San Juan, which killed all 44 crew members. Prosecutors say the officers faced charges including dereliction of duty and aggravated negligent destruction, and the defendants maintain their innocence.

Venezuela opposition leader Machado says she will return in coming weeks

2026-03-02

CARACAS, Venezuela — Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado said on Sunday she will return to Venezuela in the coming weeks, adding that elections will be held in the South American country. In a message shared on social media, Machado said one of her objectives would be to prepare for “a new and gigantic electoral victory” and called on supporters to strengthen unity begun with the 2023 primaries.

Bolsonaro supporters rally in Brazil as election fight turns to Flávio

2026-03-02

Thousands of supporters of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro demonstrated across cities in Brazil on Sunday, rallying against President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva ahead of October elections. The marches, organized around Bolsonaro family figures, included calls to “Free Bolsonaro” and criticism of Brazil’s Supreme Court.

Freed Venezuelan politician Enrique Márquez urges unity after Maduro’s ouster

2026-02-28

Venezuelan politician Enrique Márquez, released from prison earlier this month after years of detention following his challenge to the 2024 election, urged political rivals on Friday to work together for the country’s recovery. Márquez called on the opposition and the ruling party to “lock up egos in a drawer” during a news conference, days after he appeared in the days after President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address. The former presidential hopeful was detained in January 2025 and later received amnesty after interim President Delcy Rodríguez signed an amnesty measure into law.

Maduro asks judge to toss indictment over blocked defense fee funds

2026-02-28

The lawyer for deposed Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro asked a judge in Manhattan federal court on Thursday to throw out the indictment against him, arguing U.S. sanctions have blocked access to funds needed to pay his legal team. Attorney Barry Pollack said the U.S. government has violated Maduro’s due process rights by preventing Venezuelan funds from being used for his defense.

US files complaint to take ownership of Venezuela-linked sanctioned tanker

2026-02-27

The Justice Department has filed a complaint to legally take ownership of the sanctioned oil tanker Skipper and nearly 2 million barrels of oil seized off Venezuela in December, marking the first step in a U.S. court process to permanently control the vessel and cargo. Attorney General Pam Bondi said the case is part of the Trump administration’s effort to dismantle operations tied to illicit oil shipments involving Iran and Venezuela.

Uruguay and Argentina ratify EU-Mercosur free trade agreement

2026-02-27

Uruguay and Argentina ratified a free-trade agreement with the European Union, becoming the first two founding members of Mercosur to do so. Uruguay approved the pact in its lower house by a 91-2 vote, and Argentina’s Senate followed with a 69-3 vote.

Venezuela says 3,200 released under amnesty law; rights group disputes

2026-02-25

Venezuela’s National Assembly-appointed commission said more than 3,200 people have been fully released since an amnesty law took effect four days ago, following the capture of then-President Nicolás Maduro on Jan. 3. Lawmaker Jorge Arreaza said the government has received 4,203 applications for the program and that 3,052 people previously under house arrest or other restrictive measures and 179 people in prison were granted full freedom.

U.S. military boards third sanctioned tanker in Indian Ocean

2026-02-24

The U.S. military boarded a third sanctioned oil tanker in the Indian Ocean after tracking it from the Caribbean Sea, the Pentagon said Tuesday. The Pentagon said U.S. forces boarded the tanker Bertha overnight, calling it a maritime interdiction and boarding operation under a quarantine of sanctioned vessels in the Caribbean.

Rubio to visit St. Kitts for CARICOM summit amid West Hemisphere focus

2026-02-22

Secretary of State Marco Rubio plans a one-day trip to St. Kitts and Nevis this week to take part in a Caribbean Community summit, a State Department statement said. The visit comes about a month after a U.S. operation removed then-Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro from power, as the administration shifts attention between the Middle East and the Western Hemisphere.

Venezuela releases 16 prisoners as government claims hundreds more

2026-02-22

Venezuela released 16 political prisoners verified by a local rights group, but the government said it was processing 1,557 applications under a new amnesty law and that hundreds of people were already being freed. The releases announced Sunday represent the first confirmed group freed since acting President Delcy Rodríguez signed the amnesty measure Thursday, following the capture of former President Nicolás Maduro in a U.S. military operation last month.

Venezuela begins releasing political prisoners under amnesty law

2026-02-21

Venezuelan authorities said Saturday that at least 1,557 people detained for political reasons have submitted applications under an amnesty law signed this week, with hundreds already being released. The amnesty marks a reversal for Venezuelan authorities, who have long denied holding any political prisoners. The measure follows the January capture of then-President Nicolás Maduro in a U.S. military raid.

Venezuela signs amnesty law amid skepticism from opposition

2026-02-20

Venezuela's acting President Delcy Rodríguez signed an amnesty law on Thursday, marking a major policy shift following last month's U.S. military raid that captured then-President Nicolás Maduro. The law is expected to free hundreds of political activists and human rights defenders detained during the government's 27-year tenure. But the measure drew a muted reception from opposition members, prisoners' rights groups, and families of those still detained, who said the amnesty falls short of demands and excludes some of those most in need of release. Military members are notably excluded from the measure.

Fishermen in eastern Caribbean fear for their lives after U.S. strike

2026-02-19

Fishermen in the eastern Caribbean said they fear for their safety after a U.S. military strike killed three people aboard a boat the U.S. said was suspected of carrying drugs. In St. Vincent and the Grenadines, the president of the National Fisherfolk Organization urged fishermen to take precautions while sea conditions and visibility complicate identification of other vessels.

Peru Congress elects José María Balcázar as interim president

2026-02-19

Peru’s Congress late Wednesday elected former judge José María Balcázar as the country’s interim president, replacing another interim leader ousted the day before over corruption allegations. Balcázar, 83 and affiliated with the leftist Perú Libre party, was sworn in after the vote and is set to govern for about five months ahead of elections on April 12.

Peru Congress removes interim President José Jerí ahead of April election

2026-02-18

Peru’s Congress voted on Tuesday to remove interim President José Jerí from office, setting off another reshuffling of the country’s top leadership weeks before a presidential election. Lawmakers are expected to elect a new interim president Wednesday night to serve through the April 12 election and until the elected president is sworn in on July 28.

Strikes on 3 alleged drug boats leave 11 dead, U.S. military says

2026-02-18

The U.S. military said it carried out strikes on three boats accused of smuggling drugs in Latin American waters, killing 11 people. The strikes carried out Monday brought the death toll from the administration’s campaign against alleged traffickers using small vessels to at least 145 since it began targeting those it calls “narcoterrorists” in early September, the military said.

Colombia to resume peace talks with Gulf Clan after suspension

2026-02-18

Colombia will resume peace talks with the Gulf Clan armed group, the government said Tuesday, two weeks after negotiations were suspended. A joint statement said the suspension had been “overcome” following meetings between the delegations facilitated by the Catholic Church and partner governments.

Petro agrees to ELN proposal for drug-ties probe commission

2026-02-16

Colombian President Gustavo Petro said Sunday he would accept a proposal from the ELN to allow an independent commission to investigate the rebels’ alleged links to drug trafficking. The proposal came from ELN leader Antonio Garcia in a video posted Jan. 20.

DEA set to return to Bolivia as US revives anti-drug coordination

2026-02-14

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration has resumed intelligence coordination with Bolivia, a senior Bolivian official said, restarting a sensitive relationship nearly 20 years after former President Evo Morales expelled DEA anti-drug agents. The move comes as President Rodrigo Paz, who took office last November, restores full diplomatic ties with Washington and Bolivian officials negotiate the terms of the DEA’s renewed presence.

US ships medicine to Venezuela in gesture of renewed cooperation

2026-02-14

A shipment of medicine and medical supplies from the United States arrived in Venezuela on Friday, signaling what U.S. officials described as a new spirit of cooperation between the two countries. Laura Dogu, the U.S. diplomat in Venezuela, and Venezuelan diplomat Félix Plasencia received the delivery at an airport outside Caracas.

Trump tells Fort Bragg Maduro raid showed U.S. is “feared” by enemies

2026-02-13

President Donald Trump visited Fort Bragg in North Carolina on Feb. 13, telling troops and their families that a recent U.S. operation that removed Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro showed the “full military might” of the United States and that “we are feared” by adversaries. Trump also said he planned to award a Medal of Honor to “one person” involved in the Jan. 3 raid.

U.S. military reports Marine death and separate Caribbean ship collision

2026-02-13

The U.S. military reported a Marine died after falling overboard from the USS Iwo Jima and said two sailors sustained minor injuries in a separate collision between two Navy ships in the Caribbean. The incidents were reported as the United States maintains an expanded military presence in the region, the Marine Corps and U.S. Southern Command said.

Venezuelan prisoners’ relatives begin hunger strike demanding releases

2026-02-13

Relatives of Venezuelan prisoners began a hunger strike on Saturday demanding the quick release of dissidents held at a Caracas detention center known as Zona 7. The relatives’ Committee for the Freedom of Political Prisoners said the strike involves 10 people and would continue until the government frees all 33 political prisoners that the group estimates remain at the facility.

U.S. shuts DEA office in Dominican Republic amid visa-probe arrest

2026-02-13

A U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration office in the Dominican Republic has been shuttered by the U.S. ambassador, after a DEA supervisor was arrested in an investigation tied to alleged abuse of a U.S. visa program for confidential informants, according to two U.S. officials. The case also prompted Homeland Security to lead an investigation in which the supervisor, identified as Melitón Cordero, was taken into custody, the officials said on Thursday.

US military reports Marine death, separate collision between Navy ships

2026-02-12

The U.S. military reported Thursday a Marine who died after falling overboard during operations in the Caribbean and a separate collision between two Navy ships in the region. The Marine Corps said the Marine was declared dead Tuesday, after a five-day search led by Navy ships and aircraft. In a separate incident, the Southern Command said two sailors reported minor injuries and both ships were able to continue sailing safely.

Energy Secretary Chris Wright visits Venezuela to assess oil overhaul

2026-02-12

U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright arrived in Venezuela on Wednesday to assess changes to the country’s oil sector, according to a report from Caracas. Wright met acting President Delcy Rodríguez at the Miraflores presidential palace and said he carried a message from President Donald Trump about transforming U.S.-Venezuela relations.

Argentine Senate gives initial approval to Milei’s divisive labor law

2026-02-12

Argentina’s Senate early Thursday gave its overall approval to President Javier Milei’s labor overhaul after hours of debate, according to the Associated Press. The vote came as thousands of workers backed by powerful trade unions protested outside Congress in downtown Buenos Aires.

US energy secretary visits Venezuela to assess oil overhaul, signals shifting sanctions

2026-02-11

United States Energy Secretary Chris Wright arrived in Venezuela on Wednesday for a firsthand assessment of changes aimed at overhauling the country’s oil industry. Wright met with Venezuela’s acting President Delcy Rodríguez in Caracas and said he brought “a message from President Trump” about transforming ties between the two countries.

Venezuelan opposition ally Guanipa returned to house arrest after release

2026-02-11

Venezuelan opposition politician Juan Pablo Guanipa, a close ally of opposition leader María Corina Machado, was placed under house arrest after his family said he was released from prison two days earlier. His son, Ramón Guanipa, said armed men intercepted him and other opposition figures hours after a Sunday release that came as Venezuela’s acting President Delcy Rodríguez faced international and domestic pressure to free political detainees.

Biden pardoned Alex Saab again targeted by U.S. criminal probe

2026-02-11

Less than three years after President Joe Biden pardoned Alex Saab, a close ally of Venezuela’s former President Nicolás Maduro, the Justice Department is once again investigating the businessman, according to two former law enforcement officials who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity. Federal prosecutors have been examining Saab’s alleged role in a bribery conspiracy involving Venezuelan government contracts tied to imports of food staples under Maduro’s CLAP program.

Colombia’s Petro asks top court to lift tax decree freeze amid floods

2026-02-11

Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro asked the country’s highest court to lift a suspension of an economic emergency decree that would let his government raise taxes without congressional approval, as floods in northern provinces killed at least 14 and displaced about 69,000 people.

Colombian prosecutors move to charge Ecopetrol president Ricardo Roa

2026-02-11

The Colombian Attorney General’s Office said it will file corruption charges against Ricardo Roa, the president of state-run oil company Ecopetrol, over conduct prosecutors say dates to his role as campaign manager for President Gustavo Petro. Prosecutors also said Roa will face an influence-peddling case tied to Ecopetrol contracts.

