The images depict Maduro dressed in gray sweatpants and a sweatshirt handcuffed, wearing blackout goggles, and being escorted by officials. One widely shared photo, posted by Trump on Truth Social, shows him aboard the USS Iwo Jima, a U.S. Navy ship, holding a water bottle while restrained. Additional pictures and videos capture his arrival in New York, including being led off a plane at Stewart Air National Guard Base and processed at DEA headquarters in Manhattan.

The operation, dubbed “Operation Absolute Resolve,” involved elite Delta Force troops raiding Maduro’s fortified compound early on January 3, 2026, after targeted strikes on military sites around Caracas to clear the way. Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were quickly taken into custody without major resistance, though Maduro reportedly tried to reach a safe room.

They were flown out of Venezuela by helicopter to a U.S. warship, then transported to New York, where Maduro is now held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn. He faces long-standing federal charges, including narco-terrorism conspiracy, drug trafficking, and weapons offenses—allegations he has long denied.

Reactions have been intense: Celebrations among Venezuelan expatriates in New York contrasted with protests in Caracas and condemnations from allies like China, Russia, and Cuba, who called it a violation of sovereignty. President Trump has stated the U.S. will temporarily “run” Venezuela and oversee its oil resources during a transition.

As Maduro awaits a likely court appearance soon, the world watches what this means for Venezuela’s future and international norms.

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The operation unfolded in the early hours of January 3, 2026, with U.S. special forces reportedly including elite Delta Force operators conducting a daring raid amid explosions in Caracas. Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were extracted from a heavily guarded location and flown by helicopter to the USS Iwo Jima, a powerful Wasp-class ship currently operating in the Caribbean.

Trump later confirmed in interviews and posts that the couple is en route to New York, where they face long-standing federal charges, including narco-terrorism conspiracy and drug trafficking. The U.S. has accused Maduro’s regime of turning Venezuela into a “narco-state,” facilitating massive cocaine flows into America.

While the move has drawn sharp criticism from some Democrats and international voices who call it an illegal intervention, many Venezuelans both at home and in exile are celebrating what they see as liberation from years of economic collapse, repression, and corruption under Maduro.

President Trump has stated that the U.S. will temporarily “run” Venezuela to ensure a stable transition, with American companies poised to help revive the nation’s vast oil industry, the largest reserves on Earth. Supporters hail it as bold action against a indicted fugitive; critics warn of precedents and potential backlash.

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