The U.S. launched a major military strike in Venezuela and successfully captured President Nicolás Maduro along with his wife early on January 3. The operation, dubbed “Absolute Resolve,” involved over 150 U.S. aircraft and special forces, targeting multiple military sites before evacuating Maduro to New York to face narcotics charges. The strike prompted global backlash, with Russia and China denouncing it as a violation of sovereignty, the U.N. Security Council calling an emergency session, and neighboring airspace closures disrupting Caribbean travel.