View Full Version : U.S. Captures Venezuela's Maduro After "Large-Scale Strike"
Jan. 3, 2026 at 9:36am ET
U.S. Captures Venezuela's Maduro After Large-Scale Strike
A U.S. military operation was carried out in Venezuela after months of pressure on the Latin American country's president
President Trump said the U.S. captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife and extracted them from the country in a military operation carried out in conjunction with U.S. law enforcement.
The announcement came hours after the oil-rich Latin American country's capital, Caracas, was rocked by a series of explosions. The government there said military facilities and airport areas were hit.
Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores have been indicted in New York, according to U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, with the deposed leader facing charges including narco-terrorism conspiracy and possession of machine guns.
Trump will give a news conference at his Mar-a-Lago estate at 11 a.m.
Venezuela's government said that, in addition to Caracas, the coastal states of Miranda, Aragua and La Guaira were hit.
The operation to capture Maduro was carried out by the Army's elite Delta Force and the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, which was also used in the raid that killed Osama Bin Laden.
Venezuela ordered a general mobilization of all the country's social and political forces to counter what it said was an imperialist attack.
The explosions hit the city after Trump repeatedly threatened land strikes in Venezuela, following months of an unprecedented campaign of U.S. airstrikes on alleged drug-trafficking vessels in the Caribbean.
ruthabagah
01-03-2026, 08:44
It?s all about controlling the oil fields? say goodbye to ??drill baby, drill?? in the us if we have control of the largest oil fields on earth.
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JohnnyDrama
01-03-2026, 09:04
This is all I can come up with....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fuKDBPw8wQA
HoneyBadger
01-03-2026, 09:06
The US has been a net exporter of oil since 2020. Most of the Venezuelan oil is low quality "sour" and many of our refineries are set up and streamlined to process and refine high-quality "sweet" crude.
I don't think this really has anything to do with oil.
Such a waste of our resources.
eddiememphis
01-03-2026, 09:34
https://www.state.gov/nicolas-maduro-moros
In March 2020, Maduro was charged in the Southern District of New York for narco-terrorism, conspiracy to import cocaine, possession of machine guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices.
The gun charges are an offshoot of the drug charges, possession in furtherance of trafficking.
Is it about oil? Yes.
Is it about "regime change"? Likely.
Is it about stopping the flow of illegal drugs into the US? Sure.
Is it about weakening Chinese and Russian influence in the western hemisphere? Probably.
It is a huge operation that required multiple, legally sound justifications.
ruthabagah
01-03-2026, 09:41
The US has been a net exporter of oil since 2020. Most of the Venezuelan oil is low quality "sour" and many of our refineries are set up and streamlined to process and refine high-quality "sweet" crude.
I don't think this really has anything to do with oil.
That changed in late 2024 and for most of 2025 since the price of crude is hovering around 60$ a barrel. Europe is favoring Canadian imports and the rest of the world is buying anything but American [emoji631]? we need the barrel to be above 70$ to make a buck producing here.
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BushMasterBoy
01-03-2026, 10:55
It takes specialized refineries like we have on the Gulf coast. In terms of strategic gains for national security, this is a vital resource for the United States. This acquisition reduces the reliance on Mid East oil.
I don't think this was entirely about oil.. As with most complex situations, it multi variant..
I think the biggest reason was Maduro being a narco/cartel leader and Chinese exerting their influence in the region. ( Panama canal)
Venezuela is just a piece on the global chess board.
Pretty ballsy move no matter what the reason. It will be interesting to see how the Venezuelan military handles it. They are already calling citizens to arms. It will probably be something like that Iraqi diplomat in Bagdad, live on CNN, saying everything was under control when the skies behind him were lit up with explosions and tracers.
This was an amazing mission that was carried out by the best military minds and troops on earth, IMHO. Let's just hope it doesn't escalate to a genuine bloody conflict.
BPTactical
01-03-2026, 13:13
Watch the Lefties lose their minds over a Venezuelan that shouldn't be here…..
Weird huh?
HoneyBadger
01-03-2026, 13:29
Yeah, I can't wait to see all the idiots in the US loudly try to defend Maduro on social media.. [facepalm]
Scanker19
01-03-2026, 13:38
Watch the Lefties lose their minds over a Venezuelan that shouldn't be here…..
Weird huh?
It will be funny when they call on ICE to deport him.
Aloha_Shooter
01-03-2026, 14:20
Such a waste of our resources.
What are you on about? This is real world training. From what I've heard, we had one aircraft damaged (extent unknown) and one individual wounded (again, extent unknown). The Russian air defenses were shown to be permeable. You can't buy the kind of confidence in our equipment, training, procedures, and personnel that a real world action like this brings.
