Was Maduro’s Capture an ‘Act of War’ Against Venezuela? This is now for Venezuela to decide. It will be a war, if Venezuelan defense will be activated

On January 3, 2026, U.S. military forces conducted a large-scale strike in Caracas, capturing Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. The operation, which involved 150 aircraft and elite Delta Force units, resulted in at least 80 deaths.

 

Maduro is currently detained at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn and is scheduled for arraignment in a Manhattan federal court on Monday, January 5, 2026.

U.S. Administration Justification

The Trump administration has formally rejected the "act of war" label, framing the mission instead as a law enforcement operation:

 

    Counter-Narcotics: Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated the primary goal was to halt drug trafficking into the U.S. and capture an "indicted drug trafficker".

    Criminal Charges: Maduro and Flores were transported to New York to face federal charges related to narco-terrorism and cocaine trafficking.

    Precedent: The administration cited similar historical "extraction missions" supported by the military, such as the 1989 capture of Manuel Noriega in Panama.

 

Critics and officials have characterized the mission as an "act of war" against Venezuela due to its scale and impact on national sovereignty:

Arguments for "Act of War"

 

    Scale of Military Force: House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) described the operation as an "act of war," noting it involved thousands of troops and substantial air power, which he argues only Congress has the constitutional power to authorize.

    Violation of Sovereignty: New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and various international law experts have condemned the capture as a "violation of federal and international law" and a blatant act of aggression against a sovereign state.

    Regime Change Intent: President Trump announced that the U.S. would "run" Venezuela temporarily until a "proper" transition of power occurs, which critics view as an illegal attempt at forced regime change.

    Venezuelan Government Response: Vice President Delcy Rodríguez, who was sworn in as interim president following the capture, called the attack a "brutal aggression" and a "barbaric" attempt to impose a colonial war. 

 

Ultimately, whether this escalates to a broader war depends on Venezuela's response. As of January 4, 2026, there's a "tense calm" in the country, with no immediate activation of defenses or counterattacks reported. The Venezuelan military and any remaining leadership could choose to mobilize, seek alliances (e.g., with Russia or China), or pursue diplomatic channels like the UN. If defenses are activated or retaliation occurs, it could indeed spiral into conflict; otherwise, it might remain a unilateral U.S. action with ongoing diplomatic fallout.

 

 More about Mr. Jeffries opinion:

 

“Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) said the Trump administration’s actions in Venezuela, capturing President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, were an “act of war.”

 

Jefferies said, “There’s been no evidence that the administration has presented, to justify the actions that were taken in terms of there being an imminent threat, to the health, the safety, the well-being, the national security of the American people. This was not simply a counter-narcotics operation. It was an act of war. It involved, of course, the Delta Force. And we’re thankful for the precision by which they executed the operation and thankful for the fact that no American lives were lost.”

 

He added, “But this was a military action involving Delta Force, involving the Army, apparently involving thousands of troops, involving at least 150 military aircraft, perhaps involving dozens of ships off the coast of Venezuela and South America. So, of course, this was the military action. And pursuant to the Constitution, only Congress has the power to declare war, to authorize acts that take place in this regard. And we’ve got to make sure when we return to Washington, DC, that legislative action is taken to ensure that no further military steps occur absent explicit congressional approval.””