On January 3, 2026, the United States executed a bold operation that resulted in the capture of Nicolás Maduro and his wife, a decisive blow to a regime that has for years trafficked misery and drugs into our neighborhoods. For patriots who demanded real action instead of hollow sanctions, this is the kind of clear-eyed leadership Americans voted for — and it is precisely the foreign-policy victory critics said would never happen.
Explosions and low-flying aircraft rocked Caracas as U.S. forces — reportedly including elite special operations troops — struck key targets and took Maduro into custody before flying him out of the country. President Trump announced the operation publicly, leaving no doubt who in Washington had the backbone to finish what years of weak policy could not.
Justice is finally catching up to a man long accused of running a narco-state; U.S. prosecutors have moved to indict Maduro and his wife on serious narcoterrorism charges that have haunted his regime for years. The decision to bring criminal charges here at home sends the message that America will not be a safe harbor for dictators who flood our communities with poison.
This outcome did not come from wishful thinking — it followed months of pressure: sanctions, oil interdictions, and a designation of Venezuela’s criminal networks that squeezed Maduro’s grip. That pressure, paired with tactical patience and a willingness to use force when necessary, proved the strategy of strength works where appeasement fails.
Expect the usual chorus of hand-wringing from the coastal elites and international bureaucrats who lecture American sovereignty while turning a blind eye to human suffering overseas. They will demand hearings and nitpick legalities, even as families in our country breathe easier knowing a major drug pipeline has been disrupted; questions about congressional consultation are legitimate, but they don’t erase the moral clarity of taking down a criminal regime.
Across the hemisphere reactions split — some leaders cheered a step toward liberty while authoritarian backers spat invective — but what matters to hardworking Americans is security at home and justice for victims. Let the world debate; we should celebrate a moment when American resolve protected our national interest and held a tyrant accountable, and then get to work defending our actions in the halls of Congress and on the world stage.