As far as legitimacy goes, the US has had an active warrant on him for 5 years. Now, I'm not saying we want to activate a whole regiment and carrier battle group to grab 2 criminals all the time but if the overall goal and effect is a substantial reduction in lethal pharmaceuticals being available and killing US citizens on the streets it can certainly be justified from a cost efficiency standpoint. It will take time to see if this operation has that effect.
I will also note the apparent ease with which this was done should once again give the Iranian regime some pause to think -- and that is again a valuable effect.
BushMasterBoy
01-03-2026, 14:28
Iran is next. They have run out of water and there is rioting in the streets.
It is just like Panama in 1989 all over again.
I don't think this was entirely about oil.. As with most complex situations, it multi variant..
I think the biggest reason was Maduro being a narco/cartel leader and Chinese exerting their influence in the region. ( Panama canal)
Venezuela is just a piece on the global chess board.
This here.
Yes, oil is part of this big puzzle.
To others:
And "what war" is going on here?
I could easily be wrong, but it's done.
We, right or wrong, snatched the Dude under an Arrest Warrant Biden approved.
We are no longer there.
Unlike our "other wars" do we see US tanks charging around there? Marines landing on beaches?
Paratroopers landing?
So far it's a raid and it's done.
PS: Exxon.
Like him, hate him.
He WILL tell you exactly what he is going to do and then does it.
TEAMRICO
01-03-2026, 19:01
Thank you Oscar.
America! Fukc Yeah!
Exceptional operation, excellent message to our enemies, I can't hate him, Fight, Fight, Fight... People don't like Trump because they think he's arrogant (well, why the hell not?). To me, he's the male version of Judge Judy, tell it like it is, don't put up with crap, get shit done.
Haters gonna hate
Yeah, I can't wait to see all the idiots in the US loudly try to defend Maduro on social media.. [facepalm]
There are some f'd up people out there... Ole Maxine is showing her butt already...
It is just like Panama in 1989 all over again.
I volunteered for that one, but they didn't need many folks, didn't get the ribbon... Did get to do counter drug ops back then, and made it to the big show against Saddam (first time around). This time seems different, we shall see....
Iran is next. They have run out of water and there is rioting in the streets.
That would be awesome!
The best way to say you end a lot of wars is to start them first. But this is just a special military operation, not a war. Because wars require congressional approval, attacking a country and seizing it's leader is just trainining.
Side observation: hard to believe when people bitch about the second amendment not being strictly followed, when the same people rubber stamp the rest of it being toilet paper for their populist. Either you want the entire constitution respected and the constraints of the republic upheld, or you don't. The only difference between a socialist nut and these people is which parts of the constitution each want respected or ignored.
It is just like Panama in 1989 all over again.
My neighbors dad in Ft Campbell was on that. He told us that his dad went to rake out thier leader a few says before it happened.
BPTactical
01-03-2026, 22:39
So where?s the ?Seditious Six? on this one?
Jason?
Jason?
Jason?
Firehaus
01-03-2026, 23:46
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20260104/b6f8ff5fbfdd1b56a5cf9be067ca69b0.jpg
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https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20260104/b6f8ff5fbfdd1b56a5cf9be067ca69b0.jpg
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99920
eddiememphis
01-04-2026, 09:19
You guys are way wrong on the TRUTH behind the arrest.
99922
Trump is playing chess while everyone else is playing with their dicks.
He will cancel ALL FUTURE ELECTIONS! Oh, the horror! See what you MAGA acolytes have unleashed upon our precious, fragile republic? You should be ashamed!
BushMasterBoy
01-04-2026, 09:58
The game is way beyond chess. It involves AI quantum computing. Electromagnetic spectrum dominance is the result. Combined Joint All-Domain Command and Control (CJADC2) is the operational term. The battle is won before it is even fought.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UiiqiaUBAL8
I thought I read that their oil is the wrong type for our refineries
TEAMRICO
01-04-2026, 10:17
I heard about this guy who invented a car that runs on water maaaan…..on water!
I read it on the internet. It’s gotta be true maaaaaan!
Iran is next. They have run out of water and there is rioting in the streets.
I heard about that drought in Iran a few weeks ago, that place is hurting for sure.
BushMasterBoy
01-04-2026, 11:17
I thought I read that their oil is the wrong type for our refineries
Hydrocarbons are classified by molecular chain length. So propane is a short chain hydrocarbon and diesel is a long chain. Venezula oil is harder to refine than West Texas crude. Still good for making diesel and jet fuel. Gasoline is a shorter chain than diesel. Grease is a really long chain hydrocarbon.
It is just like Panama in 1989 all over again.
