Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro arrived in the United States on Saturday, landing at Stewart Air National Guard Base, about 70 kilometers from New York City. According to reports, the plane carrying Maduro landed around 5 p.m. Eastern Time. After landing, he was transported by helicopter to Manhattan’s West Side Heliport and then to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration headquarters for initial legal processing. Authorities plan to transfer him to a detention facility in Brooklyn following the court procedures.

U.S. media footage showed FBI officers positioned near the aircraft door as Maduro, wearing a blue jacket and partially covering his face, was escorted down the stairs by American officials. He was surrounded by members of the FBI and DEA. Reports indicate that preparations are underway to present him before a federal court in Manhattan on charges related to drug and arms trafficking.

The Brooklyn detention center where Maduro is expected to be held is known for housing high-profile inmates, including R. Kelly, Ghislaine Maxwell, and Sean “Diddy” Combs. Earlier, U.S. President Donald Trump claimed responsibility for Maduro’s capture in Venezuela and released a photo of him in custody.

Spain has offered to mediate between the United States and Venezuela after tensions escalated following a US attack in Caracas and the detention of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, who was taken out of the country. According to an AFP report, Spain’s foreign ministry issued a statement on Saturday urging restraint and expressing readiness to help ease the situation.

The ministry said Spain did not recognize the results of Venezuela’s July 28, 2024, presidential election, in which the National Electoral Council declared Maduro the winner despite opposition rejection. Opposition candidate González Urrutia fled to Madrid after the election. Spain also noted that it has already granted asylum to thousands of Venezuelans forced to leave for political reasons and will continue to do so.

The statement emphasized Spain’s willingness to support a democratic, negotiated, and peaceful resolution for Venezuela, highlighting its ongoing humanitarian and diplomatic engagement with Venezuelan political developments.

US President Donald Trump announced that the United States will temporarily administer Venezuela following the capture of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife during a military operation. Speaking at Mar-a-Lago in Florida, Trump said the operation took place overnight, disabling much of Caracas’s power supply and rendering Venezuela’s military capacity ineffective. He confirmed that no US troops were killed and no equipment was damaged, adding that helicopters, fighter jets, and a large number of soldiers participated, supported by the FBI’s Hostage Rescue Team.

Trump stated that Venezuela would remain under US control until a safe and prudent power transition is completed. He warned of a possible second strike if necessary but said it was unlikely after the successful mission. Maduro faces drug and weapons charges, while Caracas accused Washington of seeking to seize oil and mineral resources. The US hinted at no further action against Caracas, though Venezuela declared a state of emergency.

The United Kingdom denied involvement in the attack, and Russia condemned the operation. Reports cited BBC, Al Jazeera, and Fox News as sources.

US military forces have carried out a large-scale operation in Venezuela, capturing President Nicolás Maduro and his wife and transferring them to the United States. The raid, led by the elite Delta Force unit, marks the first direct US military intervention in Latin America since the 1989 invasion of Panama. Following the operation, questions have emerged over who will assume control of Venezuela’s leadership.

In an interview with Fox News, US President Donald Trump said his administration is considering whether to support opposition leader María Corina Machado, currently in Norway, as Venezuela’s new leader. Trump described Maduro’s election as disgraceful and said the arrest sends a clear message that the United States will no longer bow to pressure. Washington has indicated no further action will be taken against Caracas, while the Venezuelan government has accused the US of seeking to seize its oil and mineral resources.

The United Kingdom stated it was not involved in the operation, and Russia condemned the US military action. A state of emergency has been declared across Venezuela following the raid.

Three people were killed on Monday when an Israeli drone targeted a vehicle in southern Lebanon’s Sidon district, according to Lebanon’s state news agency NNA and local media reports cited by Anadolu. The attack occurred on the Aktonit–Quneitra road and is being viewed as a potential violation of a recently signed peace agreement between Israel and Lebanon. Israel has not yet commented on the incident.

Tensions have been escalating in southern Lebanon for weeks, with Israeli forces reportedly conducting near-daily airstrikes targeting Hezbollah members and infrastructure. The two countries had reached a peace agreement in November 2024 following more than a year of cross-border attacks linked to the Gaza war, which left over 4,000 dead and 17,000 injured.

Under the terms of the agreement, Israeli troops were expected to withdraw from southern Lebanon in January, but they have only partially done so and continue to maintain a military presence at five border posts.

