Maduro Jailed in New York; U.S. Announces Temporary Takeover of Venezuela and Its Oil Reserves

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, seized in a U.S. military raid on Saturday, was flown to New York the same night and is expected to appear in court as early as Monday. President Donald Trump announced that the United States would temporarily take over Venezuela until a “secure transition” of power is achieved, though he did not name any successor. Venezuela’s Supreme Court has already ordered Vice President Delcy Rodríguez to assume the role of acting president.

On Saturday evening (January 3), U.S. forces transported Maduro to the United States, where he was subsequently transferred to the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, New York.

Earlier that day, the U.S. carried out a large-scale strike on Venezuela and captured Maduro along with his wife, Cilia Flores. The couple is scheduled to make their first court appearance as early as Monday (January 5) at a federal courthouse in Manhattan.

According to newly unsealed indictments from the U.S. Department of Justice, Maduro faces four charges: conspiracy to commit narco-terrorism, conspiracy to traffic cocaine, possession of machine guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices.

A video released by the White House on Saturday shows Maduro wearing a blue hoodie and slippers, handcuffed and escorted by U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents, greeting those around him with “Happy New Year” and “Good night.” This marked his first public remarks since his capture.

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro (center) arrived on January 3 at a New York National Guard base aboard a U.S. Department of Justice-chartered aircraft and was escorted into DEA headquarters by law enforcement officers from the DEA, Homeland Security Investigations, and other agencies. (Source: X social media)

U.S. Oil Companies Enter Venezuela, Investing in Local Oil Infrastructure

At a press conference held Saturday at Mar-a-Lago, Trump announced that the United States would temporarily take over Venezuela and its oil reserves “until a secure, proper, and wise transition of power can be achieved.”

Regarding how the U.S. plans to manage this takeover, the only concrete step he mentioned was allowing American oil companies to re-enter Venezuela and invest in revitalizing the country’s severely aging oil infrastructure. Observers noted that the press conference revealed Trump’s real motive—oil—while using drug trafficking allegations as a mere pretext. Experts estimate that restoring Venezuela’s oil industry could take several years.

Following Maduro’s capture, Venezuela’s Supreme Court had already ordered Vice President and Oil Minister Delcy Rodríguez to serve as acting president, ensuring continuity of government administration and national defense during the temporary period when the president is unable to fulfill his duties.

However, the court did not declare Maduro “permanently absent.” Under Venezuela’s constitution, if the president is deemed permanently absent, a new election must be held within 30 days.

Although Trump did not specify a preferred successor, he stated at the press conference that Secretary of State Marco Rubio had already spoken with Rodríguez, who reportedly expressed her willingness “to do what we believe is necessary to make Venezuela great again.”

Yet in a televised address on Saturday, Rodríguez firmly asserted that Maduro remains Venezuela’s sole legitimate president and called on the U.S. to release him. She also declared that Venezuela is ready to defend its natural resources and will never become a colony of any nation or a slave to any empire.

Venezuela’s opposition, including María Corina Machado—the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize laureate—has advocated for Edmundo González, the opposition’s 2024 presidential candidate, to assume the presidency. Others favor Machado as the new leader, but Trump dismissed her, saying she lacks sufficient support.

Trump: If Venezuela Doesn’t Comply, a Larger Second Strike Will Follow

Rodríguez, who has held numerous high-level positions and wields significant influence within the government, enjoys Maduro’s full trust. Analysts believe Trump is attempting a mix of pressure and persuasion to steer Rodríguez and her team toward outcomes favorable to U.S. interests—but she is unlikely to concede to American demands.

Trump made clear that if Rodríguez complies with U.S. wishes, there will be no need to deploy ground troops in Venezuela; otherwise, the U.S. may launch a larger second wave of military action.

He warned, “All political and military figures in Venezuela should understand that what happened to Maduro could happen to any one of them.”

According to senior Venezuelan officials, Saturday’s raid resulted in at least 40 deaths, including civilians. This marks the first time since the U.S. invasion of Panama in 1989 that Washington has conducted an unauthorized cross-border military operation to capture a foreign head of state. The action has drawn fierce condemnation from the United Nations, China, Russia, European nations, and others. On Saturday, protests erupted in over 100 U.S. cities, denouncing the president’s use of force to overthrow a foreign government.

On Sunday in Venezuela, citizens began stockpiling food and medicine, gripped by anxiety over what lies ahead. Palencia, a 35-year-old psychologist in Maracay, told Reuters: “I just took my dog for a walk—this city feels abandoned. Everyone’s staying indoors. There’s fear and uncertainty everywhere.”