Recently released Machado ally faces arrest again in Venezuela

2026-02-10

Venezuela’s top prosecutor ordered the arrest of opposition leader María Corina Machado’s ally Juan Pablo Guanipa hours after he was released from detention, according to authorities and relatives. The attorney general’s office said it asked a court to revoke the precautionary measure that had governed Guanipa’s release and sought house arrest. Juan Pablo Guanipa’s son, Ramón Guanipa, said armed men intercepted his father after their release from a Caracas facility late Sunday.

Pentagon boards sanctioned oil tanker in Indian Ocean after Caribbean chase

2026-02-10

U.S. military forces boarded a sanctioned oil tanker in the Indian Ocean, after tracking the ship from the Caribbean Sea as part of an oil quarantine aimed at pressuring Venezuela, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Monday. The boarded vessel, the Pentagon said, was operating in defiance of President Donald Trump’s quarantine of sanctioned tankers in the Caribbean.

Venezuelan leaders’ spiritual ties include Indian guru Sathya Sai Baba

2026-02-08

Venezuelan acting President Delcy Rodríguez and ousted President Nicolás Maduro have publicly expressed reverence for Indian spiritual leader Sathya Sai Baba, according to interviews, social media posts and accounts of Rodríguez’s visits. The links come amid Rodríguez’s succession after Maduro’s Jan. 3 capture by U.S. forces, which led to federal drug trafficking charges. Both politicians, raised Catholic, have cited Sai Baba’s teachings in language tied to love, peace and spiritual oneness.

Venezuela releases jailed opposition as acting President faces pressure

2026-02-07

Venezuela’s government on Sunday released several prominent opposition members from prison, including Juan Pablo Guanipa, a close ally of Nobel Peace Prize laureate María Corina Machado. The moves come as acting President Delcy Rodríguez faces growing pressure to free hundreds of people detained over their political activities and after a visit to Venezuela by U.N. human-rights officials.

Venezuela advances amnesty bill that could expand political prisoner releases

2026-02-06

Venezuela’s legislature has advanced an amnesty bill proposed by acting President Delcy Rodríguez that, if approved and signed, could lead to the release of hundreds of people detained for political reasons, including opposition leaders, journalists and human rights activists. The bill must still undergo a second debate and the text has not been released publicly, prompting rights groups to call for more details before any final vote.

Argentina asks U.S. to extradite Maduro for crimes against humanity

2026-02-05

An Argentine judge has requested the extradition of former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro from the United States over alleged crimes against humanity tied to a crackdown during his presidency, according to a warrant signed this week. The U.S. is also pursuing federal criminal charges against Maduro in Brooklyn, where he is awaiting trial alongside his wife, Cilia Flores, after the U.S. captured him last month.

Trump praises Colombia’s Petro as “terrific” after White House meeting

2026-02-03

President Donald Trump met with Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro at the White House on Tuesday and praised Petro as “terrific,” describing a cordial shift after weeks of harsh exchanges. In post-meeting remarks, Trump downplayed his earlier criticisms and said Petro and he were not “exactly the best of friends,” while Petro said the talks centered on “freedom.”

Absence of Evo Morales in Bolivia stokes rumors amid right-left tensions

2026-02-03

Bolivia’s former socialist president Evo Morales has been missing from public view for nearly a month, days after the Jan. 3 U.S. seizure of his close ally former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Morales’ supporters and rivals have reacted as he skipped scheduled appearances, his radio show and social media activity slowed, and associates cited dengue fever while declining other details.

Venezuela frees jailed activist Javier Tarazona in amnesty move

2026-02-02

Venezuelan human rights activist Javier Tarazona, an ally of opposition leader María Corina Machado, was released from prison Sunday after the government promised to free political prisoners in an amnesty bill, rights groups and family members said. Tarazona, director of FundaRedes, was arrested in July 2021.

Venezuela acting president signs oil overhaul that eases state control

2026-01-30

Venezuela’s acting President Delcy Rodríguez signed a law Thursday that overhauls the country’s oil industry, reversing long-standing state control to allow private companies to manage production and sales. The move came after the National Assembly approved the bill and as the U.S. Treasury began easing sanctions on Venezuelan oil.

Trump says he will reopen Venezuelan airspace for commercial travel

2026-01-30

President Donald Trump said he has directed the United States to reopen all commercial airspace over Venezuela and that Americans could travel there “very shortly.” He also said he told his transportation secretary and U.S. military leaders to take steps to make the change by the end of the day. The State Department continued to warn Americans not to travel to Venezuela, while at least one U.S. airline said it expects to resume direct flights.

Rubio backs Trump on Venezuela and eases fears over Greenland, NATO

2026-01-29

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended President Donald Trump’s military operation targeting Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on Wednesday. Rubio also sought to calm concerns among lawmakers about Trump’s Greenland and NATO remarks, and addressed questions about Iran, China and the administration’s approach in the Western Hemisphere.

Latin American leaders call for unity at Panama forum

2026-01-29

Latin American leaders meeting in Panama City for a regional development forum called for unity as political polarization deepens and as the U.S. takes actions they say are worsening divisions in the region. Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States, or CELAC, has “not been capable of producing even a single declaration” against illegal military interventions affecting the region.

Rubio says U.S. will oversee Venezuela oil-sale proceeds under sanctions

2026-01-29

Secretary of State Marco Rubio told a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing that the Trump administration soon will allow Venezuela to sell some oil currently subject to U.S. sanctions, with revenue initially earmarked for basic government services and placed under U.S. oversight. Rubio said the United States would control the dispersal of the money through Treasury, while Venezuela’s interim leaders would submit monthly budgets for funding needs.

Families of boat-strike victims sue Trump administration

2026-01-27

Families of two Trinidadian fishermen killed in a Trump administration boat strike last October sued the federal government on Tuesday, calling the attack a war crime and part of an "unprecedented and manifestly unlawful U.S. military campaign." The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Massachusetts, is the first wrongful death case challenging the legality of strikes the administration has launched on boats in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean since September. The Trump administration has defended the strikes as necessary to stem drug trafficking into the United States.

US takes first steps to reopen Venezuela embassy after Maduro ouster

2026-01-27

The Trump administration has notified Congress of plans to reopen the U.S. Embassy in Venezuela, marking the first formal step toward restoring diplomatic relations following the military operation that ousted President Nicolás Maduro in early January. The State Department said it will deploy temporary staffers to conduct "select" diplomatic functions while the existing embassy compound is brought up to standard.

U.S. military says death toll from Venezuela boat strikes is 126

2026-01-27

The U.S. military says the death toll from American strikes on alleged drug boats is up to 126 people, including those presumed dead after being lost at sea. The updated figure includes 116 people killed immediately in at least 36 attacks since early September in the Caribbean and the eastern Pacific, the U.S. military said.

Death toll from U.S. strikes on alleged drug boats reaches 126

2026-01-26

The death toll from U.S. military strikes on alleged drug boats has reached 126 people, the U.S. military confirmed Monday. The figure includes 116 people killed in at least 36 attacks since early September in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean, plus 10 others presumed dead after searches did not locate them, U.S. Southern Command said.

Venezuela releases 266 prisoners as 600+ remain detained

2026-01-26

Venezuela's acting government released 266 prisoners since January 8 under newly installed president Delcy Rodríguez, as the country responds to U.S. pressure to free dissidents jailed by ousted leader Nicolás Maduro. More than 100 prisoners were freed over the past two days, according to Foro Penal, a prisoner-rights organization.

Trump discloses secret weapon in Venezuela operation, targets cartels

2026-01-25

President Donald Trump said in a Friday interview that the U.S. employed a secret weapon he called "The Discombobulator" to disable Venezuelan military equipment during the operation that captured Nicolás Maduro. Speaking to the New York Post, Trump claimed the weapon prevented Venezuelan forces from launching Russian and Chinese rockets and said "they pressed buttons and nothing worked." Trump also renewed threats to conduct military strikes against drug cartels, saying the U.S. could extend operations from South America into Mexico and Central America. "Could be anywhere," he said when asked if strikes could occur in Mexico or Central America. The comments came days after the U.S. carried out a strike Friday on an alleged drug-trafficking boat in the eastern Pacific Ocean, the first such action since Maduro's capture in early January.

U.S. military strikes alleged drug boat in first attack since Maduro's capture

2026-01-23

The U.S. military carried out a deadly strike Friday on a vessel in the eastern Pacific Ocean accused of drug trafficking, the first known attack since a raid that captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro earlier this month. The strike killed two people and left one survivor, according to U.S. Southern Command. The Coast Guard launched search and rescue operations for the survivor.

Fifth Circuit examines Trump's use of 1798 law against gang members

2026-01-22

A federal appeals court heard arguments Thursday on whether President Donald Trump can invoke a law written in 1798 to deport members of a Venezuelan criminal gang. All 17 judges of the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans examined whether the Alien Enemies Act — a wartime statute never before used against a criminal organization — applies to Tren de Aragua.

House Republicans hold line in Venezuela war powers vote

2026-01-22

The House rejected a Democratic-backed resolution Thursday that would have prevented President Donald Trump from sending military forces to Venezuela, with the vote ending in a tie—short of the majority needed for passage. Republican leaders held the vote open for more than 20 minutes while Rep. Wesley Hunt rushed back from a Texas campaign trip to cast the decisive vote against the measure. The narrow outcome reflects growing tensions in the GOP-controlled Congress over Trump's aggressive foreign policy in the Western Hemisphere.

Venezuela advances oil reform allowing private company investment

2026-01-22

Venezuela's legislature gave initial approval Thursday to a bill that would loosen decades of state control over the country's vast oil sector, opening the door to private companies operating fields independently and settling disputes in international courts. The bill represents the first major overhaul of the oil industry since late socialist leader Hugo Chávez nationalized portions of it in 2007. The measure follows intense pressure from the Trump administration, which has pushed the government of acting President Delcy Rodríguez to invite greater investment from U.S. energy companies in Venezuela's flagging oil industry.

U.S. seizes seventh sanctioned oil tanker linked to Venezuela

2026-01-21

U.S. military forces boarded and took control of a seventh oil tanker connected with Venezuela on Tuesday, the U.S. Southern Command said, part of the Trump administration’s effort to take control of the South American country’s oil. The Command said forces apprehended the Liberian-flagged Motor Vessel Sagitta “without incident,” and said the tanker was operating in defiance of President Donald Trump’s “established quarantine of sanctioned vessels in the Caribbean.”

Families demand release of nearly 800 Venezuelan prisoners

2026-01-21

Venezuelan prisoners’ families demanded the release of nearly 800 people still detained, calling for the government to move beyond a limited set of releases. The appeals came Tuesday as relatives waited outside prisons in Caracas after President Nicolás Maduro’s successor announced a “significant number” would be freed.

Venezuela opposition leader’s son-in-law freed after 380 days in detention

2026-01-21

Venezuela’s interim authorities released Rafael Tudares Bracho, the son-in-law of opposition figure Edmundo González, after 380 days in detention, his wife said Thursday. Mariana González said he had returned home following more than a year of incommunicado detention, and she described the imprisonment as “unjust and arbitrary.”

US military seizes seventh Venezuelan oil tanker

2026-01-20

U.S. military forces seized the Motor Vessel Sagitta on Tuesday, a seventh oil tanker connected to Venezuela, as the Trump administration consolidates control over Venezuela's oil production following the January 3 ouster of President Nicolás Maduro. U.S. Southern Command said the seizure occurred "without incident." The command stated the tanker was operating in violation of the Trump administration's "established quarantine of sanctioned vessels in the Caribbean."

Venezuela's acting President Delcy Rodríguez was DEA 'priority' target

2026-01-18

Donald Trump’s announcement of Nicolás Maduro’s capture as a first step toward drug-trafficking charges in the United States cast Venezuela’s acting president, Delcy Rodríguez, as a potential partner. But the Associated Press reported that U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration records show Rodríguez has been on the agency’s radar for years, including being labeled a “priority target” in 2022. AP said the files date to at least 2018 and include allegations and named associates that U.S. authorities have not publicly charged Rodríguez over.

DEA target status for Delcy Rodríguez dating to 2022

2026-01-18

The Associated Press reported that U.S. drug enforcement records dating back at least to 2018 show Delcy Rodríguez, a Venezuelan interim president and former vice president, has been under scrutiny by the Drug Enforcement Administration for years. The report said the DEA labeled her a “priority target” in 2022 and that the agency has tracked allegations that range from drug trafficking to gold smuggling.

FAA issues 60-day caution alerts for flights over eastern Pacific

2026-01-18

The FAA on Friday urged U.S. aircraft operators to “exercise caution” when flying over the eastern Pacific Ocean near Mexico, Central America and parts of South America, citing “military activities” and possible satellite navigation interference. The warning was issued in Notices to Airmen, or NOTAMs, that warn of potential risks at all altitudes for aircraft during overflight as well as arrival and departure phases of flight.