Mass protests have erupted across Iran over economic hardship and rising prices, beginning on December 28 in Tehran’s Grand Bazaar and spreading to 22 of the country’s 31 provinces. The demonstrations, now in their second week, have turned violent, with at least ten people reported dead nationwide. Amid the unrest, former U.S. President Donald Trump warned on his Truth Social platform that the United States would intervene if Iranian authorities attacked peaceful protesters, saying Washington was fully prepared to act.

Tehran sharply condemned Trump’s remarks, calling them reckless and a violation of international law. Iran’s Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi said the Iranian people would reject any foreign interference, while the Foreign Ministry warned of a “swift, decisive and comprehensive” response to any U.S. intervention. The statement accused Washington of hypocrisy and cited past U.S. actions against Iran, including the 1953 coup and the 1988 downing of an Iranian civilian airliner. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps also vowed to defend the country’s sovereignty.

Iran’s envoy to the United Nations urged Secretary-General António Guterres to denounce Trump’s “illegal threats,” asserting Iran’s right to self-defense and holding the U.S. responsible for any escalation.

Yemen’s internationally recognized government has called on rival factions to engage in dialogue to resolve ongoing conflicts. According to the state-run Saba News Agency, the call was issued on Saturday by Rashad al-Alimi, chairman of the Saudi-backed Presidential Leadership Council (PLC), who invited all southern Yemeni parties to attend talks in Riyadh. Saudi Arabia welcomed the initiative and also urged all southern factions to participate in the upcoming dialogue. However, the Iran-backed Houthi fighters controlling the capital, Sanaa, were excluded from the invitation.

The appeal followed recent clashes in Yemen’s Hadhramaut and Al-Mahra provinces, where the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC) seized significant territory, prompting Saudi airstrikes. The Saudi Foreign Ministry said the dialogue aims to establish a comprehensive framework for a fair resolution of southern disputes. Both Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have long supported Yemen’s recognized government in its fight against the Houthis, while the STC, once an ally, has recently renewed its push for southern independence.

The STC has announced plans to establish a separate “South Arabia” state within two years, adding urgency to the proposed Riyadh talks.

The United States, under President Donald Trump’s administration, carried out military attacks in seven countries during 2025, according to conflict monitoring group ACLED. The operations included drone and airstrikes totaling 622 incidents since Trump took office in January 2025. The latest assault occurred in Venezuela, where U.S. forces reportedly detained President Nicolás Maduro following coordinated explosions in Caracas. Earlier, the U.S. had targeted Venezuelan naval vessels in September, citing drug trafficking allegations.

The report details U.S. strikes in six Muslim-majority nations—Nigeria, Somalia, Syria, Iran, Yemen, and Iraq—alongside Venezuela. In Nigeria, attacks on December 25 targeted alleged ISIS-linked groups; in Somalia, at least 111 strikes were recorded; and in Syria, 70 ISIS sites were bombed in December. The U.S. also struck Iranian nuclear facilities in June, conducted daily raids in Yemen under “Rough Rider,” and killed an ISIS leader in Iraq in March.

Analysts noted that these actions contradict Trump’s campaign promise to end U.S. involvement in foreign conflicts, despite his self-portrayal as a peace advocate.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated that the European Union stands with the people of Venezuela and supports a peaceful and democratic transition. Her remarks were shared in a post on social media platform X, as reported by Al Jazeera. Von der Leyen said the EU is closely monitoring the situation in Venezuela and urged respect for international law and the United Nations Charter in any resolution.

The European Union, comprising 27 European countries, functions as an economic and political alliance promoting peace, prosperity, and shared policies such as the free movement of people, goods, services, and capital. Its headquarters are located in Brussels, and it operates with its own parliament and currency, the euro.

The statement came after reports that the United States carried out attacks on civilian and military installations in several Venezuelan states on December 3, under orders from President Donald Trump, during which Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife were detained.

The United States’ recent military action in Venezuela has reignited discussion about Washington’s long-standing interventionist policies across Latin America. According to a report cited by Al Jazeera, such actions have historically been driven by goals of containing communism, protecting corporate interests, and maintaining strategic influence in the region.

