US seizes Caracas airport and detains Maduro

What peine in Venezuela? The US lightning operation that has reshaped the board

On January 3, 2026, US forces launched a joint operation on Caracas that included surgical strikes on five military targets, the seizure of Caracas International Airport and the detention of Nicolás Maduro, according to reports circulating on social media and international outlets. President Trump is said to have confirmed that Maduro is in custody aboard the USS Iwo Jima, charged with narcoterrorism along with his vvife. The operation, which some compare with the 1989 invasion of Panama, was reportedly carried out within hours, with strikes on key points such as the port of La Guaira, La Carlota air base, Fuerte Tiuna and the El Volcán communications center.

A historic precedent: the shadow of Noriega

The coincidence of dates is no accident: on January 3, 1990, Manuel Noriega fell, also accused of drug trafficking, and exactly 36 years later it was Maduro's turn. The US operation recalls the Panamanian "Just Cause", with a subsequent UN condemnation that the United States vetoed in the Security Council. As then, the initial deployment has been overwhelming, although doubts remain about later resistance. Russia, Maduro's ally, has condemned the action calling it "armed aggression", but its ability to respond is limited to statements: with the war in Ukraine deadlocked, the Kremlin has offered only rhetorical solidarity.

The specific targets of the first wave

According to data released by media close to the opposition, the first wave struck five targets with precise coordinates: the port of La Guaira, La Carlota air base (command post, hangars and aprons), the Army headquarters at Fuerte Tiuna and the El Volcán communications center. The bombing stopped quickly, but US aircraft continue to fly over the capital. The seizure of the airport allows transport planes to land, suggesting a sustained operation. Venezuelan military resistance, according to witnesses, has been minimal or nonexistent, fueling the theory that part of the high command negotiated a surrender.

What comes next?

With Maduro in the hands of the DEA, attention focuses on two scenarios: his possible extradition to the US for a trial that promises to reveal international connections, and Venezuela's political future. While the international community absorbs the shock, the streets of Caracas show a mix of bewilderment and hope. As in Panama, the medium-term outcome will depend on the United States' ability to stabilize the country without creating a power vacuum. And as then, the legality of the intervention will be debated for years. But the facts are already on the table: on January 3, 2026, Chavismo ceased to exist as a project of power.