Nicolas Maduro
| Nicolas Maduro | |
|---|---|
| File:Nicolás Maduro.jpg | |
| name | Nicolás Maduro |
| Personal details | |
| religion | Jewish |
Nicolás Maduro, politician and the 46th elected and legal President of Venezuela who on January 3, 2026, was abducted in an overt and illegal operation involving US attack aircraft and helicopters into Caracas, the capital of Venezuela, in a night operation on false charges related to terrorism and drugs and transferred to New York. Among his previous responsibilities can be mentioned leading trade unions, representation in the parliament, and vice presidency of Venezuela. Severing diplomatic relations with the Israel during the Gaza War, recognizing the country of Palestine, support for Bashar al-Assad, and friendly relations with China, Russia and Iran are among Maduro's activities and beliefs.
Biography
Nicolás Maduro was born on November 23, 1962 AD, in Caracas, Venezuela.
Education
Maduro did not have university education. However, at the age of 24, he went to Havana in Cuba and for one year at the Julio Antonio Mella National Cadre School, received political training related to Communism.
Religious Beliefs
Maduro was raised as a Roman Catholic. According to reports, in 2012 AD, he was a follower of the Sathya Sai Baba school, and had previously gone to see him in 2005 AD. Sai Baba was a Hindu mystic who had teachings composed of Hindu and Muslim rites and many people followed him. He died in 2011 AD. However, regarding the religion of his ancestors, he said in an interview in 2013 AD that my grandfather and grandmother were Jewish and then converted to the Catholic religion.
Entry into Politics
His acquaintance with politics was when he became a member of his high school student union. Then, at the Caracas Metro company, he was employed as a truck driver and founded an informal trade union in this company. During the unsuccessful presidential election campaign of José Rangel in 1983 AD, he was employed as his bodyguard. Later, according to reports, he was assigned by the Castro government to work in a spying post for Cuban intelligence to get close to Hugo Chávez, who was a rising military figure. Maduro played an important role in the late 1990s AD in the founding of the Fifth Republic Movement, a movement that supported Chávez in the presidential election in 1998 AD. In 1998 AD, he entered the House of Representatives of Venezuela, in 1999 AD the National Constituent Assembly, and finally in 2000 AD the National Assembly, and even from 2005 AD to 2006 AD, became its president. Then Hugo Chávez, the then President of Venezuela, appointed him in 2006 AD as Foreign Minister, and the relations between the two became deeper day by day until in October 2012 AD, he reached the position of Vice President of Venezuela and became Chávez's potential successor.
Victory in Presidential Elections
Hugo Chávez a few months after appointing Maduro as his successor, announced that his cancer had returned and he is going to Cuba for emergency surgery and further medical treatment. Chávez said that if his condition worsens and a new presidential election is held to replace him, Venezuelans should vote for Maduro to become his successor. This was the first time Chávez introduced a potential successor for his movement and also the first time he publicly accepted the possibility of his death. After Chávez's death, the Venezuelan presidential election was held in April 2013 AD, and Maduro, with 51 percent of the votes and a 1.5 percent difference from Henrique Capriles, the opposition candidate, defeated him. Capriles demanded a recount of the votes and refused to recognize the result of the election as valid. However, Maduro took the title of the 46th President of Venezuela.
Dispute over Birthplace
According to the Constitution of Venezuela, the President must originally be from this country and Maduro's opponents considered him the child of a Colombian mother who spent part of his childhood there. However, Maduro, in an interview in 2013 AD, announced that he was born in the "El Valle Libertador" district of Caracas. But later one of his supporters who was the head of the National Electoral Council, by showing versions of the birth registry of all infants on the day Maduro was said to be born, assured that Maduro was born in the "La Candelaria" district in Caracas. Once again in 2016, Maduro changed the narrative of his birthplace and said that he was born in "Los Chaguaramos".
