Unilateral U.S. Operation Captures Maduro in Venezuela with No Clear Democratic Endgame

In early January 2026, President Trump ordered a covert U.S. military and CIA operation, codenamed Operation Absolute Resolve, to strike targets in Venezuela and capture President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, carried out without explicit congressional authorization or a robust post-conflict plan, drawing criticism from legal experts and diplomats who warned it violated the U.N. Charter, echoed the Iraq War playbook, and prioritized leverage over Venezuela's oil and drug routes over any coherent strategy for democratic transition or regional stability.