2026 United States intervention in Venezuela

Also known as 2026 explosions in Venezuela, 2026 Venezuelan explosions, 2026 Venezuela airstrikes, 2026 Venezuelan airstrikes, Operation Absolute Resolve

On 3 January 2026, the United States launched a military strike in Venezuela and captured incumbent Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. The US operation, codenamed Operation Absolute Resolve, began around 2 a.m. local time, when explosions were observed. The US Armed Forces bombed infrastructure across northern Venezuela to suppress air defenses as an apprehension force attacked Maduro's compound in Caracas. Maduro and Flores were transported to New York City by US forces to face their trial there. If the operation is considered a military conflict, at 2 hours and 28 minutes it would qualify as one of the shortest wars in history.

AI overview

On January 3, 2026, the United States conducted a military operation called Operation Absolute Resolve in Venezuela, bombing infrastructure and capturing President Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores to transport them to New York City for trial. The operation, which lasted approximately 2 hours and 28 minutes, represents a significant and unusual direct military intervention by the US in another nation's internal affairs.

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Wikidata facts

Image: Nicolas Maduro on board the USS Iwo Jima.jpg
Number of deaths: 2
Number of injured: 7

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point in time: 2026-01-03
Commons category: 2026 United States strikes in Venezuela
code name: Operation Absolute Resolve

Sources (7)

radiofrance.fr

~40 min read

Article

The US federal government announced that Maduro and Flores had been indicted on several charges related to narcoterrorism. Maduro and Flores pleaded not guilty to the charges in Manhattan federal court on 5 January 2026. US president Donald Trump and his administration justified the operation as a law-enforcement action, with military support, that the president has "inherent constitutional authority" to undertake.