Relations with Countries
During his presidency, he further expanded relations with Russia and China, ended informal relations with Taiwan in favor of the People's Republic of China. He recognized Abkhazia and South Ossetia as independent countries in favor of Russia, severed diplomatic relations with the Israel during the Gaza War, and recognized the country of Palestine. He supported Bashar al-Assad and continued friendly relations with Iran which had become more extensive during the presidency of Chávez and Ahmadinejad.
Assassination Attempts and Overthrow
Maduro has always been under threat. On May 3, 2020 AD, Venezuela security forces announced an operation by armed Venezuelan opponents to overthrow Maduro. This operation was organized by a private security company American named Silvercorp USA, and individuals were trained in Colombia. The Venezuelan government claimed that the United States and its Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) were responsible for this operation and enjoyed Colombia's support. In this failed operation, eight of the attackers were killed and thirteen others, including two Americans, were arrested. On August 4, 2018 AD, unknown attackers attacked his speech location for military officers in Venezuela with two drones armed with explosives, which this operation also failed. In September 2024 AD, Venezuelan police arrested and detained three Americans, two Spanish and one Czech citizen who were carrying sniper rifles and other ammunition to assassinate Maduro. On March 26, 2020 AD, the Department of Justice of the United States accused Maduro of drug trafficking and cooperation with drug traffickers for political purposes. The US Department of State also offered a reward of $15 million for information leading to the arrest and trial of Maduro. In August 2025 AD, the United States placed a $50 million bounty to find him and investigations leading to his arrest.
US Attack and Abduction of Maduro
The US, which had wanted to get rid of Maduro somehow for a long time, had accused him of drug trafficking from previous years but until the second term of Trump's presidency, had not been able to do anything to realize the dream of overthrowing him until on January 3, 2026, US aircraft and attack helicopters in a rapid operation targeted parts of Venezuela with air strikes. Then US special forces entered Venezuelan soil and went to Maduro's residence and before he could do anything, arrested him and transferred him to the warship USS Iwo Jima which participated in the operation. Then they quickly took him to the US to try him in a court in New York City on charges of drug trafficking to the US. Trump after this successful operation said: Venezuela has a lot of oil and his deputy also explained: We attacked to take our oil back from Venezuela[1].
Reactions
United States
Marco Rubio, the آمریکا Secretary of State, justified his country's illegal aggression against ونزوئلا by claiming that Maduro is not the president of Venezuela and his government is not legitimate. He claimed that Maduro is the head of Cartel de los Soles, a drug terrorist organization that has taken over a country. He is under legal prosecution in the United States for drug trafficking. Mike Lee, an American senator, also announced that Marco Rubio, the US State Secretary, told him that now that Maduro is in US custody, no further action would be taken. This senator from Utah claimed, quoting Rubio, that Maduro will be tried in the United States on charges described as "criminal offenses".
Government of Venezuela
The Venezuelan Minister of Foreign Affairs announced following missile attacks against his country that the United States was behind the recent attacks on residential areas and infrastructure. He stated that these attacks targeted civilian and military sites and the center of Caracas. He emphasized that these attacks are a clear violation of the سازمان ملل متحد Charter and threaten international peace and security. The Venezuelan Minister of Defense also announced that his country had been attacked and aggressed upon by the United States, and this is the largest attack the country has faced so far. After ترامپ claimed that Nicolas Maduro had been kidnapped by American military personnel, the Venezuelan Minister of Defense announced that the people are united and will resist to prevent this aggression. He added: We will not negotiate, we will not concede, and we will ultimately be victorious.
Colombia
Colombia was the first country to take a stance against the US aggression against one of the independent and UN member countries. Gustavo Petro, the President of Colombia, announced that his country must immediately convene a session to determine the international legitimacy of the aggression against Venezuela. Referring to the missile attacks on Venezuela, he stated that the Organization of American States (OAS) and سازمان ملل متحد must immediately convene sessions. Petro also emphasized that the Unified Command Post (PMU) in Cucuta has been activated and an operational plan is underway at the border.
