Venezuela's Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello stated on January 7, 2026, that 100 people died during a U.S. military operation on January 3 that captured President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, leading to Maduro's ouster. Speaking on his state television show, Cabello described the raid as a "brutal attack," marking the first official figure from Caracas, which had previously only released a list of 23 army fatalities. The operation, codenamed "Absolute Resolve," involved U.S. airstrikes on air defenses and a commando assault on Maduro's residence in Caracas.
The raid resulted in significant casualties among Maduro's security detail, with Venezuelan officials alleging many were killed "in cold blood." Cuba reported 32 of its military and intelligence personnel stationed in Venezuela also perished, while earlier estimates from media and U.S. assessments placed the toll around 40 to 75, primarily loyalist forces and Cuban advisors. Cabello added that Maduro sustained a leg injury and Flores a head wound during the extraction, after which they were flown to New York, where they pleaded not guilty to narcoterrorism charges on January 5.
Vice President Delcy Rodríguez was swiftly sworn in as interim president by Venezuela's Supreme Court and National Assembly, assuming leadership amid the power vacuum. On January 6, she declared a week of national mourning for the military fallen, praising their sacrifice in defending the nation. Rodríguez has navigated a delicate balance, rejecting U.S. "control" while signaling potential cooperation on oil and stability, as President Donald Trump claimed the U.S. would oversee a transition to access Venezuela's vast reserves.
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The U.S. action stemmed from long-standing indictments against Maduro and allies like Cabello for leading the "Cartel of the Suns," accused of trafficking cocaine to fund the regime. Trump administration officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, defended the raid as precision enforcement without U.S. casualties, involving over 150 aircraft, drones, and special forces. Critics, including allies like Spain and Brazil, condemned it as a "dangerous precedent," while opposition figures like María Corina Machado welcomed Maduro's fall but criticized sidelining Venezuelan democrats.
Tensions persist as hardliners like Cabello rally Chavismo supporters through rallies and vows of resistance, with funerals held for soldiers and civilians. U.S. seizures of Venezuelan oil tankers signal economic pressure, while Rodríguez sacked Maduro's presidential guard commander. The crisis underscores Venezuela's turmoil—marked by economic collapse, disputed 2024 elections, and migration—raising questions about stability, resource control, and regional fallout.
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