As I predicted on this forum and others, Maduro, if not killed would eventually be prosecuted and spend the rest of his life in a U.S. prison just as Noriega was. But but this invasion is far larger in purpose and scope. Trump is essentially enforcing the Monroe Doctrine in order rid the Americas of bad actors that threaten the U.S. That's the axis of Russia, Cuba, China, and Iran that have helped enable Chavez and Maduro. All have establish networks of spies, enforcers, militias, and have provided weapons to the Venezuelan dictator and his gang. The effects of the regime change in Venezuela have significant ripple effects on the cartels, Cuba, and Iran.
https://www.wsj.com/world/middle-east/irans-calculations-are-scrambled-by-u-s-raid-in-caracas-685eb58c?st=CFZqxt&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink
https://www.wsj.com/opinion/venezuela-and-cuba-whats-next-586ef145?st=frcD2A&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink
https://www.wsj.com/opinion/cubans-rejoice-at-maduros-ouster-8c4b5a1e?st=bcg9J9&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink
I experienced the Cuban Missile Crisis when Russia stationed nuclear weapons on the island miles off the Florida coast. I was one of those kids led to the school cafeteria and instructed how to hide under a desk in the event of a nuclear attack. Mr. Trump's actions are to minimize the risks.
IMO, the isolationists here take a very narrow, selfish view. My question is, who are you really cheering for?
The best way to say you end a lot of wars is to start them first. But this is just a special military operation, not a war. Because wars require congressional approval, attacking a country and seizing it's leader is just trainining.
Side observation: hard to believe when people bitch about the second amendment not being strictly followed, when the same people rubber stamp the rest of it being toilet paper for their populist. Either you want the entire constitution respected and the constraints of the republic upheld, or you don't. The only difference between a socialist nut and these people is which parts of the constitution each want respected or ignored.
Did we really attack a country, or did we go in and capture a known fugitive that had a 50 million dollar reward for information for that lead to his capture and who wasn't recognized as president by more than 50 other countries, who hadn't been legitimately elected to be leader of said country.
I thought the USA had often gone into other countries to capture known criminals in the past.
BushMasterBoy
01-04-2026, 15:16
I'm cheering for the gas pumps, so I can retire to a warm sunny beach. Lower fuel prices means lower food costs.
From what I understand fracking can damage aquifers, we don't need contaminated water.
theGinsue
01-04-2026, 16:04
You guys are way wrong on the TRUTH behind the arrest.
99922
Trump is playing chess while everyone else is playing with their dicks.
He will cancel ALL FUTURE ELECTIONS! Oh, the horror! See what you MAGA acolytes have unleashed upon our precious, fragile republic? You should be ashamed!
Was this sarcasm? I honestly can't tell.
I think it’s interesting that the VP of Venezuela ran to Russia. Obviously Russia was supporting Maduro until they ran out of money because of the war in Ukraine. Similar to Syria situation where there president ran to Russia.
Great-Kazoo
01-04-2026, 16:45
Watch the Lefties lose their minds over a Venezuelan that shouldn't be here?..
Weird huh?
Obama caled it, biden signed it, trump acted. Now even the lesbians for islam burqas are in a knot
IMO, the isolationists here take a very narrow, selfish view. My question is, who are you really cheering for?
Not an isolationist here, my take is if the constitution and framework don't fit the modern age and needs, we fix it appropriately.
The worst is that the ends justify the means, because every f'n politician thinks the ends justify the means, and then it's all shitpaper. Our republic was designed to protect against those who believe the ends justify the means, and it was made so that it could be amended as future circumstances dictate.
My perspective: If it's broke, fix it; if you don't fix it, then our government better respect it.
I've seen all the creative legal explanations, including that Trump can decide not to recognize another leader, thereby preventing the immunity from applying, blah blah blah, but at the end of the day, you either have a society governed by laws that apply equally, or you have a society that only applies laws to people it dislikes. The legal explanations for this are hogwash.
Unfortunately, we're the latter - we apply laws only to people that are currently disliked, and our entire government is summarized as "the ends justify the means", there are few checks and balances left, and none that are effective.
I do not sign onto the principle that we should support our government ignoring all checks and balances anytime the majority agrees with the outcome. That's why we'll have a social credit score before too long....
Great-Kazoo
01-04-2026, 23:11
Yeah, I can't wait to see all the idiots in the US loudly try to defend Maduro on social media.. [facepalm]
Well they're trying. This is one of the mems? i drop on their post
99925
eddiememphis
01-05-2026, 09:55
The legal explanations for this are hogwash.
This guy agrees.
https://reason.com/2026/01/03/trump-should-have-gotten-congressional-authorization-to-strike-venezuela-and-capture-maduro/?utm_source=Reason+Magazine&utm_campaign=5247c60908-reason_brand%7Croundup%7C2026_01_05&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-d26c0b7023-587953795
The Trump administration claims Maduro was violating the law, but the U.S. loses its moral high ground by acting illegally to remove him.