Venezuelan opposition leader Machado says she expects an orderly democratic transition

2026-01-17

Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado said Friday she is “profoundly, profoundly confident” that her country will have an “orderly transition” to democracy. She spoke at the Heritage Foundation in Washington after meeting with President Donald Trump, an interaction that comes as the U.S. backs acting Venezuelan President Delcy Rodríguez for now.

Venezuela's acting president was DEA 'priority target' in 2022

2026-01-17

Venezuela's acting President Delcy Rodríguez was labeled a "priority target" by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration in 2022 — a designation the DEA reserves for suspects believed to have a "significant impact" on the drug trade — according to records obtained by The Associated Press and more than a half-dozen current and former U.S. law enforcement officials. The DEA has maintained an intelligence file on Rodríguez dating to at least 2018, cataloging alleged associates and allegations ranging from drug trafficking to gold smuggling, the records show. The U.S. government has never publicly accused Rodríguez of criminal wrongdoing, and she is not among the Venezuelan officials charged with drug trafficking alongside ousted President Nicolás Maduro.

Trump pardons repeat fraudster, former governor linked to $3.5M super PAC donor

2026-01-17

President Donald Trump issued 13 pardons and eight commutations Thursday, including one for a woman convicted of fraud in two separate federal schemes — the first under a sentence Trump himself had commuted in 2021 — and another for a former Puerto Rico governor whose case involves a Venezuelan banker whose daughter donated $3.5 million to Trump's MAGA Inc. super PAC. A 14th pardon was announced Friday for a health care executive sentenced to 42 months in prison for insider trading.

FAA warns pilots of military hazards over eastern Pacific near Latin America

2026-01-17

The Federal Aviation Administration on Friday issued a series of advisories urging U.S. aircraft operators to "exercise caution" when flying over the eastern Pacific Ocean near Mexico, Central America, and parts of South America. The agency cited "military activities" and possible satellite navigation interference. The 60-day alerts warn that "potential risks exist for aircraft at all altitudes, including during overflight and the arrival and departure phases of flight."

DEA labeled Venezuela's acting president a priority drug target in 2022, AP documents show

2026-01-17

The Drug Enforcement Administration labeled Delcy Rodríguez, now Venezuela's acting president, a "priority target" in 2022 — a designation the agency reserves for suspects believed to have significant impact on drug trafficking — according to documents obtained by The Associated Press and statements from more than half a dozen current and former U.S. law enforcement officials. The disclosure comes as President Donald Trump has positioned Rodríguez as Washington's preferred partner for stabilizing Venezuela following the capture of Nicolás Maduro.

231 Venezuelan migrants deported from US arrive in Caracas

2026-01-17

A first flight carrying 231 Venezuelan migrants deported from the U.S. city of Phoenix arrived at an airport outside Caracas on Friday, after Washington captured former President Nicolás Maduro and moved him to New York to face drug trafficking charges, according to Venezuelan officials. The Eastern Airlines plane marked the resumption of direct deportation air transfers after the U.S. suspended them in mid-December, the Associated Press reported.

Venezuelan opposition leader Machado gave Nobel medal to Trump

2026-01-17

Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado said she handed her Nobel Peace Prize medal to U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House on Thursday, after Trump publicly questioned her credibility. The Nobel Institute has said Machado could not give the award to Trump.

CIA director Ratcliffe meets Venezuela's acting president Rodríguez in Caracas

2026-01-17

CIA Director John Ratcliffe traveled to Caracas on Thursday and met for two hours with Venezuelan acting President Delcy Rodríguez, becoming the highest-ranking Trump administration official to visit the South American country since a U.S. military operation captured former leader Nicolás Maduro roughly two weeks ago, according to a U.S. government official who was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. The meeting came at the urging of President Donald Trump and was intended to demonstrate U.S. desire for a better relationship with Venezuela, the official said. It occurred the same day Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado presented her Nobel Peace Prize medal to Trump at the White House, even as he has effectively sidelined her.

Machado expresses confidence in Venezuelan democracy transition but offers no timetable

2026-01-16

Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado said Friday she is "profoundly, profoundly confident" that Venezuela will achieve a democratic transition, but she declined to set a timetable for free elections and would not say when she planned to return home. Machado spoke at the Heritage Foundation in Washington one day after presenting her Nobel Peace Prize medal to President Donald Trump at the White House, a gesture that underscored the constrained position she occupies as Trump's administration backs a Maduro loyalist over her opposition movement.

Cuba repatriates remains of 32 officers killed in Venezuela raid

2026-01-16

Cuban officials on Thursday repatriated the remains of 32 officers killed during a Jan. 3 raid tied to Venezuela President Nicolás Maduro, staging a mass funeral in Havana as the U.S. threat remains a central theme in Cuban messaging. The ceremonies took place at Havana’s airport and at the headquarters of the Ministry of the Armed Forces, where urns were placed on a table beside pictures of those killed.

Delcy Rodríguez urges opening Venezuela oil to foreign investment and diplomacy

2026-01-16

Venezuela’s acting President Delcy Rodríguez used her first state-of-the-union message on Thursday to urge opening the state-run oil industry to more foreign investment and to pursue warmer ties with the United States. In a 44-minute speech in Caracas, she also called for faster approval of oil-sector reforms tied to foreign firms’ access to Venezuela’s reserves. The remarks came less than two weeks after the U.S. captured and toppled former President Nicolás Maduro, according to the Associated Press report.

Lawmakers grill general on U.S. Latin America presence in hearing

2026-01-16

U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Francis Donovan, nominated to lead U.S. Southern Command, told the Senate Armed Service Committee on Thursday that he is ready to oversee an expanded U.S. military presence in Latin America but does not know how long it will last. Lawmakers questioned how the administration plans to run the Southern Command amid a campaign that culminated with Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro’s capture, and they also grilled another nominee for the National Security Agency.

Machado says she presented her Nobel Peace Prize medal to Trump

2026-01-16

Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado said she presented President Donald Trump with her Nobel Peace Prize medal during a meeting at the White House on Thursday. Machado said she did it “as a recognition for his unique commitment with our freedom,” then went to Capitol Hill and later met with a bipartisan group of senators.

Stephen Miller’s worldview, in his own words

2026-01-16

The White House chief of staff for policy Stephen Miller has outlined a worldview that emphasizes American strength at home and abroad, including arguments he made about the Venezuela crackdown and domestic immigration enforcement, according to writings and interviews reviewed by The Associated Press. In excerpts from Miller’s comments, he argued that Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro had sent criminals into the United States, defended a U.S. military posture in Venezuela, and said concerns about the possibility of U.S. conflict over Greenland were unfounded. The AP also highlighted Miller’s criticism of anti-ICE protests in Minneapolis and his remarks about international aid, oil and governance.

US seizes 6th sanctioned oil tanker tied to Venezuela, officials say

2026-01-16

The U.S. Coast Guard seized another sanctioned oil tanker in the Caribbean Sea that the Trump administration said has ties to Venezuela, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the military. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said the tanker, named Veronica, was boarded early Thursday. The seizure marked the sixth sanctioned tanker taken by U.S. forces as part of the administration’s effort to curb Venezuela’s oil exports, the Associated Press reported.

Senate dismisses Venezuela war powers resolution after GOP senators reverse

2026-01-15

Senate Republicans voted Wednesday to dismiss a war powers resolution that would have limited President Donald Trump's ability to conduct further attacks on Venezuela, after two GOP senators reversed course. Vice President JD Vance broke a 50-50 deadlock on a Republican motion to dismiss the measure.

Trump lawyers viewed Maduro ouster as lawful, memo says it wasn't a war

2026-01-15

Days before a U.S. military operation removed Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro, Justice Department lawyers said the action would serve “important national interests” and would “not rise to the level of war in the constitutional sense,” according to a heavily redacted legal opinion released this week.

US seizes sixth sanctioned oil tanker in Caribbean as Venezuela campaign expands

2026-01-15

U.S. Coast Guard and military forces seized a sixth sanctioned oil tanker in the Caribbean Sea on Thursday, boarding the vessel named Veronica in an operation conducted with troops launched from the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced. The ship had previously passed through Venezuelan waters and was operating in defiance of a U.S.-imposed quarantine of sanctioned vessels in the region, Noem said.

Senate grills SouthCom nominee on scope of U.S. military role in Latin America

2026-01-15

The Marine Corps general nominated to lead U.S. military operations in Latin America told the Senate Armed Services Committee on Thursday that he expects U.S. Southern Command to look "much different" this year, but said he does not know how long the Trump administration's enhanced military presence in the region will last or what its long-term plans entail. Lt. Gen. Francis Donovan appeared before the committee for his confirmation hearing to lead Southern Command, the Doral, Florida-based headquarters overseeing U.S. military operations throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. If confirmed by the Senate, he would replace Navy Adm. Alvin Holsey, who retired last year amid growing scrutiny over the Trump administration's deadly strikes on boats accused of drug smuggling.

Cuba repatriates 32 officers killed in Venezuela raid as US tensions mount

2026-01-15

White-gloved Cuban soldiers carried urns containing the remains of 32 military officers into the headquarters of the Ministry of the Armed Forces in Havana on Thursday, completing a repatriation that the Cuban government marked as one of the most significant mass funerals on the island in half a century. The officers were killed on Jan. 3 during a U.S. raid on the Caracas residence of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, who was seized and transported to the United States to face drug trafficking charges. Tens of thousands of Cubans lined streets to pay their respects as President Miguel Díaz-Canel and former President Raúl Castro attended the ceremony.

Guatemala's Arévalo charts careful path with U.S. after Maduro ouster

2026-01-15

GUATEMALA CITY — Guatemala President Bernardo Arévalo said Thursday his country is focused on maintaining a "good" relationship with the United States while working to uphold international law and peaceful dispute resolution, an approach he described as increasingly urgent following the U.S. removal of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

Venezuela's acting president calls for foreign oil investment, warmer US ties

2026-01-15

Venezuela's acting President Delcy Rodríguez used her first state of the union address Thursday to call for opening the country's state-run oil industry to foreign investment and to advocate for resuming diplomatic ties with the United States, less than two weeks after Washington captured and ousted former President Nicolás Maduro.

Machado gives Trump her Nobel Peace Prize medal at White House meeting

2026-01-15

Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado gave President Donald Trump her Nobel Peace Prize medal at the White House on Thursday, describing the gesture as recognition of his "unique commitment" to Venezuelan freedom — even as the White House said the meeting had not changed Trump's assessment of her political viability. The two-and-a-half-hour meeting produced no public commitment from Trump on a timeline for elections in Venezuela, where interim President Delcy Rodríguez continues to govern with U.S. cooperation.

Machado presents Nobel medal to Trump, leaves White House with no election commitment

2026-01-15

Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado presented her Nobel Peace Prize medal to President Donald Trump at the White House on Thursday in a gesture she described as recognition of his role in ousting Nicolás Maduro. Trump confirmed on social media that he accepted the medal, calling the meeting "an honor." Machado spent about two and a half hours at the White House before heading to Capitol Hill, where senators who met with her said she received no commitment from the administration on holding elections in Venezuela.

Miller articulates power doctrine behind Venezuela operation, Greenland ambitions

2026-01-15

Stephen Miller, the White House chief of staff for policy, told CNN in January that world affairs are "governed by strength, governed by force, governed by power," articulating the ideological framework the Trump administration has applied to its military operation in Venezuela, its push to acquire Greenland, and its domestic immigration enforcement crackdown. "These are the iron laws of the world," Miller told CNN anchor Jake Tapper.

AP-NORC poll: 56% of Americans say Trump has gone too far on military intervention

2026-01-14

More than half of U.S. adults believe President Donald Trump has "gone too far" in using the military to intervene in other countries, according to a new AP-NORC poll conducted Jan. 8–11, days after the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. The survey found 56% hold that view, while majorities also disapprove of Trump's handling of foreign policy broadly and the situation in Venezuela specifically.

Venezuela war powers resolution fails in Senate as two Republicans reverse course

2026-01-14

The Senate voted Wednesday to dismiss a war powers resolution that would have constrained President Donald Trump's authority over military operations in Venezuela, after two Republican senators reversed their earlier support following direct pressure from Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Vice President JD Vance broke a 50-50 tie on a Republican motion to dismiss the bill.

