1m agoSat 3 Jan 2026 at 8:24pmWhat’s happened overnight
If you’re just waking up, here’s a quick rundown on what you missed overnight:
The US launched several strikes on Venezuela’s capital early on Saturday morningVenezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife were captured by US forces in the operation. They are currently on a ship bound for the US and will stand trial in New YorkAt a press conference, US President Donald Trump said the US would take control of Venezuela for the forseeable futureTrump said US oil companies will be taken into Venezuela to extract oil and “fix” infrastructureThe US president expressed doubt that Venezuela’s opposition leader Maria Machado could run the countryVenezuelan Vice-President Delcy Rodriguez addressed the nation, calling for unity to defend the countryThe international community has offered mixed reactions, from congratulations in Israel to condemnation in Russia
24m agoSat 3 Jan 2026 at 8:02pm
More on Delcy Rodriguez
As I just reported, Venezuelan Vice-President Delcy Rodriguez has wrapped a national address.
To paint more of a picture about what kind of leader she is, here’s what to know about Rodriguez.
President Nicolás Maduro has described her as a “tiger” in the past for her diehard defence of his government.
(Reuters: Leonardo Fernandez Viloria)
Her father was left-wing guerilla fighter Jorge Antonio Rodriguez, who founded the revolutionary Liga Socialista party in the 1970s, and her brother, Jorge Rodriguez, is the head of the national assembly legislature.
She is an attorney who graduated from Universidad Central de Venezuela and quickly climbed the political ladder in the last decade.
Maduro named Rodriguez vice-president in 2018, announcing her appointment on X as “a young woman, brave, seasoned, daughter of a martyr, revolutionary and tested in a thousand battles”.
In August 2024, Maduro added the oil ministry to Rodriguez’s portfolio, where she has been tasked with managing escalating US sanctions on the country’s most important industry.
Rodriguez with Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores in 2018. (Reuters: Marco Bello)41m agoSat 3 Jan 2026 at 7:44pmVenezuelan vice-president calls for unity to defend country
Venezuelan Vice-President Delcy Rodriguez has just addressed the nation on state television.
She appeared with her brother Jorge Rodriguez and the ministers of foreign affairs and defence in Caracas, despite previous reports she was in Russia.
The vice-president reiterated calls for the release of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife and called for calm and unity to defend the country.
She added that Venezuela would never be the colony of another nation.
“There is only one president of Venezuela: Maduro.”
Her comments contradict earlier remarks by US President Donald Trump, who said Rodriguez had been “sworn in” as president of Venezuela and was “willing to do what we think is necessary to make Venezuela great again”.
Trump has said the US will be running Venezuela in the immediate future.
47m agoSat 3 Jan 2026 at 7:38pm
Democrats say they were misled on Venezuela
US Democrats have accused the Trump administration of lying about their intentions on Venezuela in the weeks leading up to the overnight operation.
They say the government insisted it was not planning a regime change or land invasion in Caracas during briefings in November and December.
Senator Jeanne Shaheen, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, says politicians have been left with no understanding of the administration’s long-term plan following the “extraordinary escalation”.
“Instead, the administration consistently misled the American people and their elected representatives by offering three differing and contradictory explanations for its actions,” she said.
Several of her colleagues have expressed similar sentiments that the administration “lied” to them in briefings.
The War Powers Resolution Act requires that “in every possible instance”, the president must notify Congress before committing US troops into “hostilities abroad”.
The Trump administration notified members of Congress about the military operation after it had been carried out, Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said.
“This is not the kind of mission that you can do congressional notification on,” he told reporters.
“It was a trigger-based mission in which conditions had to be met night after night.
“Congress has a tendency to leak.”
Reporting with Reuters
1h agoSat 3 Jan 2026 at 7:23pm
Zelenskyy: ‘If it’s possible to deal with dictators this way, then the US knows what to do next’
Ukrianian President Volodymyr Zelenzkyy has been asked for his thoughts on the military operation in Venezuela.
The leader was holding a news conference after meeting with European national security advisors.
“How should I react to this? What can I say?” he mused with a wry smile.
“If it’s possible to deal with dictators this way, then the US knows what to do next.”
(Reuters)
The comment drew a laugh from reporters in the room.
Trump was asked about the war in Ukraine during his press conference at Mar-a-Lago earlier.
He said he was frustrated with Russian President Vladimir Putin over the continued war, repeating that he had intially believed ending it would be easy.
“I’m not thrilled with Putin,” he said.
“He’s killing too many people.”
