In the wake of a swift and high-stakes military operation in Caracas, Secretary of State Marco Rubio has issued his first formal comments regarding the detention of former Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro. Speaking from Florida alongside President Donald Trump, Rubio emphasized that the administration’s actions followed what he described as a series of rejected diplomatic overtures.
The capture, which occurred in the early hours of Saturday morning under the codename Operation Absolute Resolve, has sent shockwaves through the international community and left the streets of the Venezuelan capital in a state of tense uncertainty.
Secretary Rubio’s remarks focused on the accountability of the Maduro administration and the resolve of the current U.S. leadership. According to Rubio, the former president was given “multiple very, very, very generous offers” to step down peacefully but chose to “act like a wild man” instead.
Rubio detailed several grievances that led to this escalation, including; The invitation of adversarial foreign interests into the region. The seizure of American oil assets, and the alleged role of the Venezuelan government in facilitating criminal migration and the detention of American citizens.
“I hope what people now understand is we have a president. The 47th President of the United States is not a game player,” Rubio stated. “When he tells you he’s going to address a problem, he means it. He actions it.”
Marco Rubio
The events of January 3, 2026, are the culmination of over a decade of economic and political turmoil in Venezuela.
Following the death of Hugo Chávez, Nicolás Maduro, a former bus driver and foreign minister won a narrow and disputed election in 2023 which gave birth to the rise to power of Maduro .
In 2014-2019, despite possessing the world’s largest oil reserves, Venezuela faced hyperinflation and severe shortages. Millions of citizens fled the country, creating a regional migration crisis.
Maduro’s re-election in 2018 was widely condemned as fraudulent by the U.S. and its allies. In 2024, despite massive support for opposition candidate Edmundo González, the government-aligned electoral council declared Maduro the winner, sparking a new wave of internal unrest.
In late 2025, the U.S. officially designated the Maduro administration as a foreign terrorist organization, citing alleged involvement in narco-trafficking.
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The human impact of this operation is significant. In Caracas, residents have reported widespread power outages and a “shelter-in-place” atmosphere. While some sectors of the Venezuelan diaspora in places like Miami have celebrated the news, many inside the country face an uncertain immediate future as the transition of power begins.
The U.S. government has characterized the mission as a “law enforcement action” aimed at stabilizing the region, though international reactions remain divided. Secretary Rubio maintained that the U.S. “doesn’t go out looking for people to pick fights with” but sought to send a clear message regarding national security interests.
The immediate next steps involve the formal transport of Nicolás Maduro to New York for trial. Recovery efforts and the restoration of essential services in Caracas are also expected to be high priorities for the international community.
Africentra will continue to monitor the situation as more details emerge regarding the transitional government and the legal proceedings in the United States.