Venezuela's acting president pledges more prisoner releases after Trump call

2026-01-14

Venezuela's acting President Delcy Rodríguez pledged Wednesday to continue freeing political prisoners and described the country as entering 'a new political moment' at her first press briefing since former President Nicolás Maduro was seized by U.S. forces and flown to the United States to face federal drug-trafficking charges. President Donald Trump said separately he had spoken with Rodríguez in what he called a 'great conversation' — their first since Maduro's capture on Jan. 3.

Justice Dept. memo backed Maduro removal as below constitutional war threshold

2026-01-14

Days before U.S. forces removed Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro from power on Jan. 3, Justice Department lawyers concluded the operation would not constitute a constitutional war requiring congressional approval and would serve important national interests, according to a heavily redacted legal opinion released this week. The 22-page opinion, dated Dec. 23, was prepared for the legal counsel of the White House National Security Council by the Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel — the body typically convened to resolve complex legal questions for the executive branch.

Familiares esperan en Venezuela por liberaciones prometidas por el gobierno

2026-01-14

Familiares de personas detenidas en Venezuela esperaban el lunes fuera de prisiones de Caracas mientras buscaban confirmación sobre liberaciones prometidas por el gobierno. El colectivo Foro Penal había verificado la liberación de 49 presos hasta la tarde del lunes, según el reporte.

Trump administration says multiple Americans detained in Venezuela were released

2026-01-14

The Trump administration said Tuesday that multiple Americans detained in Venezuela have been released, after a U.S. operation earlier this month that captured President Nicolás Maduro. The U.S. State Department said it welcomes the releases, without providing exact numbers. A Venezuela human rights group, Foro Penal, said it confirmed dozens of political detainees had been freed, while Venezuela’s government disputed the count and did not provide evidence or identities.

Venezuelan families flood political prisoner registry as officer dies before promised release

2026-01-13

Edilson Torres, a 51-year-old Venezuelan police officer held incommunicado since December on what his family described as politically motivated accusations, died of a heart attack Saturday in a Venezuelan prison, just as his family awaited the government's promised release of political detainees. He was buried Tuesday in the rural town of Guanare. Since the U.S. capture of then-President Nicolás Maduro on Jan. 3, hundreds of Venezuelan families who had previously avoided advocacy groups out of fear have come forward to register their relatives as political prisoners with Foro Penal, a nongovernmental organization that tracks detainees, the group's director said.

Military plane in Venezuela drug-boat strike was disguised as civilian aircraft

2026-01-13

A U.S. military aircraft used in the opening strike of a monthslong campaign against alleged drug-smuggling boats off the coast of Venezuela was painted to resemble a civilian plane, two people familiar with the operation told the Associated Press on condition of anonymity. The plane, part of a secret U.S. surveillance fleet, also carried its munitions inside the fuselage rather than beneath the wings — an additional element of the apparent disguise. The details appear to conflict with Pentagon guidelines on the laws of war, which prohibit troops from feigning civilian status during combat — a practice legally known as "perfidy." The revelations come as the Senate prepares to vote this week on a war powers resolution that would bar further U.S. military action in Venezuela without congressional authorization.

Colombian ELN calls for “national accord” as US-Maduro fallout raises pressure

2026-01-13

Colombia’s National Liberation Army, or ELN, called for a “national accord” aimed at overcoming political disputes as it faces pressure from both the Colombian government and the United States. The rebel group said it wants to work with Colombia’s new government after this year’s elections, including agreements to defeat poverty, protect ecosystems and overcome the drug trade in rural areas.

Plane in Venezuela drug-boat strike painted to resemble civilian aircraft

2026-01-13

The U.S. military plane used to strike a drug-smuggling boat off the coast of Venezuela last fall was painted to resemble a civilian aircraft, AP reported Monday, citing two people familiar with the situation. The plane was part of a secret U.S. fleet used for surveillance and carried munitions in the fuselage, AP said. The disclosure comes as the Trump administration faces growing scrutiny and as the U.S. Senate prepares to vote this week on a war powers resolution limiting further military action in Venezuela.

US lawyers said Trump order to detain Maduro didn’t amount to war

2026-01-13

Lawyers for President Donald Trump told U.S. officials they had legal authority to order the military to help Venezuelan police remove President Nicolás Maduro before he faced criminal proceedings in the United States, according to a Justice Department legal opinion disclosed this week. The opinion, dated Dec. 23, was prepared for the White House National Security Council counsel ahead of a U.S. operation carried out at night on Jan. 3.

Venezuela’s acting president vows to continue releasing prisoners

2026-01-13

Venezuela’s acting President Delcy Rodríguez said her government will continue releasing prisoners detained under former President Nicolás Maduro’s rule, framing it as a “new political moment” after the U.S. captured Maduro in early January. Speaking at her first press briefing since Maduro’s seizure, Rodríguez said the process “has not yet concluded” and pledged “strict” enforcement of the law.

Colombia's ELN rebels call for national accord as U.S.-Venezuela pressure mounts

2026-01-13

Colombia's largest remaining rebel group called for a "national accord" with the country's incoming government on Monday, as it faces the prospect of joint military operations from both Colombia and the United States following the U.S. capture of former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. The National Liberation Army, known by its Spanish acronym ELN, published the appeal on its X account, saying it hopes to work with Colombia's new government after elections this year on agreements to fight poverty, protect ecosystems and reduce drug trafficking in rural areas.

Trump says he is inclined to keep ExxonMobil out of Venezuela after CEO balks

2026-01-12

President Donald Trump said Sunday that he is "inclined" to keep ExxonMobil out of Venezuela after the oil company's chief executive declared the country "uninvestable" during a White House meeting with energy executives on Friday. Trump made the remarks to reporters aboard Air Force One as he departed West Palm Beach, Florida.

Venezuelan migrants welcome Maduro's ouster but fear US deportation

2026-01-12

More than 770,000 Venezuelans living in the United States greeted the Trump administration's removal of President Nicolás Maduro this week with a mix of celebration and apprehension. In interviews from New York City to Utah to Florida, Venezuelan migrants described feelings that, as Miami advocate Alejandra Salima put it, "seesaw between joy and trepidation." Maduro's ouster is "a first step, but we're nervous," said Salima, who fled Venezuela three years ago with her son and now assists other Venezuelans at the Miami office of the National TPS Alliance.

49 political prisoners freed in Venezuela as families wait for more

2026-01-12

Venezuelan authorities had freed 49 political prisoners as of Monday afternoon, according to Caracas-based advocacy group Foro Penal, a trickle of releases that left hundreds of families camped on prison sidewalks hoping for more. Acting President Delcy Rodríguez's government pledged last week to free a significant number of detainees as a goodwill gesture to "seek peace," but officials have not named or enumerated those being considered. Human rights organizations say more than 800 people are held in Venezuela for political reasons.

Federal judge bars Reagan-era DOJ official from joining Maduro defense team

2026-01-12

A federal judge in Manhattan on Monday rejected a former senior Justice Department official's attempt to insert himself into the legal defense of ex-Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, ruling the attorney had no authority to do so without Maduro's direct approval. Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York found that attorney Bruce Fein had "no legal basis" to join Maduro's drug trafficking case, reversing an earlier approval after Maduro's retained lawyer produced a statement from the deposed leader himself denying any knowledge of Fein. Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, remain held without bail at a federal jail in Brooklyn, where they await a March 17 court date on charges they have pleaded not guilty to.

Trump says he is “inclined” to keep ExxonMobil out of Venezuela

2026-01-12

U.S. President Donald Trump said Sunday he is “inclined” to keep ExxonMobil out of Venezuela after Exxon’s chief raised skepticism about oil-investment plans there. Trump spoke aboard Air Force One as he left West Palm Beach, Florida, according to the Associated Press.

Venezuela families register relatives as “political prisoners” after releases

2026-01-12

Scores of families in Venezuela have begun registering relatives they say are “political prisoners” after the government’s promised release of detainees following the Jan. 3 U.S.-linked capture of President Nicolás Maduro, according to prisoner advocates and human rights monitors. For many, the reopening of outreach comes too late: police officer Edilson Torres died in detention in December and was buried in his hometown in Guanare this week.

Venezuelan diaspora cautious after Maduro's capture as calls to return go unheeded

2026-01-11

LIMA, Peru — Officials from Washington to Lima urged millions of Venezuelan migrants this week to return home following the ouster of former President Nicolás Maduro, but the diaspora — numbering nearly 7 million across Latin America, according to United Nations-coordinated tracking data — showed little appetite for leaving the lives they have built abroad. Venezuela's economy remains in ruins, the government that presided over mass displacement continues to govern, and for many, the political shift has not yet cleared a path home. "You've got to keep an eye on it, know what's going on, but not lose hope," said Yanelis Torres, a 22-year-old graphic designer in Lima who spent the days after Maduro's capture filling orders for T-shirts featuring his image overlaid with phrases like "Game Over."

Trump warns Cuba to make a 'deal' as Venezuelan oil lifeline goes dark

2026-01-11

President Donald Trump on Sunday issued a fresh ultimatum to Cuba's communist government, demanding Havana strike an unspecified "deal" with Washington and declaring that no more Venezuelan oil or money would reach the island — days after the U.S. military operation that captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro severed the oil lifeline Cuba had depended on for years. Cuba's President Miguel Díaz-Canel rejected the demand hours later, accusing the United States of lacking moral authority to criticize his government.

Anonymous Polymarket trader pockets $400,000 on Maduro bet, raising insider trading questions

2026-01-11

An anonymous trader collected more than $400,000 from prediction market platform Polymarket after wagering that former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro would fall from power, the Associated Press reported. The bulk of those bets were placed just hours before President Donald Trump announced a surprise nighttime U.S. military raid that resulted in Maduro's capture, AP reported, fueling online suspicions of potential insider trading. Democratic Rep. Ritchie Torres on Friday introduced a bill aimed at restricting government employees from trading on politically related event contracts — the first legislative response to the episode, according to AP.

Dozens of prisoners released in Venezuela as families hope for more

2026-01-11

Venezuela released dozens of prisoners in a goodwill effort, but families of detainees outside prisons in Caracas said releases have come only “in a trickle.” By Monday afternoon, the rights group Foro Penal had verified the release of 49 prisoners, as the U.N.-backed fact-finding mission said the numbers “falls far short” of calls for the immediate release of all political prisoners.

Judge rejects bid by Bruce Fein to join Maduro drug case defense team

2026-01-11

A federal judge on Monday rejected an attempt by attorney Bruce Fein to join the defense team for ex-Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro’s drug trafficking case. Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein said Fein had “no legal basis” to represent Maduro unless Maduro personally retained him.

Trump says he’s “inclined” to keep ExxonMobil out of Venezuela

2026-01-11

President Donald Trump said Sunday he is “inclined” to keep ExxonMobil out of Venezuela after the company’s top executive raised concerns about oil investment plans following the toppling of former President Nicolás Maduro. Trump made the remark aboard Air Force One as he departed West Palm Beach, Florida, after a Friday meeting with oil executives.

Trump order shields Venezuelan oil revenue from judicial claims

2026-01-10

President Donald Trump signed an executive order Saturday to prevent Venezuelan oil revenues held by the United States from being seized in judicial proceedings. The order declares the funds to be Venezuelan property held for 'governmental and diplomatic purposes' and not subject to private claims — a new legal instrument layered onto the administration's broader effort to control Venezuela's oil industry.

Cuba braces for collapse as U.S. tanker seizures cut Venezuelan oil supply

2026-01-10

HAVANA — U.S. forces seized their fifth Venezuela-linked oil tanker on Friday as part of a broader administration push to control Venezuelan oil distribution globally, intensifying fears among experts and residents that Cuba's already battered economy may not survive a full cutoff of Venezuelan crude. Cuba had been receiving an estimated 35,000 barrels of oil per day from Venezuela before the Jan. 3 U.S. military operation that resulted in the capture of former President Nicolás Maduro, according to Jorge Piñón of the Energy Institute at the University of Texas at Austin, who tracks shipments using oil tracking services and satellite technology.

Venezuela frees 16 political prisoners in 3 days; 804 remain detained

2026-01-10

Venezuela's government freed 16 people imprisoned for political reasons over three days following its Thursday pledge to release a significant number of detainees in what officials described as a gesture to "seek peace," according to Foro Penal, a Venezuelan advocacy group for prisoners. Eight hundred and four political prisoners remained imprisoned as of Saturday night, Foro Penal said. Officials had not identified or given a number of prisoners being considered for release, leaving rights groups and families waiting outside prisons in Caracas and other communities with little information.

Nobel Institute rules out transfer of Machado's peace prize to Trump

2026-01-10

The Norwegian Nobel Institute said Friday that the Nobel Peace Prize cannot be revoked, transferred, or shared with other recipients, closing off Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado's expressed wish to give or share her award with President Donald Trump. "The decision is final and stands for all time," the institute said in a brief statement issued from Oslo.

