KEY DEVELOPMENTS

Maduro in New York after his arrest in Caracas — what we know so far

• Nicolas Maduro has now been transferred to a detention facility in New York, less than 24 hours after the operation that led to his arrest and transfer to the United States.
• Delcy Rodríguez has assumed the duties of president of Venezuela.
• The photo of Nicolás Maduro in handcuffs aboard a U.S. aircraft carrier transporting the Venezuelan president (See here).
• “We will remain in control of the country until a democratic transition takes place; we are ready for a second strike if necessary,” is Donald Trump’s message following the arrest of Nicolás Maduro and his wife.
• “Cuba is another place where we want to help its people,” the U.S. president also said, with Marco Rubio adding, “If I were a member of the government in Havana, I would be worried.”
• “It was an incredible operation, like a television show,” Trump said, revealing that he watched the Delta Force operation live from Mar-a-Lago.
• Who the elite special operations unit Delta Force is that arrested Maduro and his wife (See here).
• Read HERE everything that has happened in Venezuela, from the strikes on Caracas onward.

London Insists: We Did Not Take Part in the Venezuela Operation in Any Way

The Chief Secretary to UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer spoke to Sky News on Sunday morning, reiterating that the United Kingdom had not been informed of US plans to attack Venezuela.

When asked whether he considered the operation successful, Darren Jones replied:
“The first thing to say is that this was an American operation. The United Kingdom did not participate in any way, and we were not informed in advance. Therefore, it is not for us to judge whether it was successful or not. That is for the Americans to say.”

Yesterday, Keir Starmer initially stated that the UK did not take part in the strikes and later added:
“We regarded Maduro as an illegitimate president and did not shed any tears over the end of his regime.”

Kamala Harris: Maduro Is Violent and Illegitimate, but the Venezuela Operation Did Not Make America Safer, Stronger, or More Prosperous

The former US vice president and Democratic presidential candidate, Kamala Harris, said on social media on Sunday that the American operation in Venezuela did not “make America safer, stronger, or more prosperous.”

“The fact that Maduro is a violent, illegitimate dictator does not change the fact that this action was both illegal and reckless,” Harris wrote.

“We’ve seen this movie before. Wars for regime change or oil are sold as strength, but turn into chaos, and American families pay the price. The American people don’t want this and are tired of being lied to. This isn’t about drugs or democracy. It’s about oil and Donald Trump’s desire to play the strongman of the region. The president is putting troops at risk, spending billions, destabilizing a region, and offering no legal authority, no exit plan, and no benefit to the homeland,” she added.

Turkey Says It Has No Knowledge of Alleged Trump Ultimatum to Maduro

Ankara has no information about the alleged ultimatum by US President Donald Trump to Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, demanding that he resign and go into self-exile in Turkey, a diplomatic source told RIA Novosti.

Starlink to Offer Free Internet in Venezuela for One Month

Elon Musk’s Starlink announced it “will provide free broadband services to residents of Venezuela until February 3, ensuring continuous connectivity.”

How Trump Was Convinced to Opt for the Temporary Solution of Delcy Rodríguez

According to the New York Times, several weeks ago US officials had settled on Venezuela’s vice president Delcy Rodríguez as a temporary replacement for Maduro.

Sources involved in the discussions told the newspaper that intermediaries managed to convince the Trump administration that Rodríguez would protect and support future US investments in Venezuela’s energy sector. According to one source, the US believes it can work with Rodríguez on a more professional level than with Maduro.

Maduro Rejected Trump’s Ultimatum to Resign and Go into Exile

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro rejected an ultimatum from Donald Trump in late December 2025 calling on him to resign and go into self-exile in Turkey, according to the New York Times, citing US and Venezuelan sources involved in the negotiations.

Bloomberg: Rubio Could Play a Leading Role in Stabilizing Venezuela

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio could take on a leading role in establishing control over the situation in Venezuela following the arrest of President Nicolás Maduro by US special forces, Bloomberg reported, citing a US official.

Over 300 Billion Barrels of Oil Beneath Venezuela – And US Restrictions

According to the International Energy Agency, Venezuela had around 303 billion barrels of oil underground in 2023, about 17% of global reserves.

