Overview
- The Venezuelan leader arrived at a U.S. air base near New York and is expected to be held in Brooklyn to face federal proceedings tied to U.S. narcotics indictments.
- President Trump said the United States will run Venezuela until a safe transition occurs and stated he would not hesitate to deploy ground troops if necessary.
- The UN Security Council will convene an emergency session on January 5 after Secretary‑General António Guterres voiced deep concern and urged respect for human rights and the rule of law.
- China issued a strong condemnation of the attack, while leaders of the UK, Germany, and France accepted Maduro’s detention but avoided judging the strike’s legal basis.
- Trump said Congress was not notified due to leak concerns, drawing criticism from Democratic lawmakers, as opposition figure María Corina Machado urged mobilization toward a democratic transition and reaffirmed the opposition’s 2024 election claim.