Polymarket mystery trade after Maduro raid spotlights prediction markets

2026-01-10

A trader at Polymarket reportedly pocketed more than $400,000 after betting that Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro would soon be out of office, drawing renewed attention to prediction markets. The bets were placed hours before President Donald Trump announced a nighttime raid that led to Maduro’s capture, according to the report.

Trump signs order to protect Venezuelan oil revenue from U.S. court claims

2026-01-10

President Donald Trump signed an executive order aimed at protecting revenue from Venezuelan oil that the U.S. is holding from being seized in U.S. judicial proceedings, the White House said. The order was made public Saturday as Trump met with U.S. oil executives, including ExxonMobil CEO Darren Woods, in Florida.

Trump warns Cuba to make a deal after Maduro’s capture

2026-01-10

President Donald Trump on Sunday warned Cuba to “make a deal” after Nicolás Maduro was deposed in Venezuela, as Cuba faces a cut-off from Venezuelan oil shipments amid U.S. operations targeting Venezuelan crude. Trump said Cuba had long relied on Venezuelan “oil and money” and posted that there would be “ZERO” further support. Cuba’s president, Miguel Díaz-Canel, responded that those who “turn everything into a business, even human lives” have “no moral authority” to criticize Cuba.

Venezuelans across Latin America weigh returning after Maduro’s ouster

2026-01-10

Venezuelans who fled across Latin America are watching closely what comes next after U.S. forces deposed Venezuela’s president, with officials in Washington and in countries such as Peru urging some to return. Many say the decision is complicated by the state of Venezuela’s economy, legal uncertainty in host countries and concerns about security forces and food scarcity at home.

China's Venezuela oil debt complicates Trump's seizure strategy

2026-01-09

China holds at least $10 billion in outstanding loans from Venezuela backed by crude oil, according to analysts, setting up a potential conflict with the Trump administration's plan to assert direct control over Venezuelan oil sales. Two Chinese state-owned enterprises — China National Petroleum Corp. and Sinopec — are entitled to 4.4 billion barrels of Venezuela's oil reserves under contracts signed with the government of former President Nicolás Maduro, the highest share for any foreign country, according to a Morgan Stanley research note. The competing claims emerge as Trump is expected to travel to Beijing in April to protect a trade truce with Chinese President Xi Jinping, creating pressure on the administration to avoid turning Venezuela into a diplomatic flashpoint, analysts said.

Argentina repays US credit line; Bessent calls deal an 'America First homerun'

2026-01-09

Argentina has repaid the funds it drew from a $20 billion U.S. credit line, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced Friday, marking what he described as a landmark vindication of the Trump administration's financial rescue of President Javier Milei's government. The Argentine Central Bank confirmed the repayment. The U.S. Exchange Stabilization Fund, tapped to fund the bailout, now holds no Argentine pesos, Bessent said.

Lawyers clash over who will represent Maduro in US drug case

2026-01-09

A dispute erupted in Manhattan federal court over who has authority to represent former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in his drug trafficking case, days after Maduro's arraignment on charges alleging he worked with drug cartels to facilitate the shipment of thousands of tons of cocaine into the United States. Defense attorney Barry Pollack, who sat with Maduro at his arraignment, filed a declaration Thursday with Manhattan federal Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein asking that lawyer Bruce Fein be removed from the court docket as Maduro's representative. Pollack said Maduro "does not know Mr. Fein and has not communicated with Mr. Fein, much less retained him, authorized him to enter an appearance, or otherwise hold himself out as representing Mr. Maduro."

Venezuela releases opposition prisoners after Maduro’s capture, AP reports

2026-01-09

Venezuela released high-profile opposition figures, activists and journalists, the government said Thursday, describing the move as a bid to “seek peace.” The releases came less than a week after former President Nicolás Maduro was captured by U.S. forces to face drug-trafficking charges, Associated Press reported.

Venezuela frees opposition leaders, foreign nationals after Maduro's capture

2026-01-09

Venezuela released a number of imprisoned opposition leaders, activists, and foreign nationals Thursday in what the government described as a gesture to "seek peace," less than a week after former President Nicolás Maduro was captured by U.S. forces to face federal drug-trafficking charges. U.S. President Donald Trump said the releases came at his administration's request, telling Fox News that the government of acting President Delcy Rodríguez had been "great" and given the United States "everything we've wanted."

Senate advances war powers resolution 52-47 to constrain Trump on Venezuela

2026-01-08

The Senate advanced a war powers resolution 52-47 on Thursday, with five Republicans joining Democrats to require congressional approval before President Donald Trump can conduct further military operations against Venezuela. The vote, which ensures a final-passage debate next week, came days after U.S. forces seized Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, in a surprise overnight raid.

AP photographer Matias Delacroix explains “echoes from the past” photo

2026-01-08

The Associated Press photographer Matias Delacroix said an armed woman on the back of a motorcycle in Caracas reminded him of a well-known photograph from the 1990s. Delacroix described how he shot the image in the aftermath of U.S. strikes that ended with the capture of President Nicolás Maduro.

Dispute erupts over who will represent Nicolás Maduro in U.S. case

2026-01-08

Days after former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro was arraigned on drug trafficking charges, a dispute has surfaced over which lawyer will represent him in Manhattan federal court. Defense attorney Barry J. Pollack accused Bruce Fein of seeking to join the case without authorization, while Fein told Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein that a judge asked him on Friday to help resolve the representation issue.

Trump’s Venezuela oil plan may collide with China’s debt and oil stakes

2026-01-08

President Donald Trump’s effort to assert control over Venezuela’s oil could collide with China’s debt and oil-linked claims built into contracts signed years ago, according to an Associated Press report. The potential friction comes as U.S. officials move to seize and manage sanctioned tankers and begin sales of Venezuelan crude, while China seeks to protect economic ties after the capture of former President Nicolás Maduro.

Trump’s tough talk after Maduro capture evokes American imperialism

2026-01-08

The Associated Press reports President Donald Trump has linked a U.S. military raid that captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro to a broader message of American dominance in the Western Hemisphere. In the days since the operation, Trump has also pressed allies and neighbors, raised pressure on Venezuela’s interim government, and cited American preeminence in the region.

US intercepts fifth sanctioned tanker as it exerts control over Venezuela’s oil

2026-01-08

Marines and Navy sailors boarded another sanctioned oil tanker in the Caribbean Sea, the U.S. military said, as the Trump administration targets vessels carrying oil to and from Venezuela. The Pentagon said the vessel, named Olina, was seized after a predawn raid launched from the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford, with the Coast Guard then taking control of the ship.

Rubio quarterbacks Venezuela and other major Trump actions

2026-01-08

Secretary of State Marco Rubio, a longtime Florida Republican, has emerged as a key point person for President Donald Trump’s foreign policy, aides say, including in the U.S. operation that ousted Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro. In private briefings and public remarks, Rubio has sought to temper more bombastic rhetoric while advancing the administration’s plans for Venezuela and addressing concerns about statements on Greenland.

Trump calls on oil executives to invest in Venezuela after Maduro ouster

2026-01-08

President Donald Trump on Friday urged oil executives to invest in Venezuela, telling them they would have “total safety” after the U.S. military raid that captured former Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro. The White House meeting sought to draw major oil companies toward projects that, the administration said, could help secure roughly $100 billion in investment to repair Venezuela’s infrastructure and tap its petroleum reserves.

Increasing Venezuela oil could harm the environment as processing needs more energy

2026-01-08

As the U.S. pressures Venezuela after the capture of former President Nicolás Maduro, environmental experts are warning that Washington’s push to revamp and boost Venezuela’s oil production could worsen pollution and increase planet-warming emissions. They cite the heavy, “very dense, very sloppy” nature of the crude, decaying infrastructure, high methane and flaring rates, and a history of spills that have left ecosystems in fragile regions struggling to recover.

Trump invites Colombian president to White House after Petro call

2026-01-08

President Donald Trump abruptly shifted tone on Wednesday about Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro, saying the two exchanged a friendly phone call and that he invited Petro to visit the White House. The invitation came days after Trump said Colombia was “very sick too” and accused Petro of helping fuel U.S. drug problems, amid rising tensions between Washington and Bogotá over Venezuela.

Venezuela's vast oil reserves draw US interest, but experts warn of major hurdles

2026-01-07

Following President Donald Trump's use of military force to capture Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, the administration moved to access Venezuela's oil reserves — announcing the country would provide 30 to 50 million barrels of crude to the United States and selectively removing sanctions to enable Venezuelan oil sales worldwide. Venezuela holds an estimated 303 billion barrels of crude oil, about 17% of the world's supply, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. But analysts and industry experts say the country's decimated infrastructure, severe brain drain, and uncertain political future pose enormous obstacles to any rapid expansion of production.

AP photo of Caracas woman fleeing US airstrikes goes viral worldwide

2026-01-07

At 2:05 a.m. on Jan. 7, as American airstrikes shook eastern Caracas, Associated Press photographer Matías Delacroix ran toward the explosions with his camera. Mariana Camargo, 21, ran the other way. Their crossing paths produced one of the first images of the U.S. military operation in Venezuela: Camargo in a white shirt and jeans, sprinting through the street, fear and urgency on her face, friends running behind her. The photograph appeared on the front pages and websites of major media outlets worldwide.

US faith leaders tend to Venezuelan diaspora roiled by Maduro's capture

2026-01-07

Faith leaders across South Florida and Philadelphia ministered to Venezuelan diaspora communities on Sunday as congregations grappled with conflicting emotions a day after the U.S. military capture of former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. While many in the diaspora took to the streets waving flags in celebration, others face deep anxiety about their immigration status following the Trump administration's cancellation of two federal programs that together had allowed more than 700,000 Venezuelans to live and work legally in the United States.

US seizes two more Venezuelan oil tankers as Trump moves to control global sales

2026-01-07

The Trump administration on Wednesday seized two more sanctioned oil tankers carrying Venezuelan petroleum and announced plans to selectively lift sanctions to oversee the global sale of Venezuela's oil — moves that administration officials said would give the United States control over proceeds from the world's largest proven crude reserves. The tankers, the Bella 1 seized in the North Atlantic and the M Sophia captured in the Caribbean Sea, join at least two others taken by U.S. forces last month.

Venezuela's opposition sidelined as Maduro's party holds power after U.S. seizure

2026-01-07

Venezuela's opposition leaders find themselves largely in exile or prison days after the U.S. military operation that seized President Nicolás Maduro, with Vice President Delcy Rodríguez governing in his stead after the Trump administration declined to back the country's recognized opposition leadership. Maduro, removed from his home on a military base in Caracas on Saturday and transferred to New York on federal drug trafficking charges, has been succeeded not by opposition figures but by members of his own administration.

Venezuela buries soldiers killed in U.S. operation as death toll dispute grows

2026-01-07

CARACAS, Venezuela — Venezuela's military held a state funeral Wednesday in the capital for some of the dozens of soldiers killed during the U.S. operation that captured then-President Nicolás Maduro four days earlier. Military orchestral music accompanied families and uniformed officers as they marched behind flag-draped wooden caskets at a cemetery on the capital's south side, where the dead were honored with a gun salute.

Behind the historic photo, a woman recalls fleeing US strikes in Venezuela

2026-01-07

A 21-year-old woman in eastern Caracas, Mariana Camargo, said she ran through the streets when explosions erupted during a U.S. military operation in Venezuela. The Associated Press photographer Matías Delacroix captured images during the night, including a photo of Camargo sprinting while people behind her also ran.

Delcy Rodríguez’s early gamble with Trump administration later propelled her rise

2026-01-07

Delcy Rodríguez, Venezuela’s interim president, has said the capture of former President Nicolás Maduro is a “complete violation of international law and Venezuelan law.” The remark came after a Saturday capture that prompted President Donald Trump to praise Rodríguez while also warning that the ruling party must be kept in check and that the United States should gain “total access” to Venezuela’s oil reserves.

Maduro, Flores arraigned in New York on drug charges; next steps

2026-01-07

Nicolás Maduro’s first U.S. court hearing began a legal process that could keep the deposed Venezuelan leader and his wife in custody for years, prosecutors and a judge said in court on Monday, Jan. 6. Maduro and Cilia Flores were arraigned in New York on drug trafficking charges days after U.S. forces seized them from their Caracas home, according to court proceedings described by The Associated Press.

