Early on January 3, 2026, residents of La Guaira and Caracas, Venezuela, were startled by the sound of explosions and low-flying aircraft. Smoke was seen rising from the Port of La Guaira. The incidents, occurring around 2 a.m. near airports and military bases, marked the beginning of a dramatic escalation that would alter the South American nation's trajectory.
A Surprise Military Incursion
Later that day, from his Florida country club where he spent the holidays, U.S. President Donald Trump made a stunning announcement. He declared that American military forces had launched a "large-scale" attack on Venezuela and successfully captured the country's president, Nicolas Maduro, along with his wife. Trump framed the unprecedented military action not as an act of war, but as a "law enforcement" operation aimed at arresting a drug kingpin.
"Our military, working with us, law enforcement, successfully captured Maduro," Trump stated at a news conference. He went further, announcing that the U.S. military would govern Venezuela for the foreseeable future. "We're not afraid of boots on the ground," he said, adding the U.S. would run the country until a "safe, proper and judicious transition" could be arranged.
Contrasting Motives: Drugs vs. Oil
The President's justification focused heavily on alleged drug trafficking by the Maduro regime. He claimed that each drug smuggling boat destroyed in recent months represented 25,000 American lives saved, though his administration provided no evidence these boats carried the deadly synthetic opioid fentanyl, which primarily enters the U.S. via the Mexican border.
This stance, however, stands in stark contrast to Trump's recent pardon of another convicted drug trafficker. On December 1, 2025, he pardoned and released Juan Orlando Hernandez, the former president of Honduras, who was serving a 45-year sentence for smuggling over 400 tons of cocaine into the United States. Trump claimed, without evidence, that Hernandez was wrongfully prosecuted.
Conversely, Trump has been openly vocal about another motive: Venezuela's vast oil reserves. He accused the Venezuelan "socialist regime" of stealing American-built oil infrastructure, calling it "one of the largest thefts of American property." His comments echoed years of public statements. During his 2024 campaign, he lamented that the U.S. did not take over Venezuela's oil when he had the chance. Just two weeks prior to the attack, he told reporters at Joint Base Andrews, "They took our oil rights, removed our companies, and we want them back."
Historical Context and Unverified Claims
Trump's desire to seize foreign oil is not new. During his 2016 campaign, he frequently said "Take the oil!" regarding Iraq, a policy he has now seemingly enacted in Venezuela. During his Saturday remarks, he also repeated unverified claims, asserting Venezuela had dumped thousands of criminals and mentally ill people into the United States, a claim for which there is no evidence and which may confuse asylum seekers with individuals in mental health facilities.
The operation, resulting in the capture of a sitting head of state and the deaths of approximately 100 people on interdicted boats, represents a profound shift in hemispheric relations and international law. The world now watches as the United States military assumes control of a sovereign nation, citing a complex and contradictory blend of law enforcement and resource-based justifications.