The U.S. Constitution gives Congress the sole authority to approve military strikes against foreign countries. Federal laws, like the War Powers Resolution, allow for unilateral executive action only in response to an imminent threat against Americans or U.S. troops. That separation of powers is fundamental to American democracy—not an optional arrangement for presidents to discard when it is politically or logistically inconvenient.
Vice President J.D. Vance tried a different line of argument earlier on Saturday, when he claimed on X that Trump did not need congressional authorization for the attack on Venezuela because "Maduro has multiple indictments in the United States for narcoterrorism. You don't get to avoid justice for drug trafficking in the United States because you live in a palace in Caracas."
So all any President would need to remove any foreign leader from power would be an inditement from a sympathetic court, regardless of the "imminent threat".
This guy agrees.
https://reason.com/2026/01/03/trump-should-have-gotten-congressional-authorization-to-strike-venezuela-and-capture-maduro/?utm_source=Reason+Magazine&utm_campaign=5247c60908-reason_brand%7Croundup%7C2026_01_05&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-d26c0b7023-587953795
The Trump administration claims Maduro was violating the law, but the U.S. loses its moral high ground by acting illegally to remove him.
The U.S. Constitution gives Congress the sole authority to approve military strikes against foreign countries. Federal laws, like the War Powers Resolution, allow for unilateral executive action only in response to an imminent threat against Americans or U.S. troops. That separation of powers is fundamental to American democracy?not an optional arrangement for presidents to discard when it is politically or logistically inconvenient.
Vice President J.D. Vance tried a different line of argument earlier on Saturday, when he claimed on X that Trump did not need congressional authorization for the attack on Venezuela because "Maduro has multiple indictments in the United States for narcoterrorism. You don't get to avoid justice for drug trafficking in the United States because you live in a palace in Caracas."
So all any President would need to remove any foreign leader from power would be an inditement from a sympathetic court, regardless of the "imminent threat".
Yeah - I have zero sympathies for Maduro or Venezuela of any kind, the above sums up the issue. Some of the chatter re: Greenland (which isn't realistic, but intended to coerce compliance), Mexico, etc., are concerning because of how much it undermines the international image of our once great country. The future of our country transcends generations, including our generations. We can lose all authority for international intervention and long term consequences are hard to predict, but most likely, not all that beneficial. To come out and essentially say we did this to take their oil is even more damaging, and yes, I'm aware of various perspectives on justification for that. What matters though, is we used to sit at the head of the table; our latest moves in the last few years decay our own checks and balances but also may also collectively (with many other changes) move us to a separate table entirely, a kids table surrounded by ocean, dealing in play money as the rest of world may eventually decide to entirely move on from our money standard.
Some other unrelated examples: Candian Tariffs - they are looking to retool their lumber industry to metric. Great news to US lumber industry, bad news for construction and the US Citizen. Tool changes can be up to 3 years, they'll stay in metric if that occurs. China has already (recently) overcome our chip blockade thanks to espionage and money flowing to former workers of ASML, they can already replicate the same technology and our moves have only been a speed bump to them, but has motivated their industry to become even more powerful. Only a few will understand the implications of that ASML duplication. Our latest moves undermine any international objection or support when China does something like abducts the Taiwan leadership in 2027.
International politics are for sober grownups. Whether we support or object to the way things were done before, the way things are done now is going to lead to us being isolationist, and not by choice. I'm NOT a libertarian, our riches and prosperity have largely come from greasing a lot of wheels internationally and making us the standard across the world. We don't succeed by burning that down; and we don't succeed by being cast in the same respect as Russia in the international eye.
In reference to the prior,
https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115841039505489911
Greenland is part of Denmark, and NATO.
Delfuego
01-05-2026, 17:03
99928
BushMasterBoy
01-05-2026, 20:08
This brings tears to my AI's
They did not drone strike him, they captured him alive. Good optics and an example to all. He was working closely with Cuba and doing a lot worse than smuggling drugs and oil while thumbing his nose at the United States the whole while. Now he can explain himself in court.
bellavite1
01-05-2026, 21:56
You folks can keep your moral high ground.
I'll stick with getting results.
BushMasterBoy
01-06-2026, 00:12
Operation Midnight Hammer and then Operation Absolute Resolve makes me think this has something to do with nuclear weapons. Not great big weapons, small portable backpack nukes. If my hypothesis is true, it will never be declassified.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atomic_demolition_munition
battlemidget
01-06-2026, 08:18
As a former cold war kid, it really tickles me that a thread on Blue Light made it's way to Green Light.
colorider
01-06-2026, 12:21
Even though this is CNN, I found it to be really interesting with some of the details I did not see elsewhere. Worth the read, even though it's CNN as it doesn't have the dickpile on Trump direction they usually do.
https://www.cnn.com/2026/01/03/politics/nicolas-maduro-capture-venezuela
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