Venezuela - President Nicolas Maduro & his wife "captured and flown out of country" by U.S. Army Delta Force during "large scale attack" - Jan 3, 2026

[RichardKimble]

Noriega and Panama?

Forgot that, is this why Trump is not all out in Ukraine?

 

[justtrish]

Where did you read that she and her husband were not taken out together last night?

US has captured Venezuela’s President Maduro and wife, says Trump

US president lauds ‘brilliant operation’ on social media as attorney general says couple will face criminal charges

www.theguardian.com

Maria Corinna Machado is who was smuggled out earlier, not Maduro's wife who is named Cilia Flores. Maria Machado won the primary in 2023 and then was disqualified from running against Maduro in 2024. The 2018 election and the 2024 election both seem to be in question.

Venezuela's Supreme Court disqualifies opposition leader from running for president

The ruling on Friday bars the presidential candidacy of Maria Corina Machado, a longtime government foe whose opposition faction is backed by the United States.

www.lemonde.fr

 

[NuttMegg]

Forgot that, is this why Trump is not all out in Ukraine?

Trump says that the US is going to be "strongly involved" in Venezuela's oil industry moving forward.

11:32

Venezuela latest: Captured Venezuelan leader Maduro arrives at detention centre after US strikes, reports say

Trump said the US will "run" Venezuela "until a safe and proper and judicious transition", while Caracas denounces the “military aggression".

www.bbc.com

 

[303gmf]

It’s about time Glad he’s arrested. Hopefully now drugs won’t be flooding into the US and other countries.

You do realize many drugs are homegrown right here in the USA?

 

[sds71]

• U.S. airlines canceled dozens of Caribbean flights, including travel to Puerto Rico, after a large-scale attack on Venezuela.
• The Federal Aviation Administration prohibited airlines from flying in parts of the Caribbean after the strikes.
• U.S. air carriers haven’t served Venezuela directly for years.

https://www.cnbc.com/2026/01/03/venezuela-airspace-flight-disruptions.html

 

[MelmothTheLost]

Where did you read that she and her husband were not taken out together last night?

US has captured Venezuela’s President Maduro and wife, says Trump

US president lauds ‘brilliant operation’ on social media as attorney general says couple will face criminal charges

www.theguardian.com

I was referring to Maria Corinna Machado. She had been living in hiding in Venezuela but was smuggled out of the country last month.

 

[LAborn]

It’s about time Glad he’s arrested. Hopefully now drugs won’t be flooding into the US and other countries.

Apparently you never watched "The Wire". The call is coming from inside the house.

 

[MelmothTheLost]

You do realize many drugs are homegrown right here in the USA?

Of course they are, but a very high proportion of the synthetics like Fentanyl are produced in China, apparently with at least tacit CCP approval, and enter the US by a variety of routes.

 

[LAborn]

I'm interested in the international precedent this will set.

Google "American Imperialism", sadly we've been doing this since the beginning.

 

[NuttMegg]

I was referring to Maria Corinna Machado. She had been living in hiding in Venezuela but was smuggled out of the country last month.

Sorry, read that wrong.

 

[NuttMegg]

Por fin hay una esperanza para todos los venezolanos que tuvimos que salir de nuestro país, tristemente, con dos maletas", aseguró en tanto una mujer"

Finally there is hope for all of us Venezuelans who had to leave our country, sadly, with 2 suitcases.

Venezolanos en Chile celebran efusivamente captura de Maduro en las calles de Santiago

La comunidad de ese país se manifiesta principalmente en la comuna de Estación Central.

www.emol.com

Nearly 7.9 million Venezuelan refugees

https://www.unhcr.org/us/emergencies/venezuela-situation

 

[justtrish]

Por fin hay una esperanza para todos los venezolanos que tuvimos que salir de nuestro país, tristemente, con dos maletas", aseguró en tanto una mujer"

Finally there is hope for all of us Venezuelans who had to leave our country, sadly, with 2 suitcases.

Venezolanos en Chile celebran efusivamente captura de Maduro en las calles de Santiago

La comunidad de ese país se manifiesta principalmente en la comuna de Estación Central.

www.emol.com

Nearly 7.9 million Venezuelan refugees

https://www.unhcr.org/us/emergencies/venezuela-situation

I have seen a lot of positive commentary from Venezuelans.

Joy, tears and chants of "freedom" as Venezuelans in South Florida react to Nicolas Maduro's capture

Venezuelans gathered outside El Arepazo in Doral, calling the moment historic after President Trump said Nicolas Maduro was captured and removed from Venezuela.

www.cbsnews.com

Celebrations erupted outside El Arepazo restaurant, a longtime gathering spot for the Venezuelan community, where people hugged, sang and waved flags as the sun came up.

Chants of "Libertad" echoed through the area as crowds sang both the U.S. and Venezuelan national anthems, marking a moment many said they had waited decades to see.

 

[MelmothTheLost]

Clearly, I had family there in the late 80’s early 90’s working for Reynolds Aluminum
I’m saying population wise compared to its worlds largest oil reserves

Physical oil reserves are not the be-all-and-end-all. What matters is whether they can be got out of the ground at a cost which allows them to be sold at a profit on the open market. In some countries, the cost of production is as low as $20 a barrel but in Venezuela's case the previously known reserves cost over $100 per barrel to produce due to particularly difficult geology. As such, with the current oil price of around $60 per barrel the country was making a loss on every barrel sold. However, if that is your only export and your only source of foreign currency you may be prepared to produce and sell at a loss.

What seems to have changed recently is that additional reserves have been found in the country and are thought to be economically viable.

 

[LAborn]

I wouldn't describe Venezuela as "tiny". It's estimated population in 2023 was over 30m, and this is after millions of its citizens fled the country, and it used to be the richest country in Latin America until it caught the disease of socialism.

Actually the demise is from them becoming an authoritarian system of government "where political and civil rights are NOT protected and elections are not free and fair". Sounds like where the US is headed if we aren't more diligent. Politics of Venezuela - Wikipedia

 

[sds71]

Here’s the indictment:

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

SEALED SUPERSEDING INDICTMENT S4 11 Cr. 205 (AKH) V.

NICOLAS MADURO MOROS,DIOSDADO CABELLO RONDON,RAMON RODRIGUEZ CHACIN,CILIA ADELA FLORES DE MADURO,
NICOLAS ERNESTO MADURO GUERRA,a/k/a "Nicolasito,"

a/k/a "The Prince," andHECTOR RUSTHENFORD GUERRERO FLORES,a/k/a "Nifio Guerrero,"

https://www.justice.gov/opa/media/1422326/dl

 

[Gators North]

Well this is frightening. The implications from this will be far reaching. I’m questioning the legality of any of this…
Another war for oil.

Absolutely. MOO

 

[303gmf]

Well the war on drugs is just a pretext. This is because of his political affiliation.

The president who pardoned drug dealers

This isn’t about drugs, nor were the fishing boats

 

[Bodine]

The president who pardoned drug dealers

This isn’t about drugs, nor were the fishing boats

This is and always has been about oil.

 

[Deleted member 372069]

We should do this for dictators from either side. Do Putin and Xi next.

(I know we can't because they have nukes, but I'm just wishfully thinking.)

 

[Vaderman]

Well the war on drugs is just a pretext. This is because of his political affiliation.

Indeed.

Trump pardons cocaine kingpin who ruled Honduras

Trump said Nov. 28 that he planned to pardon the former Honduran leader, and a White House official confirmed Dec. 2 that the pardon had been issued.

www.usatoday.com