Senate advances war powers resolution to limit Trump’s Venezuela actions

2026-01-07

The U.S. Senate advanced a resolution Thursday that would limit President Donald Trump’s ability to conduct further attacks against Venezuela, setting up a vote next week on final passage. Democrats and five Republicans backed the measure on a 52-47 vote, a step that sounded disapproval of what lawmakers described as expanding ambitions in the Western Hemisphere.

Woman who went viral fleeing Caracas bombs meets the AP photographer who shot her

2026-01-07

A 21-year-old Venezuelan woman sprinting through eastern Caracas at 2:05 a.m., white shirt, cellphone in hand, fear on her face — that image, captured by Associated Press photographer Matías Delacroix as U.S. military strikes erupted over Venezuela's capital, appeared on the front pages and websites of news outlets around the world within hours of the operation. The woman in the frame was Mariana Camargo, out with friends when the explosions began. Delacroix had awakened to the same rumbling, grabbed his camera, and run toward the blasts as she ran from them.

Venezuela's new interim president once gambled on Trump with a $500,000 donation

2026-01-07

Delcy Rodríguez, sworn in Monday as Venezuela's interim president after the capture of Nicolás Maduro, built part of her political prominence through a 2017 effort to court the incoming Trump administration — including directing Citgo, a subsidiary of Venezuela's state oil company, to donate $500,000 to Trump's inauguration, according to an Associated Press investigation drawing on interviews with 10 former U.S. and Venezuelan officials. The charm offensive failed to shift U.S. policy toward Venezuela, but it raised Rodríguez's profile in American business and political circles and helped pave the way for her current role as Washington's primary interlocutor in Caracas.

Trump's Venezuela claims raise questions about planning, former diplomats say

2026-01-06

President Donald Trump has made broad but vague assertions that the United States will "run" Venezuela following the ouster of Nicolás Maduro, while providing almost no details about how that governance would work, raising concerns among former diplomats and some lawmakers about the administration's level of planning. Seemingly contradictory public statements from Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio have left unclear whether the U.S. now controls Venezuela's levers of power or intends to allow Maduro's subordinates to remain in leadership positions. Current U.S. officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said they were not aware of any preparations for a military occupation or interim civilian governing authority.

Polls show Americans split on Venezuela operation, wary of deeper U.S. role

2026-01-06

Americans are roughly evenly split on whether U.S. military forces should have been sent to capture Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, but nearly half oppose the United States taking control of Venezuela and choosing a new government there, according to an Associated Press analysis of recent polls. The surveys, conducted before and immediately after the military operation, found that most Americans had entered 2026 wanting Washington focused on domestic concerns — health care and the cost of living — and that almost no one had named Venezuela as a government priority.

Rubio credits media for holding Venezuela strike story, despite Pentagon press restrictions

2026-01-06

Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Sunday thanked news organizations for withholding advance knowledge of last weekend's U.S. military strike in Venezuela, saying their restraint protected American lives. The acknowledgment marked a rare moment of praise for the press from an administration that has otherwise been at war with mainstream news outlets, particularly over access to the Pentagon.

Maduro's US drug case advances as lawyers signal sovereignty challenge, medical needs

2026-01-06

Nicolás Maduro, 63, and his wife Cilia Flores, 69, appeared Monday in federal court in New York City and pleaded not guilty to drug trafficking charges carrying potential life sentences, days after U.S. forces seized them from their Caracas home in a nighttime raid. Maduro told the judge, in Spanish through an interpreter, that he remains Venezuela's president and that his capture was a kidnapping; he declared himself a prisoner of war. Their next court hearing before Judge Alvin Hellerstein of the Southern District of New York is scheduled for March 17.

Cuba mourns 32 officers killed in Venezuela strike as OAS holds emergency session

2026-01-06

Cuba's government on Tuesday published the names, ranks and ages of 32 military officers killed during the U.S. operation that captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, announcing two days of national mourning. The deceased — drawn from Cuba's Revolutionary Armed Forces and Ministry of the Interior — ranged in age from 26 to 60 and included colonels, lieutenants, majors, captains and reserve soldiers, according to Cuban state media, which published individual headshots showing the officers in olive-green military uniforms.

Trump voters back Venezuela raid but voice concern over entanglement risk

2026-01-06

Trump supporters interviewed across five states by The Associated Press said they generally approved of the U.S. military's seizure of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, but their response was more measured than President Donald Trump's claim that voters were uniformly "thrilled." Trump said those who "voted for me are thrilled. They said, 'This is what we voted for.'" The voters AP journalists interviewed in the days after the raid — conducted without congressional authorization — described a more conditional reaction.

Maduro capture rattles global legal order as nations condemn US action

2026-01-06

THE HAGUE — The U.S. military's capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, at a military base in Caracas has drawn condemnation from governments across four continents, with critics warning Monday that the operation sets a dangerous precedent for the erosion of international law. Maduro appeared in a New York federal court on narco-terrorism conspiracy charges as the United Nations Security Council convened an emergency session on the legality of the mission.

Allies and rivals at UN Security Council weigh in on Maduro capture

2026-01-06

The emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council on Monday drew criticism and defense of a U.S. military operation in Venezuela that captured President Nicolás Maduro, with allies and adversaries of the United States both using the session to argue over international law. Denmark’s U.N. ambassador said the inviolability of borders is “not up for negotiation,” while U.S. envoy Mike Waltz defended what he called a “surgical law enforcement operation.” U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he was “deeply concerned” that rules of international law were not respected in the Jan. 3 operation.

Cuba fears fallout after Maduro capture and U.S.-linked strike

2026-01-06

Cuba’s government lowered flags Monday to mourn 32 security officers it said were killed in a U.S. weekend strike in Venezuela, its closest ally, as residents in Havana questioned what President Nicolás Maduro’s detention will mean. The Associated Press reported that Cuba and Venezuela have been tightly linked through shared security arrangements and Venezuela’s oil shipments, which help sustain the island’s struggling economy.

Cuba says US operation in Venezuela killed 32 Cuban officers

2026-01-06

Cuba’s government said Sunday that an American military operation in Venezuela killed 32 Cuban officers over the weekend, calling it the first official death count of the strikes. In a statement read on Cuban state television, Cuba said the officers were on a mission the Venezuelan government had asked Cuba to carry out.

Delcy Rodríguez takes interim role in Venezuela after Maduro’s capture

2026-01-06

Delcy Rodríguez became Venezuela’s interim president after Nicolás Maduro was captured in a U.S. nighttime military operation, according to the Associated Press. Venezuela’s high court ordered her to assume the interim role Saturday, and the leader was backed by the military, AP reported. Rodríguez, who has served as Maduro’s vice president, offered “to collaborate” with the Trump administration in remarks that signaled a possible shift in relations between the two governments.

Early polls show Americans favor domestic focus over Venezuela role

2026-01-06

Americans’ early reactions to a U.S. military operation in Venezuela suggest broad skepticism about further U.S. involvement, according to polling analyzed by The Associated Press. The AP-NORC survey found about one-quarter of U.S. adults prioritized foreign policy topics for 2026, while the Washington Post and SSRS poll found roughly 4 in 10 approved of using the U.S. military to capture Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, and 45% opposed the U.S. taking control of Venezuela.

Fact check: Misrepresented videos and fabricated Maduro images circulate online

2026-01-06

An Associated Press fact check found that misrepresented videos and fabricated images circulated widely online soon after the U.S. removed Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro from public view. The review also said President Donald Trump shared some of the misleading posts, including videos that were edited or taken out of context.

Maduro pleads not guilty in US court as he says he was ‘kidnapped’

2026-01-06

Nicolás Maduro appeared in a U.S. federal court in Manhattan on Monday to plead not guilty to drug trafficking charges, his first court appearance since he and his wife, Cilia Flores, were seized from their Caracas home last weekend. During the hearing, Maduro told the judge, in Spanish, “I was captured,” and later asked for a plea of “innocent” while a federal judge asked whether he was Nicolás Maduro Moros.

Mexico says it will not increase oil shipments to Cuba amid Venezuela turmoil

2026-01-06

Mexico will not send additional oil shipments to Cuba, President Claudia Sheinbaum said Wednesday, even as the United States moves to seize Venezuelan oil and the Trump administration hardens its stance toward Havana. Speaking in Mexico City, Sheinbaum said exports are not increasing beyond historical levels, though she did not provide figures on the number of barrels.

Oil stocks rise after Trump says U.S. would take over Venezuela oil

2026-01-06

U.S. energy shares rose sharply Monday after President Donald Trump said the United States would take control of Venezuela’s oil industry. The move, the U.S. said it plans following its capture of President Nicolás Maduro, raised expectations that American companies could help revive Venezuela’s oil sector and reshape energy markets.

Petro calls for dialogue with Trump as Colombia holds protests over Venezuela

2026-01-06

Colombia President Gustavo Petro held a phone call with U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday after escalating threats between the two governments over Venezuela, and Petro told supporters that he asked to reopen direct communication. Thousands of Colombians gathered in public squares across the country to “defend national sovereignty” amid growing alarm about Trump’s military rhetoric, according to the Associated Press.

Trump hails Maduro capture as right-wing allies cheer, left warns of U.S. bullying

2026-01-06

President Donald Trump publicly celebrated the U.S. capture of Venezuelan strongman Nicolás Maduro on Jan. 5, hours before Maduro was taken through the offices of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration in New York, a move that left Latin America divided. Across the region, right-wing leaders portrayed the raid as a victory, while left-wing presidents called it dangerous or unlawful, and warned it could destabilize the hemisphere.

Trump moves to control Venezuelan oil with seizures and sales

2026-01-06

President Donald Trump’s administration said it seized two sanctioned Venezuelan oil tankers and outlined plans to relax some sanctions so U.S. authorities can oversee the sale of Venezuelan petroleum worldwide. The administration said the move follows a surprise nighttime raid that ousted Nicolás Maduro and that it intends to route oil “in and out of Venezuela” only through channels approved under U.S. law and national security interests.

Trump's vague Venezuela “run” claims prompt questions about planning

2026-01-06

President Donald Trump has said the United States will “run” Venezuela after Nicolás Maduro is ousted, but has offered few details about how a transition would work, according to questions raised by former officials and sanctions advisers. In remarks over the weekend, Trump’s statements and Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s comments appeared to diverge on whether the U.S. would take direct control or rely on existing tools such as sanctions. The uncertainty, some former diplomats said, has added to concern about what planning exists for the country’s next phase.

Trump says U.S. will buy 30-50M barrels of Venezuelan oil at market price

2026-01-06

U.S. President Donald Trump said Tuesday that Venezuela would provide 30 million to 50 million barrels of oil to the United States at a market price, and he pledged to use proceeds from any sale “to benefit the people” of both countries. He also said the White House will hold a meeting Friday with U.S. oil executives to discuss Venezuela.

Trump voters react to U.S. seizure of Maduro in Venezuela

2026-01-06

President Donald Trump’s supporters interviewed by The Associated Press reacted with a mix of praise and caution to the U.S. seizure of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro from a military base, according to interviews published Monday. Some said they were thrilled by the operation’s speed, while others said they were wary of what the move could cost the United States.

U.S. action in Venezuela seen as lifting and complicating Putin’s aims

2026-01-06

The lightning U.S. operation that captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro is being seen by analysts as both a strategic help and a political complication for Russia’s President Vladimir Putin, according to an Associated Press account. The story comes as Russia tries to position the United States’ moves in Venezuela alongside its own war in Ukraine, and as U.S. diplomacy on Ukraine enters a pivotal stage.

US faith leaders minister to an anxious Venezuelan diaspora

2026-01-06

Venezuelan Christians in the United States have been holding prayer services and urging calm as uncertainty grows after the U.S. capture of deposed leader Nicolás Maduro, Associated Press reported. In South Florida, Miami Archbishop Thomas Wenski said many people are “happy” to see Maduro out but still anxious about what comes next.

Venezuela holds funeral for soldiers killed in U.S. operation

2026-01-06

Venezuela’s military held a funeral in Caracas on Wednesday for dozens of soldiers killed in a U.S. operation that Venezuela said captured former President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. The ceremony came a day after acting President Delcy Rodríguez declared a seven-day mourning period for the slain officers, according to the report.

Venezuela lawmakers swear in Delcy Rodriguez as interim president

2026-01-06

Venezuelan lawmakers on Monday swore in Delcy Rodríguez as interim president after the weekend arrest of President Nicolás Maduro, as the government moved to project that it is being run independently. Rodríguez, a former vice president, was sworn in in Caracas to lead until a National Assembly term scheduled to run through 2031. The swearing-in followed Maduro’s first court appearance in the United States over federal drug-trafficking charges used to justify the arrest.

