US special forces have seized Venezuela’s president and his wife.
US special forces seized Venezuela’s president, Nicolas Maduro, in an attack that has taken the country and the world by surprise.
Maduro has long denied accusations by US President Donald Trump of heading a narcotics cartel.
So, what are the implications of Washington’s actions?
Presenter: James Bays
Guests:
Phil Gunson – senior analyst for the Andes Project at the International Crisis Group
Richard Weitz – US security analyst and senior fellow at the NATO Defense College
Temir Porras – foreign policy adviser to former Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and former chief of staff to Maduro
Published On 3 Jan 2026