1h agoSat 3 Jan 2026 at 7:02pm
Caracas ‘not absolute chaos’
Ana Vanessa Herrero, a journalist in Caracas, told the BBC people were trying to stock up on food and medicine in Venezuela’s capital.
“In the streets, the situation is not absolute chaos, but I did witness long lines forming in front of supermarkets and pharmacies,” she said.
“We also saw police and national guard on the streets.
“This was the eastern part of Caracas. The central parts of the city are showing something different.”
She said in central areas, small groups of supporters of the detained President Nicolás Maduro had been gathering.
A state of emergency has been declared in Venezuela, but Ms Herrero said she hadn’t witnessed any arrests yet.
Long lines have formed outside supermarkets and pharmacies in Venezuela. (Reuters: Leonardo Fernandez Viloria)1h agoSat 3 Jan 2026 at 6:47pmSpain will not recognise US intervention
Spain will not recognise a US intervention in Venezuela that violates international law, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said.
“Spain did not recognize the Maduro regime”, Sanchez wrote on X.
“But neither will it recognize an intervention that violates international law and pushes the region toward a horizon of uncertainty and belligerence.”
Sanchez also called on all parties to “think of the civilian population, to respect the United Nations Charter, and to articulate a fair and dialogued transition”.
French President Emmanuel Macron said Venezuelan Opposition Leader Edmundo González Urrutia should help oversee the change in power in Venezuela.
“The transition to come must be peaceful, democratic, and respectful of the will of the Venezuelan people,” he wrote on X.
“We hope that President Edmundo González Urrutia, elected in 2024, will be able to ensure this transition as quickly as possible.”
1h agoSat 3 Jan 2026 at 6:28pmIsrael congratulates Trump
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has congratulated Donald Trump on his actions in Venezuela.
“Congratulations … for your bold and historic leadership on behalf of freedom and justice,” he posted on X.
“I salute your decisive resolve and the brilliant action of your brave soldiers.”
Earlier, Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar commended the operation, saying Trump acted “as the leader of the free world”.
“At this historic moment, Israel stands alongside the freedom-loving Venezuelan people, who have suffered under Maduro’s illegal tyranny,” he said.
“Israel welcomes the removal of the dictator who led a network of drugs and terror and hopes for the return of democracy to the country and for friendly relations between the states.
“The people of Venezuela deserve to exercise their democratic rights. South America deserves a future free from the axis of terror and drugs.”
2h agoSat 3 Jan 2026 at 6:13pm
Images of Trump and cabinet
Donald Trump has posted more than a dozen images on his Truth Social platform with no caption or context depicting him and other US officials in a room.
It’s not clear when these were taken but on the large screen behind them the X platform (formerly Twitter) is open and posts referencing Venezuela are visible, possibly suggesting these took place after the news broke.
Some of the same photos were posted by the White House account on X, with the caption “Operation Absolute Resolve”.
(Donald Trump / Truth Social)
(Donald Trump / Truth Social)
(Donald Trump / Truth Social)2h agoSat 3 Jan 2026 at 5:56pmHere are the main points from Trump’s press conference
The press conference with US President Donald Trump, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine has wrapped up.
Here are the main points:
The US intends to “run” Venezuela for the foreseeable futureTrump alluded that his cabinet would be in charge until people are designatedUS oil companies will be taken into Venezuela to extract oil and “fix” infrastructure, some of which Trump claimed Venezuela stole from the US Venezuela’s air-defence systems were “dismantled” during the operation to “arrest” Nicolás Maduro, which lasted about 2 hours and 20 minutesMaduro tried to get to a “safe room” but US troops were “too fast”Venezuela’s Vice-President Delcy RodrÃguez “agreed to make Venezuela great again” and allow the US to take control of the countryTrump warned other politicians in Venezuela that they could be targeted as wellTrump expressed doubt Venezuela’s opposition leader, Maria Corina Machado, could run the country
You can watch the full one-hour press conference below:
2h agoSat 3 Jan 2026 at 5:47pm
Trump says Cuba also being watched closely
During the press conference, Trump was asked about Cuba, a major supporter of Maduro’s regime.
Trump said the situation was “very similar” to Venezuela’s.
“I think Cuba is gonna be something we’ll end up talking about, because Cuba is a failing nation, and we want to help the people,” he said.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, a Cuban American, was then asked by Trump to speak to it.
“If I lived in [Cuban capital] Havana and I was in the government I’d be concerned, at least a little bit,” he said.
2h agoSat 3 Jan 2026 at 5:35pmTrump alludes to his cabinet running Venezuela
Donald Trump initially dodged a question by a reporter asking “who’s in power right now [in Venezuela]?” only pointing to who will be “running” it in the foreseeable future.