Cuba
Miguel Díaz-Canel, the President of Cuba, announced regarding the US aggression against Venezuela: We strongly condemn the attack on ونزوئلا and demand an immediate response from the international community against this criminal US aggression. He added: Our safe zone is under savage attack and state تروریسم against the brave people of Venezuela.
Iran
جمهوری اسلامی ایران strongly condemned the military aggression of آمریکا against ونزوئلا and the flagrant violation of this country's national sovereignty and territorial integrity. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran issued a statement announcing that تهران strongly condemns the US military attack on Venezuela and the flagrant violation of this country's national sovereignty and territorial integrity. The statement read: The US military attack on Venezuela is a clear violation of the fundamental principles of the UN Charter and the basic rules of international law, particularly Article 2, Paragraph 4 of the Charter regarding the prohibition of the use of force, and constitutes a complete instance of "act of aggression" that must be immediately condemned by سازمان ملل متحد and all governments concerned with the rule of law, peace, and international security. The diplomatic apparatus emphasized in this statement: The US military aggression against an independent UN member state is a flagrant violation of regional and international peace and security, the consequences of which will affect the entire international system and will further expose the UN Charter-based system to collapse and destruction. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran, while recalling Venezuela's inherent right to defend its national sovereignty, territorial integrity, and right to self-determination, reminded all governments and international organizations, especially the United Nations and its Security Council, of their legal and moral responsibility to immediately stop the illegal US invasion against Venezuela, and emphasized the necessity of taking necessary measures to hold the planners and perpetrators of crimes committed during this military aggression accountable.
Russia
روسیه also condemned the explicit aggression of آمریکا against the national sovereignty and territorial integrity of ونزوئلا. The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in response to the US aggression on Venezuelan soil: We express our deep concern and condemn the US military aggression against Venezuela. Konstantin Kosachev, Vice President of the Federation Council of Russia, also said in response to the US attacks against Venezuela that Venezuela did not constitute a threat to the United States, and Washington's military operation has no justification.
European Union
The European Union, by declaring the legal President of ونزوئلا illegitimate, supported and justified Washington's aggression on Venezuelan soil. Kaja Kallas, the European Union's Foreign Policy Chief, stated: I have spoken with Marco Rubio, the US Secretary of State, and our ambassador in Caracas. The European Union is monitoring the situation in Venezuela closely. Kallas claimed: Maduro is illegitimate and has opposed the peaceful transfer of power. Under any circumstances, the principles of international law and the سازمان ملل Charter must be observed. We call for restraint.
Chile
شیلی also condemned the aggression of آمریکا on ونزوئلا soil. The President of Chile said in response to the US aggression on Venezuelan soil: We condemn the US military actions in Venezuela and call for a peaceful resolution of the crisis.
Brazil
برزیل also condemned the US aggression on Venezuelan soil. Lula da Silva, the President of Brazil, said: The bombing of ونزوئلا and the arrest of its president is crossing an unacceptable red line. These actions are a serious insult to Venezuela's sovereignty and a very dangerous precedent for the entire international community. He stated: Attacking countries, in blatant violation of international laws, is the first step towards a world full of violence, chaos, and instability, where the law of the stronger prevails over multilateralism.
Denmark
دانمارک condemned the US action in Venezuela. Lars Løkke Rasmussen, the Danish Minister of Foreign Affairs, condemned the US attacks on Venezuelan soil and said: International law must be respected.
Spain
Pedro Sánchez, the Prime Minister of اسپانیا, stated that the Spanish government is monitoring the situation in ونزوئلا closely. He said: Our embassy and consulates are active. We call for a gradual reduction of restrictions and responsible action. International laws and the principles of the سازمان ملل Charter must be observed.
Germany
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of آلمان, while expressing concern over the attack of آمریکا on ونزوئلا, announced the formation of a federal government crisis team. The German Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced: We are monitoring the situation in Venezuela closely and following the latest reports with great concern. The statement read: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is in close contact with the embassy in Caracas. The situation is currently still somewhat unclear in some areas. The German government is coordinating closely with its partners.
