In the early hours of January 3, 2026, the normally bustling streets of Caracas were thrown into chaos as explosions reverberated and aircraft flew at low altitudes overhead, sending pedestrians scrambling for safety. Source: AP / Matias Delacroix
Trump has repeatedly promised land operations in Venezuela. He has not publicly detailed his aims but has privately pressured Maduro to flee the nation, Reuters has reported.
The US has made a major military buildup in the region, including an aircraft carrier, warships and advanced fighter jets stationed in the Caribbean.
Trump has sought a “blockade” of Venezuelan oil, expanded sanctions against the Maduro government and staged more than two dozen strikes on vessels the US alleges were involved in trafficking drugs in the Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea.
According to the official statement, these attacks were not limited to Caracas; they also occurred in the states of Miranda, Aragua, and La Guaira. In response, President Maduro declared a national emergency, urging both social and political groups to implement “mobilisation plans” immediately.
The Venezuelan government said in its earlier statement that the goal of the attack was for the US to take possession of the country’s oil and minerals, adding that the US “will not succeed”.
“In strict adherence to Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations, Venezuela reserves the right to exercise legitimate self-defence to protect its people, its territory, and its independence,” the statement read.
“We call upon the peoples and governments of Latin America, the Caribbean, and the world to mobilise in active solidarity in the face of this imperial aggression.”
The US has not made such a direct intervention in Latin America since the invasion of Panama in 1989 to depose military leader Manuel Noriega, over similar allegations.