Washington has imposed economic sanctions on Venezuela since 2017 and, in January 2019 during Donald Trump’s first term, introduced a oil embargo aimed at economically suffocating the country, which depends heavily on oil exports.

At the start of his second term in 2025, Trump ended the oil licenses that had allowed multinational oil and gas companies to operate in Venezuela despite sanctions. Only US company Chevron was exempted, though it is no longer allowed to pay money to the government. In partnership with Venezuela’s state oil company PDVSA, Chevron operates four oil fields in the country.

With production at just under one million barrels per day, according to OPEC, Venezuela is far from being among the world’s top oil producers. Years of mismanagement and corruption reduced output from a peak of more than three million barrels per day in the early 2000s.

Because of the US embargo, Caracas is forced to sell its oil on the black market at a steep discount, mainly to Asia. Washington has also imposed a “full blockade” on “sanctioned tankers” traveling to or from Venezuela.

Venezuelan oil is of lower quality and is refined mainly into diesel or byproducts such as asphalt, rather than gasoline.

Sources speak of at least 40 dead in Venezuela from U.S. strikes

At least 40 people, including civilians and soldiers, were killed during the U.S. military operation in Venezuela aimed at capturing the country’s president, Nicolás Maduro, according to a report by The New York Times.

The newspaper cites a senior Venezuelan official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, stating that “at least 40 people, among them civilians and military personnel, lost their lives in the attack.”

U.S. officials told the newspaper that the operation involved an extensive air campaign to neutralize Venezuela’s air defense systems before the deployment of ground forces. According to the report, more than 150 U.S. aircraft took part in the operation, striking critical military infrastructure in order to enable the transport of troops by helicopter to the area where Maduro was located.

So far, there has been no official public confirmation from the White House or the Pentagon regarding the number of casualties or the full scope of the military operation.

04/01/2026 08:32
Restrictions lifted in Caribbean airspace

U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has lifted the restrictions on Caribbean airspace that were imposed early Saturday.

“The initial Caribbean airspace restrictions expire at 12:00 a.m. (Eastern Time), and flights may resume,” Duffy said on social media late Saturday night. “Airlines have been notified and will quickly update their schedules. Please continue to contact your airline if your flight was affected by the restrictions.”

No reference was made to airspace over Venezuela, which the FAA had also restricted.

04/01/2026 08:47
China says the U.S. should immediately release Maduro

China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said today that the United States should immediately release Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife, and resolve the situation in Venezuela through dialogue and negotiation.

In a statement published on its website, the ministry also said the United States should guarantee the personal safety of Maduro and his wife, stressing that their arrest violated international law and international norms.

🇺🇸⚔️🇻🇪
🔴 The first video of President Maduro and his wife, showing him appearing to be in pain while being escorted in restraints by heavily armed soldiers at a U.S. military base. pic.twitter.com/TnxWNByrGs

— China pulse 🇨🇳 (@Eng_china5) January 4, 2026

After Maduro’s arrest, Cuba calls on South American countries to unite against the U.S.

Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel called on the countries of Latin America to rally together following the U.S. military operation and the “abduction of President Nicolás Maduro” in Venezuela.

“Peoples of the Americas, let us unite!” the Cuban president said at a rally in Havana, organized by the ruling Communist Party to denounce Washington’s “military attack” against Venezuela.

04/01/2026 08:23
Delcy Rodríguez assumes duties as President of Venezuela

Venezuela’s Supreme Court ordered Vice President Delcy Rodríguez to assume the duties and powers of the president following Nicolás Maduro’s removal by the United States.

The decision was announced late Saturday (local time, early Sunday morning in Greece), concluding that Maduro is in a “substantial and temporary inability to carry out his duties.”

Rodríguez will “assume and exercise, as acting president, all the powers, duties, and responsibilities arising from the office of President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, in order to ensure administrative continuity and the comprehensive defense of the country,” according to the ruling, which was read by Judge Tania D’Amelio during a session broadcast on state television network VTV.

Venezuela’s constitution stipulates that in the event of a temporary or permanent absence of the president, the vice president must take over.