The report outlines a series of US-backed interventions since the Cold War, including the 1954 CIA-supported coup in Guatemala, the failed 1961 Bay of Pigs invasion in Cuba, and the 1964 military coup in Brazil. Similar allegations of US involvement are noted in the Dominican Republic, Chile, Argentina, and several other nations, where political upheavals and military regimes followed. The 1980s saw US military and financial support in conflicts in El Salvador and Nicaragua, culminating in the Iran-Contra affair, as well as direct invasions of Grenada in 1983 and Panama in 1989.

The situation in Venezuela is described as a new chapter in this long history. Many Latin American countries reportedly fear that such interventions could deepen regional instability and division rather than promote peace.

US Delta Force carried out a military operation in Venezuela, detaining President Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores, according to reports published on January 3, 2026. The attack has triggered widespread international reactions, with several world leaders expressing concern and condemnation over the US action.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer stated that the United Kingdom was in no way involved in the operation and confirmed he had not spoken with President Trump about Maduro’s detention. Chilean President Gabriel Boric voiced concern and condemnation of the US military activity, while Colombian President Gustavo Petro called for an immediate United Nations meeting and announced troop deployment along the Venezuelan border. Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel denounced the attack as a criminal act and urged an urgent international response. Trinidad and Tobago’s Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar emphasized maintaining peaceful relations with Venezuela.

Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello urged citizens to remain calm and trust the country’s leadership and armed forces, saying the world should speak out about the attack.

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores were detained by the US military’s Delta Force following a nighttime assault in Venezuela, according to reports published on Friday night. Explosions were heard across several areas of Caracas during the operation. US President Donald Trump confirmed the detention on Saturday through a post on his social media platform Truth Social, stating that the United States had successfully carried out a large-scale attack against Venezuela and removed Maduro and his wife from the country.

Trump said the operation was conducted with the cooperation of US law enforcement agencies and announced a press conference at Mar-a-Lago at 11 a.m. local time to provide further details. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that Maduro would be tried in the United States, a claim later confirmed by Senator Mike Lee after speaking with Rubio. CBS News cited US officials saying the Delta Force, the top counterterrorism unit of the US military, carried out the detention.

The report did not specify Maduro’s current location or the immediate political implications for Venezuela following his capture.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has stated that the United Kingdom was not involved in the United States’ recent military operation in Venezuela. The operation, conducted on Saturday, included bombings on several infrastructures and the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro by US forces. Speaking to British journalists, Starmer clarified that he had not yet spoken with US President Donald Trump regarding Maduro’s detention.

Starmer emphasized that the UK had no role in the operation and reiterated that Britain should adhere to international law. When asked whether he would condemn the US action in Venezuela, he said he would first speak with President Trump before making any further comment.

The statement comes amid heightened international attention following the US military intervention and the detention of Maduro, with the UK seeking to distance itself from the operation while maintaining diplomatic engagement with Washington.

Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus has expressed deep sorrow and sympathy over the loss of lives in a fire at the Crans-Montana ski resort in Switzerland. In a condolence message sent on Friday to Swiss Confederation President Guy Parmelin, Yunus conveyed his heartfelt condolences on behalf of the Government and people of Bangladesh.

According to the Chief Adviser’s Press Wing, Yunus said he was deeply saddened by the tragic incident that claimed many valuable lives. He extended sincere sympathy to the bereaved families and the people of Switzerland, expressing solidarity with those affected by the tragedy. He prayed for peace for the departed souls and strength for their families to endure the loss.

Yunus also wished a speedy recovery for those injured in the fire, assuring that the thoughts and prayers of the Bangladeshi people remain with the victims and their families during this difficult time.

Colombian President Gustavo Petro announced that national security forces are being deployed along the border with Venezuela following recent incidents. In a post on social media platform X, he said Colombia is ready to provide all forms of assistance to potential Venezuelan refugees. The decision was made after an emergency National Security Council meeting that began at 3 a.m. local time (08:00 GMT).

Petro stated that Colombia is preparing its full humanitarian and support capacity to handle any large influx of refugees. He also confirmed that the Colombian embassy in Venezuela remains active and is assisting Colombian citizens residing there. As a member of the United Nations Security Council, Colombia has initiated contact with partner countries to support a possible council meeting on the issue.

Petro emphasized that the Colombian government rejects any aggression against Venezuela’s sovereignty or against Latin America, underscoring a stance of regional solidarity amid rising border concerns.