SKEENA NEWS WORLD DESK — In an unprecedented military and legal action that has redefined international statecraft, the United States executed Operation Southern Spear (also referred to as Operation Absolute Resolve) in the early hours of Saturday, January 3, 2026.
The tactical mission resulted in the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, marking the first time since the Cold War that the U.S. has unilaterally removed a sitting head of state through direct kinetic action.
Tactical Execution: A Lightning Strike
The operation commenced at approximately 1:50 a.m. local time with a multi-domain assault intended to neutralize the Venezuelan military’s command-and-control infrastructure within a 30-minute window.
- The Bombardment: U.S. stealth-capable aircraft targeted military installations including Fuerte Tiuna and La Carlota Airbase, as well as critical communication nodes like the El Volcán signal antenna.
- The Extraction: An elite Delta Force team, supported by the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (SOAR), infiltrated the presidential residence at Fuerte Tiuna at 1:01 a.m..
- The Handover: By 3:29 a.m., Maduro and Flores were successfully extracted and transported to the USS Iwo Jima, an amphibious assault ship in international waters.
The Legal Architecture: ‘Narco-Terrorism’ Indictment
The Trump administration’s justification for the operation rested on the systematic reclassification of the Maduro government as a transnational criminal organization.
The legal basis was a refreshed federal indictment from the Southern District of New York (SDNY), which accused the couple of leading the “Cartel de los Soles” (Cartel of the Suns). Key charges include:
- Narco-Terrorism Conspiracy: Collaborating with the FARC to use narcotics as a weapon against the U.S..
- Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) Designation: In late 2025, the U.S. officially designated the Cartel de los Soles as an FTO, transforming the legal standing of the Venezuelan leadership from political adversaries to global terrorists.
- $50 Million Bounty: The bounty for Maduro’s arrest was increased to a record $50 million in August 2025, the highest in American history.
Strategic Motivations and the Global Response
The intervention was driven by a triad of perceived national security threats: the migration crisis (estimated at 8 million displaced Venezuelans), the weaponization of the drug trade, and the failure of “negotiated exit” offers made following the disputed 2024 election.
- Energy Security: President Trump emphasized that the U.S. is now “very strongly involved” in the Venezuelan oil industry, aimed at repairing infrastructure and restarting production in the nation with the world’s largest crude reserves.
- International Condemnation: Russia, China, and Iran have led a sharp condemnation of the act, calling it an “unacceptable infringement on sovereignty” and “imperialist piracy”.
- Regional Support: Leaders such as Argentina’s Javier Milei have celebrated the move as a victory for freedom in the hemisphere.
The Power Vacuum: What Comes Next?
The removal of Maduro has left Venezuela in a state of institutional paralysis. Under the constitution, Vice President Delcy Rodríguez is the legal successor, though her position is precarious amidst the military mobilization ordered by Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López.
As Maduro prepares to face a federal jury in New York, the operation poses a fundamental question for the international community: Does a state’s alleged involvement in crime negate its sovereign rights? In 2026, the United States’ answer is a resounding yes.
Skeena News Editorial Note: While the U.S. has announced it will “run” the country on a temporary basis, the risks of a protracted insurgency and further regional refugee surges remain high.
