At a Glance
- US launches 22-strike campaign against Venezuela
- Captures President Nicolás Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores
- Seizes oil tankers and imposes sanctions on four companies
- Why it matters: The moves heighten US-Venezuela tensions and raise questions about war powers and international law.
The United States has intensified military actions against Venezuela, targeting drug smuggling operations and the Venezuelan leadership. The campaign began in early 2025 and escalated to the seizure of oil tankers, the deployment of a massive naval force, and the capture of Maduro and Flores.
Timeline of US Actions
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Jan 20 2025 | President Donald Trump signs an executive order designating criminal groups as foreign terrorist organizations. |
| Feb 20 2025 | Administration designates eight Latin American crime groups as foreign terrorist organizations. |
| Aug 19 2025 | US deploys three guided-missile destroyers to waters off Venezuela. |
| Sep 2 2025 | First strike against a boat allegedly carrying drugs; 11 people killed. |
| Sep 10 2025 | Senators criticize lack of legal justification for strike. |
| Sep 15 2025 | Second strike; three people killed. |
| Sep 19 2025 | Third strike; several senators question legality. |
| Oct 2 2025 | Trump declares drug cartels unlawful combatants; US in “armed conflict.” |
| Oct 3 2025 | Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth orders fourth strike. |
| Oct 8 2025 | Senate Republicans reject legislation requiring congressional authorization. |
| Oct 14 2025 | Fifth strike; six people killed. |
| Oct 15 2025 | Trump authorizes CIA covert operations inside Venezuela; considers land operations. |
| Oct 16 2025 | Admiral Alvin Holsey announces retirement; sixth strike kills two. |
| Oct 17 2025 | Seventh strike; three people killed. |
| Oct 20 2025 | Rep. Adam Smith calls for hearing on boat strikes. |
| Oct 21 2025 | Eighth strike; two people killed. |
| Oct 22 2025 | Ninth strike; three people killed. |
| Oct 24 2025 | USS Gerald R. Ford deployed to region; tenth strike kills six. |
| Oct 27 2025 | Three additional strikes; 14 people killed, one survivor. |
| Oct 29 2025 | Eleventh strike; four people killed. |
| Oct 29 2025 | Senator Mark Warner says Republicans briefed but not Democrats. |
| Oct 31 2025 | UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk calls for investigation. |
| Nov 1 2025 | Twelfth strike; three people killed. |
| Nov 4 2025 | Thirteenth strike; two people killed. |
| Nov 6 2025 | Fourteenth strike; three people killed. |
| Nov 9 2025 | Fifteenth strike; six people killed. |
| Nov 10 2025 | Sixteenth strike; four people killed. |
| Nov 11 2025 | Venezuela mobilizes troops and volunteers for exercises. |
| Nov 15 2025 | Seventeenth strike; three people killed. |
| Nov 16 2025 | USS Gerald R. Ford arrives; 12,000 troops in region. |
| Nov 16 2025 | Trump says US may be having discussions with Maduro. |
| Dec 4 2025 | Admiral Frank Bradley briefed; investigation into strikes. |
| Dec 4 2025 | Eighteenth strike; four people killed. |
| Dec 10 2025 | US seizes oil tanker off Venezuela; 2 million barrels of heavy crude. |
| Dec 15 2025 | Nineteenth strike; eight people killed. |
| Dec 16 2025 | Pentagon will not release unedited video of Sep 2 strike. |
| Dec 16 2025 | Trump orders blockade of sanctioned oil tankers. |
| Dec 17 2025 | Twentieth strike; four people killed. |
| Dec 18 2025 | Twenty-first strike; five people killed. |
| Dec 20 2025 | Coast Guard stops second oil tanker. |
| Dec 22 2025 | Coast Guard chases another oil tanker. |
| Dec 29 2025 | Trump says US struck facility where boats load up; unclear location. |
| Dec 30 2025 | CIA behind drone strike at docking area; first known direct operation on Venezuelan soil. |
| Dec 30 2025 | Twenty-second strike; three people killed, others survived. |
| Dec 31 2025 | US imposes sanctions on four oil companies and four tankers. |
| Jan 1 2026 | Maduro says Venezuela open to negotiating to combat drug trafficking. |
| Jan 3 2026 | US conducts large-scale strike across Caracas; captures Maduro and Flores; flies them out; indictment in Southern District of New York. |
Key Events and Legal Context
The US built a naval force that grew to include three destroyers, three amphibious assault ships, 6,000 sailors and Marines, F-35 jets, and a submarine with cruise missiles. The administration designated foreign terrorist organizations and declared drug cartels unlawful combatants, framing the actions as an “armed conflict.” The indictment alleges Maduro and Flores led a corrupt government that supports drug trafficking and terrorism.
International Response
UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk demanded an investigation, saying:
> “The U.S. must halt such attacks and take all measures necessary to prevent the extrajudicial killing of people aboard these boats.”
Several U.S. senators and human rights groups criticized the strikes as potential overreach of executive authority. The Senate rejected legislation that would have required congressional authorization for further strikes.
- Total strikes reported: 22
- Venezuelan oil tanker seized: 2 million barrels of heavy crude
- US sanctions: four oil companies and four tankers
- Naval buildup: 3 destroyers, 3 amphibious assault ships, 6,000 sailors and Marines, F-35 jets, submarine
Key Takeaways
- The US launched a 22-strike campaign that culminated in the capture of Maduro and Flores.
- The campaign involved massive naval forces, oil tanker seizures, and sanctions on Venezuelan oil assets.
- International bodies, including the UN, have called for investigations and criticized the legality of the strikes.
The escalation underscores the U.S. commitment to counter drug trafficking while raising significant legal and diplomatic questions.
