Latest news on Venezuela, covering the US military intervention, Maduro trial, Delcy Rodríguez, oil, PDVSA, political prisoners, and the humanitarian crisis.

Venezuela has entered a new and unprecedented chapter following the US military strike on Caracas on 3 January 2026, codenamed Operation Absolute Resolve. US forces captured President Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores, transporting them to New York to face federal narcoterrorism and drug trafficking charges. Maduro, who pleaded not guilty and declared himself a "prisoner of war", is being held pending trial. Vice President Delcy Rodríguez was sworn in as acting president, becoming the first woman to lead the country.

The intervention has reshaped Venezuela's political landscape. Under pressure from Washington — and with Trump declaring the US would "run" the country — Rodríguez has pursued a pragmatic course, reopening diplomatic relations with the US, signing legislation to open Venezuela's oil sector to foreign investment, and appointing a new hydrocarbons minister. A landmark amnesty law was approved in February 2026, covering politically motivated offences dating back to 1999 under Hugo Chávez. Hundreds of political prisoners have been released, though human rights groups such as Foro Penal report that implementation has been uneven and that new politically motivated arrests continue.

The economic picture remains dire. Venezuela holds the world's largest proven oil reserves — an estimated 303 billion barrels — yet produces only around one million barrels per day, a fraction of its late-1990s peak of 3.5 million. Decades of mismanagement under Chávez and Maduro, combined with US sanctions and the collapse of state oil company PDVSA, have left the country in deep poverty. Inflation remains extremely high, and ordinary Venezuelans have seen little improvement since the intervention. Nearly eight million people have fled the country in one of the world's largest displacement crises, with Colombia, Peru, and Brazil among the main destinations.

Venezuela's opposition, led by 2025 Nobel Peace Prize laureate María Corina Machado, continues to demand free and fair elections and a genuine democratic transition. Machado's party, Vente Venezuela, and the broader opposition argue that Rodríguez's government — staffed by former Maduro allies including interior minister Diosdado Cabello — lacks democratic legitimacy. Edmundo González, who the opposition maintains won the disputed July 2024 presidential election, remains in exile. Talk of fresh elections has begun, though no date has been set and key reforms to the electoral system remain pending.

The intervention has drawn sharp international divisions. Russia, China, and several Latin American governments condemned the operation as a violation of sovereignty and international law, while the UN Secretary-General expressed deep concern. Argentina, Israel, and some European leaders praised Maduro's removal. The legality of the strike — carried out without a UN Security Council resolution or declaration of war — remains hotly contested, and Maduro's defence team is expected to challenge the jurisdiction of the US court. The case echoes the 1989 US invasion of Panama and the capture of Manuel Noriega on similar drug charges.

Venezuela's story is one of immense natural wealth squandered by authoritarianism, corruption, and geopolitical power struggles, with devastating consequences for millions of ordinary citizens. From the Bolivarian revolution of Chávez to the economic collapse, mass migration, and now a US-imposed regime change, the country's trajectory remains deeply uncertain. Our NewsNow feed on Venezuela brings you comprehensive, constantly updated coverage from a wide range of sources, keeping you informed on the latest political developments, the Maduro trial, oil sector reforms, opposition movements, the humanitarian crisis, and everything that shapes this pivotal South American nation.

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