Maduro in NY jail, V-P to take over in Caracas

5 JANUARY 2026

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro was held in a New York prison to face criminal charges after being captured in a night-time military operation done without approval from U.S. Congress.
Mr. Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were taken from their home in a military base by U.S. forces— an act that Mr. Maduro’s government called “imperialist”.
The couple faces U.S. charges of participating in a narco-terrorism conspiracy.
In Venezuela, the the Supreme Court ordered that Ms. Delcy Rodríguez assume the role of Acting President in the absence of Mr. Maduro.
She demanded that the U.S. free Mr. Maduro and called him the country’s rightful leader.
U.S. President Donald Trump said Ms. Rodríguez may pay a bigger price than Mr. Maduro “if she does not do what is right.”
Mr. Trump had revealed his plans to exploit the leadership void to “fix” the country’s oil infrastructure and sell “large amounts” of oil to other countries.
Trump later said the US would “run” Venezuela and US oil companies would “start making money for the country”.
Venezuela’s ruling party has held power since 1999, when Mr. Maduro’s predecessor, Hugo Chávez, took office, promising to uplift poor people and later to implement a self-described socialist revolution.