Venezuela opposition sidelined as Maduro’s party stays in power

2026-01-06

Venezuela’s opposition has been sidelined after Nicolás Maduro was seized by U.S. forces and put in jail in New York on drug trafficking charges, leaving leaders of his administration in control, according to the Associated Press. The U.S. allowed Maduro’s vice president, Delcy Rodríguez, to assume control, sidelining most opposition figures who are either in exile or imprisoned, the AP reported. Opposition leader María Corina Machado, including in her praise of President Donald Trump, has become less influential at home, AP said.

Stocks rise at start of year as crude jumps after Venezuela raid

2026-01-06

Wall Street opened the first full week of the year higher, with energy stocks leading gains as U.S. crude prices rose after forces captured Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro in a weekend raid. The S&P 500 climbed 0.6% to 6,902.05, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average set a new record.

Rubio, Hegseth brief lawmakers as questions mount over Venezuela next steps

2026-01-06

Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other senior U.S. officials briefed congressional leaders behind closed doors Monday on a military operation in Venezuela, as lawmakers raised questions about what comes next and what role U.S. forces may play. Republicans largely backed President Donald Trump’s decision to forcibly remove Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro, while Democrats left with concerns and calls for clarity. The briefing preceded a Senate vote this week on a war powers resolution that would bar U.S. military action in Venezuela without congressional approval.

Trump orders Venezuela strikes, captures Maduro and brings him to Manhattan

2026-01-06

President Donald Trump announced a “large scale strike” in Venezuela on Jan. 3, saying U.S. forces had captured Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and would bring him to New York for court proceedings. Maduro later appeared in a U.S. courtroom and pleaded not guilty to narco-terrorism charges, according to the Justice Department’s indictment.

US allies join foes in UN rebuke of Venezuela military operation

2026-01-05

The United Nations Security Council convened an emergency session Monday as countries ranging from traditional U.S. allies to long-standing rivals condemned the Jan. 3 American military operation that captured Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and transported him to New York to face federal narco-terrorism charges. Maduro declared his innocence during his first appearance in a Manhattan federal courthouse the same day.

Maduro pleads not guilty to US drug charges, calls his capture an abduction

2026-01-05

Nicolás Maduro appeared in a Manhattan federal courtroom Monday and pleaded not guilty to drug trafficking charges, declaring himself a "kidnapped president" and demanding to be returned to Venezuela. The deposed leader and his wife, Cilia Flores, were seized from their Caracas home in a middle-of-the-night military operation Saturday and flown to New York under heavy security. Their court appearance marks what federal prosecutors say is the most consequential U.S. prosecution of a foreign head of state in decades.

Fabricated images of Maduro capture spread online; Trump amplifies false videos

2026-01-05

Fabricated and misrepresented images purporting to show Venezuelan celebrations and Nicolás Maduro's arrest spread widely across social media in the days following the U.S. military's capture of the Venezuelan leader, the Associated Press reported Monday. President Donald Trump amplified at least two of the false videos on Truth Social, falsely claiming both showed Venezuelans celebrating Maduro's removal.

Oil stocks surge and Dow sets record after U.S. raid captures Maduro

2026-01-05

Energy stocks led Wall Street to broad gains Monday as investors priced in the potential for American oil companies to rebuild Venezuela's oil industry following the U.S. military capture of President Nicolás Maduro over the weekend. Halliburton surged 7.8%, Chevron jumped 5.1%, and Exxon Mobil rose 2.2% — among the session's strongest performers. U.S. crude oil prices climbed 1.7% to $58.32 per barrel. The Dow Jones Industrial Average set an all-time record, climbing 594.79 points, or 1.2%, to 48,977.18. The S&P 500 rose 0.6% to 6,902.05, just below its own record set in late December. The Nasdaq composite closed at 23,395.82, up 0.7%. Smaller company stocks outpaced the broader indexes, with the Russell 2000 rising 1.6%.

Energy stocks surge after Trump announces plans to control Venezuela's oil industry

2026-01-05

Shares of major U.S. energy companies rose broadly Monday after President Donald Trump announced plans to take control of Venezuela's oil industry, saying American companies would lead a revitalization of the sector following the capture of President Nicolás Maduro. Oilfield services firms posted the steepest gains, while refiners and major explorers also moved higher at the opening bell.

Cuba says 32 officers killed in U.S. military operation in Venezuela

2026-01-05

Cuba's government said Sunday that 32 Cuban military and police officers were killed in a U.S. military operation in Venezuela the previous day, providing the first official death count from American strikes in the South American nation. The officers were on a mission the Cuban military was carrying out at the request of Venezuela's government, according to a statement read on Cuban state television Sunday night.

Maduro pleads not guilty to federal narcotics charges in Manhattan court

2026-01-05

Nicolás Maduro appeared in a Manhattan federal courtroom Monday, pleading not guilty to narcotics trafficking charges and declaring "I was captured" as he protested what he called his illegal removal from Venezuela. The hearing marked his first public appearance since U.S. forces extracted him and his wife, Cilia Flores, from their Caracas home in an overnight military operation Saturday. Both defendants appeared in leg shackles and prison clothing, using headsets to follow English-language proceedings translated into Spanish.

Cuba says 32 officers died in U.S. strike on Venezuela; OAS holds protest

2026-01-05

Cuba published names, ranks and ages of 32 Cuban military personnel it said were killed during a U.S. strike in Venezuela, announcing two days of mourning starting Tuesday. U.S. Ambassador Leandro Rizzuto told the Organization of American States the operation was a targeted law enforcement action against an “indicted criminal,” and he said the U.S. did not invade Venezuela.

Maduro tells New York judge he was “captured,” pleads not guilty

2026-01-05

Nicolás Maduro appeared in a Manhattan federal court on Monday and told the judge, “Fui capturado,” as he pleaded not guilty to U.S. federal drug-trafficking charges tied to Venezuela. Maduro, who said he was seized illegally at his Caracas home, also identified himself in court as “el presidente constitucional de mi país,” according to a Spanish translation provided during the hearing.

Rubio says media is thanked for helping avoid jeopardizing Maduro raid

2026-01-05

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the Trump administration thanked some news organizations for learning in advance about a Saturday military operation in Venezuela and for not reporting on it before it happened. Rubio made the remarks on ABC’s “This Week” on Sunday, after President Donald Trump announced that Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro had been captured. The remarks came as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has pushed restrictive press rules for Pentagon reporters.

Trump administration’s Maduro capture sparks unease over international law

2026-01-05

The United States says it captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro through a legal, military action, a move that has drawn unease from U.N. officials and European and other leaders about the future of international rules. U.N. Undersecretary-General Rosemary A. DiCarlo told the Security Council that international peace depends on states’ continued commitment to the U.N. Charter, as Maduro faced charges after his removal from power.

Trump’s Maduro capture sparks UN Charter debate over use of force

2026-01-05

Donald Trump’s government said the capture of Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro was legal and tied it to fighting illegal drug cartels, prompting concern from other countries and UN officials about whether it respects the UN Charter. On Monday, the UN Security Council heard remarks by UN Deputy Secretary-General Rosemary A. DiCarlo, who said international peace and security depend on states adhering to all UN Charter provisions. European and other officials warned the action could weaken the international legal order governing the use of force.

Venezuelans in South Florida celebrate Maduro ouster in U.S. operation

2026-01-05

Venezuelans in South Florida celebrated the U.S. military operation that removed President Nicolás Maduro from Venezuela, chanting “liberty” and draping Venezuelan flags on Saturday in Doral. The festivities followed a U.S. announcement that the country would be run at least temporarily by the American government.

Venezuelans in US celebrate Maduro’s ouster in U.S. military operation

2026-01-04

Revelers in South Florida gathered in Doral on Saturday to celebrate what they described as the U.S. capture of Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro, chanting “Liberty” and draping themselves in Venezuelan flags as they watched word spread that he had been flown out of the country.

Venezuela oil revival faces decade-long timeline and $100 billion investment hurdle

2026-01-04

Energy analysts and oil industry experts said Saturday that President Donald Trump's plan to revitalize Venezuela's oil industry following the U.S. military seizure of President Nicolás Maduro faces a years-long rebuilding timeline and approximately $100 billion in required investment before production could return to historic levels — and that global oil markets are unlikely to feel an immediate impact.

Venezuela intervention tests Trump's 'America First' pledge as GOP shows unease

2026-01-04

President Donald Trump's military operation to capture Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and transport him to New York to face criminal charges drew initial Republican support Sunday, but exposed fractures within the party over whether the intervention abandons the 'America First' philosophy central to Trump's political rise. Trump, speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, said his supporters were behind the mission. "They said this is what we voted for," he told reporters.

Trump pledges to 'direct' Venezuela after U.S. military operation ousts Maduro

2026-01-04

President Donald Trump pledged Sunday to have the United States "direct" Venezuela and oversee a transition of power following a U.S. military operation the previous day that resulted in the overnight seizure and extradition of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Speaking at a press conference at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida, Trump described the action as "one of the most impressive, effective and powerful demonstrations of American military might and competence in the history of the United States." Trump offered few details about how the United States would govern Venezuela, saying his administration must remain "very involved" while promising Venezuelan oil revenues would repay U.S. costs. "The money that comes out of the ground is very substantial," he said. "They're going to reimburse us for everything we spend."

Caracas falls quiet as Venezuelans wait to see what comes next after US seizes Maduro

2026-01-04

An anxious quiet settled over Venezuela's capital on Sunday, the day after a U.S. military operation seized President Nicolás Maduro and transferred him to New York for a Monday court appearance. Stores, restaurants and churches across Caracas remained closed. Those who ventured out appeared shell-shocked, staring at phones or into the distance. "People are still shaken," said David Leal, 77, who arrived for work as a parking attendant to find the streets deserted near Venezuela's presidential palace.

Maduro's immunity claim faces long odds; Noriega set the legal precedent

2026-01-04

Nicolás Maduro, Venezuela's deposed president, was scheduled to appear before a New York federal judge Monday to face U.S. drug trafficking charges, setting up a legal battle over sovereign immunity that experts said echoes — and will likely follow — the failed defense mounted by Panama's Manuel Noriega more than three decades ago. Maduro was captured Saturday, 36 years to the day after Noriega was taken into U.S. custody. His lawyers are expected to contest the legality of his arrest by arguing that he is immune from prosecution as a sovereign head of a foreign state. Legal experts said that argument is unlikely to succeed and was largely settled in Noriega's trial.

Maduro faces narco-terrorism charges in Manhattan after U.S. military capture

2026-01-04

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro was brought before a Manhattan federal court Monday following a U.S. military operation that seized him in Caracas the previous day, as prosecutors unsealed an indictment accusing him of running a drug-trafficking operation that flooded the United States with thousands of tons of cocaine. His wife, Cilia Flores, was captured alongside him and faces charges in the same case. Maduro was expected to be held at a federal jail in Brooklyn pending trial.

Maduro held at MDC Brooklyn, a federal jail with a troubled past

2026-01-04

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro arrived Saturday night at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, New York — a federal jail that some judges have refused to use due to documented violence, infrastructure failures, and chronic staffing problems, according to the Associated Press. A crowd of Venezuelan expatriates, many draped in their country's flag, gathered outside the facility to celebrate, cheering as the law enforcement motorcade believed to be carrying Maduro and his wife pulled in.

Rubio tamps down nation-building fears as Trump insists US 'in charge' in Venezuela

2026-01-04

Secretary of State Marco Rubio sought Sunday to reassure critics that the United States would not govern Venezuela day-to-day following the military seizure of former leader Nicolás Maduro, even as President Donald Trump insisted Washington was "in charge" of the oil-rich nation. Rubio said the U.S. would enforce an existing oil quarantine on sanctioned tankers and use that leverage to press policy changes in Caracas. Trump, speaking aboard Air Force One en route from his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, said of Venezuela: "We're going to run it, fix it."

Trump vows to 'run' Venezuela after U.S. military operation ousts Maduro

2026-01-03

President Donald Trump on Saturday declared a U.S. military operation that removed Nicolás Maduro from power in Venezuela a success and pledged that his administration would "run" the country through a transition period, according to the Associated Press. At a news conference at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida, Trump called the operation "one of the most stunning, effective and powerful displays of American military might and competence in American history."

US seizure of Maduro sparks legal debate as Trump claims control of Venezuela

2026-01-03

The Trump administration seized Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in an overnight military operation Friday, transporting him and his wife aboard a U.S. warship to New York to face narco-terrorism conspiracy charges, the Associated Press reported. A surprise U.S. incursion rocked the Venezuelan capital with explosions before dawn, and the administration declared it would "run" the South American country — raising sharp legal questions about the scope of executive war powers and the absence of congressional authorization for what some scholars said now constitutes an undeclared war.