China
چین strongly condemned the aggressive action of آمریکا against ونزوئلا. The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, issuing a statement, strongly condemned the use of force by the United States against Venezuela.
Yemen
The Supreme Political Council of یمن strongly condemned the US aggression against the Republic of Venezuela and the bombing of its capital and urban infrastructure. The council described the kidnapping of Nicolas Maduro, the President of Venezuela, and his wife as a dangerous and unprecedented crime and a blatant violation of Venezuela's sovereignty. The council's statement specified that this aggressive action reflects the nature of US policy, which is based on aggression against nations and imposing dominance through force. The Supreme Political Council of Yemen, emphasizing its solidarity with Venezuela, called on the free people of the world to condemn this aggression and oppose US policies and aggressions.
UN Secretary-General
Antonio Guterres, Secretary-General of سازمان ملل متحد, merely expressed concern over the explicit aggression of آمریکا on ونزوئلا soil and refused to condemn the aggression against the soil of an independent UN member.
France
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of فرانسه announced that the removal of Nicolas Maduro from power is a violation of Venezuela's sovereignty.
Islamic Jihad Movement
جنبش جهاد اسلامی announced in response to the US aggression: We condemn the vindictive aggression of آمریکا against ونزوئلا and the attacks that targeted Caracas, the capital of this country, and its loyal people.
Ansarallah Yemen Resistance Movement
The political office of جنبش مقاومت انصارالله یمن announced in a statement in response to the US military aggression against Venezuela that the US attack on Venezuela showed that America is the source of evil and تروریسم.
Hezbollah Lebanon
حزبالله لبنان, issuing a statement while condemning the terrorist aggressions and bullying of آمریکا against ونزوئلا, emphasized that in this aggression, America targeted Caracas, the capital of Venezuela, and vital and civilian facilities and residential complexes, and kidnapped President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, which is a clear and unprecedented violation of the national sovereignty of an independent country and international laws and سازمان ملل متحد Charters with false and lying pretexts. Hezbollah Lebanon added that this aggression once again shows America's approach of domination, arrogance, and theft, an approach that is implemented by the US government without any deterrent, and is a clear proof of America's disregard for international stability and security, the establishment and imposition of the law of the jungle, the explosion of what remains of the international system structure, and emptying it of any content that could guarantee security for nations and countries.
Hamas Movement
جنبش حماس said in response to the US aggression against Venezuela: We strongly condemn the US aggression against Venezuela and the kidnapping of President Maduro and his wife, which is a dangerous violation of international laws.
Al-Karama Party Egypt
The Al-Karama Party of مصر, in response to the aggression of آمریکا against ونزوئلا, issued a statement announcing: The US aggression against Venezuela is a continuation of US dominance over independent countries with the aim of plundering their wealth. The statement read: The aggression against Venezuela is a direct result of the world's silence regarding US massacres in غزه, لبنان, ایران and before them, سوریه and عراق[2].
Maduro's Transfer to Court
The elected and legal president of Venezuela, following the invasion of Caracas by the US and forced transfer to New York, stated explicitly in a show trial session on January 5, 2026: I am the President of Venezuela, I consider myself a prisoner of war. Nicolas Maduro pleaded not guilty in the case related to terrorism and narcotics in court and said: I am innocent, I am an honorable man, I am the president, and he rejected all charges against him[3].
See Also
Footnotes
References
- A Look at the Events of Nicolas Maduro, Asr-e Iran News Website, date of publication: January 4, 2026, date of access: January 5, 2026.
- Global Reaction to US Military Invasion and Terrorist Attack on Venezuela, Tasnim News Agency Website, date of publication: January 3, 2026, date of access: January 5, 2026.
- Maduro in Court: I am the President of Venezuela; I Consider Myself a Prisoner of War, Mashregh News Website, date of publication: January 5, 2026, date of access: January 5, 2026.