“We’re going to be running it with a group and we’re going to make sure it’s run properly.”
“We’re going to make sure that the people of Venezuela are taken care of, we’re going to make sure that the people that were forced out of Venezuela by this thug are also taken care of.”
He added that “we’re not afraid of boots on the ground” when asked if the US military will be part of “running” the country.
He then said they will be designating various people who are being chosen now, and then pointed at the people behind him who include members of his cabinet and said it would largely be them running it.
He expressed doubt that Venezuela’s opposition leader, Maria Corina Machado, could run the country, saying she does not have the support or respect of the people.
He said he had not been in touch with the Nobel Peace Prize winner after President Nicolas Maduro’s “arrest”.
2h agoSat 3 Jan 2026 at 5:31pm
Maduro was ‘trying to get into safe room’ when US forces attacked
US President Donald Trump has provided more details on the covert mission to detain Venezuela’s president.
He said when American troops arrived at the location where Nicolás Maduro staying, he was trying to get into a “safe room”.
He said US troops had to get past a lot of people with guns to get to the president.
Trump said US troops were “too fast” for Maduro.
Loading…3h agoSat 3 Jan 2026 at 5:23pmTrump says US will ‘make Venezuela great again’
Donald Trump, the US president, is taking questions at Mar-a-Lago now.
He says his Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, has spoken to Venezuela’s Vice President, Delcy RodrÃguez.
Mr Trump claims she’s agreed to his plan to take control of the country for the forseeable future.
“She’s agreed to make Venezuela great again,” the US president said.
3h agoSat 3 Jan 2026 at 5:21pm
More details of mission revealed
General Dan Caine, the most senior military figure in the Pentagon, is speaking at Mar-a-Lago about the mission that took place in Venezuela overnight, local time.
He said:
US forces “dismantled” Venezuela’s air-defence systems150 aircraft were were used in the mission, which lasted about 2 hours and 20 minutesThe mission was named operation “Absolute Resolve”The oldest person to take part in the mission was 49. The youngest was 20One US aircraft was damaged, but was “still flyable”Loading…
3h agoSat 3 Jan 2026 at 5:17pm
Venezuela ‘stole’ American oil and assets through force: Trump
Donald Trump has claimed that oil infrastructure in Venezuela belonged to the US and was stolen from them decades ago, costing the US billions.
“Venezuela unilaterally seized and stole American oil, American assets and American platforms, costing us billions and billions of dollars,” he said.
“They did this a while ago be we’ve never had a president that did anything about it. They took all of our property, it was our property we built it, and we never had a president that decided to do anything about it, instead they fought wars that were ten thousand miles away.
“We built Venezuela’s oil industry with American talent, drive and skill and the socialist regime stole it from us during those previous administration and they stole it through force.
“This constituted one of the largest thefts of American property in the history of our country.
“Massive oil infrastructure was taken like we were babies and we didn’t do anything about it. I would’ve done something about it.
“America will never allow foreign powers to rob our people, or drive us back into and out of our own hemisphere, that’s what they did.”
3h agoSat 3 Jan 2026 at 5:10pm
WATCH: ‘We are going to run the country’
Watch the moment US president Donald Trump announced the US intends to “run” Venezuela for the foreseeable future.
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3h agoSat 3 Jan 2026 at 5:04pm
Trump sends warning to other politicians in Venezuela
Donald Trump’s update on the situation in Venezuela is continuing at Mar-a-Lago.
“This extremely successful operation should serve as a warning to anyone to threatens American soverignty and lives,” the US President said.
“All political and military figures in Venezuela should understand: what happened to [President Nicolás] Maduro can happen to them, and it will happen to them.”
3h agoSat 3 Jan 2026 at 4:55pm
Trump says no US deaths in operation
Donald Trump is still speaking at Mar-a-Lago, and says no-one on the US side involved in the mission overnight, local time, was killed.
3h agoSat 3 Jan 2026 at 4:53pm
US oil companies to go into Venezuela: Trump
Donald Trump says US oil companies will be taken into Venezuela to help extract more oil.
“The oil business in Venezuela has been a bust, a total bust, for a long period of time.
“They were pumping almost nothing by comparison to what the could have been pumping and what could have taken place.
“We’re going to have our very large United States oil companies, the biggest anywhere in the world, go in spend billions of dollars, fix the badly broken infrastructure, the oil infrastructure, and start making money for the country.”
He added: “We’ll make the people of Venezuela, rich, independent, and safe.”