US forces seize Venezuela's Maduro in overnight raid; Trump claims control

2026-01-03

U.S. military forces captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, in an overnight raid on his Caracas compound, President Donald Trump announced Saturday at his Florida home, describing a covert operation months in the making that removed a sitting head of state from office and delivered him to a U.S. warship. Trump said Maduro and Flores would face criminal charges in New York and declared that the United States would "run" Venezuela until a new leader can be chosen.

Coast Guard searches for drug-boat strike survivors as odds dwindle

2026-01-03

The U.S. Coast Guard said Friday it was still searching the eastern Pacific Ocean for people who jumped off alleged drug-smuggling boats when the U.S. military attacked the vessels days earlier, with harsh weather and the passage of time sharply diminishing the likelihood that anyone survived. The search began Tuesday afternoon after the military notified the Coast Guard that survivors were in the water roughly 400 miles southwest of the border between Mexico and Guatemala.

Venezuela operation cancels hundreds of Caribbean flights, stranding holiday travelers

2026-01-03

A U.S. military operation that captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro on Saturday triggered the cancellation of hundreds of flights across the eastern Caribbean, grounding nearly 60 percent of departures from San Juan's international airport and stranding holiday travelers across nearly two dozen island destinations. The Federal Aviation Administration imposed airspace restrictions following the operation, halting all commercial airline traffic over Venezuela. U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said Saturday night the restrictions would end at midnight Eastern time, allowing airlines to resume normal operations Sunday.

Trump makes false claims about drug boats and DC crime at Venezuela raid briefing

2026-01-03

President Donald Trump made false claims about the lethal impact of drug-boat strikes and Washington, D.C., homicide rates at a Saturday news conference called to explain the U.S. military raid that extracted Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, according to an Associated Press fact-check published January 3, 2026. Trump's assertions — that each intercepted vessel prevents 25,000 American deaths, and that the capital had seen no killings in six or seven months — contradict federal data and Metropolitan Police Department records.

Maduro faces uphill fight on U.S. court immunity after Noriega precedent

2026-01-03

Nicolás Maduro, deposed Venezuelan leader, is expected to appear in a New York courtroom on Monday to face U.S. drug charges, with his lawyers likely to argue he is immune from prosecution. The legal challenge is set to revive a debate over whether foreign leaders have immunity when the United States asserts jurisdiction after an arrest.

Maduro indictment details cocaine, alleged bribes, and weapons charges

2026-01-03

The U.S. Department of Justice has unsealed an indictment charging Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and others with drug-trafficking and weapons-related offenses, according to newly filed court documents. The indictment, unsealed Saturday, accuses Maduro of running a “corrupt, illegitimate government” supported by an extensive drug-trafficking operation that brought thousands of tons of cocaine into the United States, the government alleges.

Maduro is held at MDC Brooklyn, a jail judges have criticized

2026-01-03

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro is being held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, the Bureau of Prisons said, according to an Associated Press report published Sunday. The AP described MDC Brooklyn as a facility some judges have refused to use, and said it currently holds about 1,300 inmates.

Rubio says U.S. will enforce Venezuela oil quarantine; Trump says ‘we’re in charge’

2026-01-03

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the United States would not govern Venezuela day-to-day beyond enforcing an existing “oil quarantine,” even as President Donald Trump reiterated that the U.S. would be “in charge” after a military operation that ousted Nicolás Maduro. Speaking as Venezuela’s interim leader Delcy Rodríguez urged the U.S. to collaborate, Rubio described using oil-related leverage to press for changes in Venezuela.

Shock and trepidation in Venezuela after US captures Maduro

2026-01-03

Anxious quiet settled over Caracas on Sunday after U.S. forces captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in a military operation early Saturday, with many people slow to resume routines and unable to absorb what comes next. U.S. President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio outlined competing signals about what Washington plans to do, as Venezuelan officials shifted duties to Vice President Delcy Rodríguez, whom the high court named interim president.

Trump’s Venezuela oil plan unlikely to move prices soon, analysts say

2026-01-03

President Donald Trump’s plan to take control of Venezuela’s oil industry and seek American investment is unlikely to cause a major change in global oil prices in the near term, analysts said. Venezuela’s output is about 1.1 million barrels of oil a day, and rebuilding the sector after years of sanctions and neglect would likely take years, analysts said.

Trump says Maduro overthrow succeeded; hints administration will “direct” Venezuela

2026-01-03

President Donald Trump called the military operation that overthrew Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro on Saturday a “great success,” while offering a vague plan for how his administration would “direct” Venezuela until a leadership transition can be carried out. Speaking at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, Trump said the action was among the “most impressive, effective and powerful” demonstrations of U.S. military capability in the country’s history.

US intervention in Venezuela could test Trump’s ability to unite GOP

2026-01-03

President Donald Trump’s military intervention in Venezuela will pose a test of his ability to hold together a restive Republican coalition during an election year, the Associated Press reports. The AP said there were early signs of unease among Republicans after Trump’s mission to bring Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro to New York to face criminal charges.

What Monroe Doctrine means and why Trump invoked it in Maduro case

2026-01-03

President Donald Trump cited the Monroe Doctrine as partial justification for a U.S. operation that led to the arrest of Venezuela’s Nicolas Maduro, a maxim that has shaped American foreign policy for more than two centuries. In remarks Saturday, Trump also quipped about the doctrine, calling it “the Don-roe Doctrine,” and defended the move as an effort to strengthen U.S. interests in the Western Hemisphere.

US captures Maduro in Caracas strike; Venezuela president faces narco charges

2026-01-03

U.S. forces conducted what the Trump administration called a "large-scale strike" across Caracas on Jan. 3, 2026, capturing Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, and placing them aboard a U.S. warship bound for New York to face criminal charges. Attorney General Pam Bondi said both had been indicted in the Southern District of New York on charges related to a narco-terrorism conspiracy. The operation ended months of escalating U.S. military action that included more than 35 strikes against alleged drug-smuggling vessels in Caribbean and Pacific waters, killing at least 115 people, according to administration announcements.

Maduro’s fall after U.S. strike as Trump says he and wife were captured

2026-01-02

U.S. President Donald Trump said Saturday that Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were captured during an attack by U.S. forces on Caracas. Venezuela’s vice president, Delcy Rodríguez, later said the whereabouts of Maduro and Flores were still unknown. Trump’s attorney general, Pam Bondi, said Maduro and Flores would face charges in New York.

Trump details operation that captured Venezuelan President Maduro

2026-01-02

U.S. President Donald Trump said the United States carried out the overnight operation that seized Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and flew him to the United States after a mission he described as “Absolute Resolve.” Speaking at a news conference in Florida, Trump said Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were transported by helicopter to a U.S. warship and then to New York to face charges, while U.S. forces rehearsed for months and waited for weather conditions to enter Caracas.

Trump repeats false claims on Venezuela raid, AP fact check says

2026-01-02

Trump repeated several claims he has made before while discussing a U.S. raid aimed at extracting Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, according to an Associated Press fact check published Saturday. In a lengthy news conference, President Donald Trump also praised U.S. military activity and U.S. National Guard deployments, while at times veering into other topics, the fact check said.

Trump says U.S. will “govern” Venezuela after Maduro is taken out

2026-01-02

Horas después de una operación militar en Venezuela que Estados Unidos usó para sacar al presidente Nicolás Maduro del país, el presidente Donald Trump dijo que Estados Unidos administraría Venezuela al menos temporalmente y explotaría sus vastas reservas de petróleo. La operación ocurrió durante la madrugada del sábado, según el relato de Trump y de funcionarios venezolanos, y culminó con el traslado de Maduro —capturado junto con su esposa— hacia Estados Unidos.

Trump says Venezuela coup-like operation was a success, plans interim rule

2026-01-02

President Donald Trump said Saturday’s military operation that led to the ouster of Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro was a major success, and he offered a vague plan for his administration “to run” Venezuela until a transition can take place. Trump spoke at a news conference at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, as governments and lawmakers in multiple countries voiced concerns about legality and stability.

U.S. Coast Guard keeps searching for boat-strike survivors in eastern Pacific

2026-01-02

The U.S. Coast Guard said Friday it is still searching for people who jumped from alleged drug-smuggling boats in the eastern Pacific after a U.S. military attack days earlier, with the odds of finding survivors diminishing. The search began Tuesday afternoon for people reported to be in the water about 400 miles (650 kilometers) southwest of the Mexico-Guatemala border.

U.S. operation targeting Maduro disrupts Caribbean flights; some resume Sunday

2026-01-02

A U.S. military operation that captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and flew him out of the country early Saturday disrupted air travel across parts of the eastern Caribbean during the New Year holiday weekend. The Federal Aviation Administration imposed flight restrictions, and major airlines canceled hundreds of flights to and from Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Aruba and other destinations.

US capture of Maduro raises new legal questions on war powers and control

2026-01-02

The Trump administration’s capture of Venezuela President Nicolás Maduro and its assertion that it will “run” the country are raising new questions about the legality of U.S. actions and how any future operations would be carried out, legal experts said. Maduro was transported with his wife on a U.S. warship to face narco-terrorism conspiracy charges in New York after a surprise incursion in Caracas, according to reporting.

Venezuelans wonder who’s in charge after Maduro’s ouster

2026-01-02

Venezuelans scrambled on Saturday to understand who was in control of their country after the U.S. military captured President Nicolás Maduro, removing the Venezuelan leader who had survived a failed coup, mutinies, protests and sanctions. In Caracas, fears spread quickly as streets emptied and residents lined up for basic goods, while President Donald Trump said the United States would take control of Venezuela.

Maduro and Flores taken as U.S. carries out large-scale strike across Venezuela

2026-01-02

U.S. forces carried out a “large-scale strike” on Venezuela on Saturday that captured President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, and removed them from a military base. Attorney General Pam Bondi said Maduro and Flores were then taken aboard a U.S. warship bound for New York to face criminal charges.

US military strikes five more alleged drug boats

2026-01-01

The U.S. military said it struck five alleged drug-smuggling boats over two days, killing eight people as others jumped overboard and may have survived. U.S. Southern Command, which oversees South America, said the attacks occurred on Tuesday and Wednesday, and it did not disclose where.

CIA behind U.S. drone strike at Venezuelan dock, AP sources say

2026-01-01

U.S. officials have not publicly acknowledged a drone strike at a Venezuelan docking area that President Donald Trump linked to drug trafficking, but two people familiar with the operation told The Associated Press that the CIA carried it out. The strike, reported as the first known direct U.S. operation on Venezuelan soil since the U.S. began strikes in September, is believed to target a site used by Venezuelan drug cartels, according to the AP report.

US sanctions 4 Venezuelan oil firms and 4 tankers in Maduro crackdown

2026-01-01

The United States on Wednesday imposed sanctions on four firms operating in Venezuela’s oil sector and designated four additional oil tankers that it said are part of a shadow fleet serving President Nicolás Maduro’s government. The Treasury Department said the firms and tankers are now “blocked property,” limiting their ability to access assets held in the United States.

Trump says U.S. hit Venezuelan coastal drug-loading facility, offers few details

2025-12-30

President Donald Trump said the United States “hit” a dockside facility in Venezuela where boats accused of carrying drugs “load up,” escalating his pressure campaign on President Nicolás Maduro. Trump offered few specifics, including not confirming whether U.S. forces carried out the strike or where it occurred.

US military strikes another alleged drug boat, killing two in Pacific

2025-12-30

The U.S. military said it conducted another strike against a boat accused of smuggling drugs in the eastern Pacific Ocean, killing two people, according to the Pentagon’s Southern Command. The latest attack brought the total number of known boat strikes to 30 and the number of people killed at least 107 since early September, the Trump administration said.

Trump says U.S. hit Venezuelan drug-loading facility along the coast

2025-12-29

President Donald Trump said the U.S. “hit” a dock facility along Venezuela’s shore where boats accused of carrying drugs “load up,” in remarks that offered few details about where or how the strike occurred. He said the facility was “the implementation area” and declined to confirm whether U.S. military or CIA forces carried out the action.

Trump says U.S. hit Venezuela dock used for alleged drug boat loading

2025-12-29

The U.S. military carried out another strike against a boat accused of smuggling drugs in the eastern Pacific Ocean, killing two people, the Pentagon said. President Donald Trump also said the U.S. “hit” a dock facility along Venezuela’s shore where, he said, alleged drug boats “load up,” speaking during meetings in Florida. Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has insisted the U.S. operations are meant to pressure him to leave power.