Report Details
Initial Publish Date
Last Updated: 04 JAN 2026
Report Focus Location: Venezuela
Authors: GSAT
Contributors: GSAT
GSAT Lead: MF
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U.S. forces captured President Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores during Operation Absolute Resolve, a pre-dawn strike involving over 150 aircraft against targets across northern Venezuela. At least 40 Venezuelan civilians and military personnel were killed in strikes on Caracas, Fuerte Tiuna, La Carlota Air Base, and surrounding areas. Maduro arrived in New York Saturday evening and is being held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn pending arraignment Monday on narco-terrorism charges.
Venezuela's Supreme Court ordered Vice President Delcy Rodríguez to assume acting president duties under Articles 233-234 of the constitution, though she publicly rejected any cooperation with Washington and demanded Maduro's release. Opposition leaders María Corina Machado (2025 Nobel Peace Prize laureate) and Edmundo González Urrutia declared they are "ready to take power" and called for immediate democratic transition.
The UN Security Council will convene an emergency session Monday, January 5 at 10:00 AM EST at the request of Venezuela and Colombia.
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GSAT (Geopolitical and Security Analysis Team) is Riley Sentinel's collective byline for team contributions or analysts requiring profile management due to sensitive work. All contributors are vetted by Riley Risk senior staff.
