The rise and fall of Venezuelas Nicolás Maduro: Timeline

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro was captured in a U.S. military operation, marking a dramatic end to his authoritarian rule

Published – January 04, 2026 08:03 pm IST

Ramesh Rama Chandran

A person holds an image of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro as government supporters gather following a U.S. strike on Venezuela where President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were captured, in Caracas, on January 3, 2026. | Photo Credit: Reuters

Nicolás Maduro, who rose from a bus driver to Venezuela’s President and presided over the country’s democratic erosion and economic collapse, was captured during a U.S. military operation on Saturday (January 3, 2026).

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Mr. Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, are currently in New York. U.S. Special Forces transported them by helicopter to a U.S. Navy vessel offshore before flying them to the United States.

For months, the U.S. administration had accused Mr. Maduro, 63, of involvement in drug trafficking to the United States. Pressure intensified with a large-scale military buildup in the Caribbean and a series of missile strikes on vessels alleged to be involved in drug smuggling.

How the U.S. military buildup and strikes led to Maduro’s capture: Timeline

Mr. Maduro repeatedly denied the accusations, saying that U.S. President Donald Trump was targeting Venezuela to gain control of its oil resources.

President Maduro’s capture marked the culmination of months of escalating U.S. pressure on multiple fronts. Below is a detailed timeline tracing the rise and fall of the Venezuelan leader:

Published – January 04, 2026 08:03 pm IST