The United States has carried out a succesful military operation against the Venezuelan regime of Nicolas Maduro.
Amid the bombardment, one of the targets deliberately struck was the mausoleum honoring the late dictator Hugo Chávez.
Chavez was the architect of the country’s so-called “Bolivarian Revolution” and turned it from the region’s wealthiest country to its poorest before his death in 2013.
Watch the clips below:
Puedo confirmarles que el Mausoleo del dictador Hugo Chávez ha sido bombardeado.
Allí estaban sus restos. Ha quedado destruido. pic.twitter.com/7kzYDKcpCK
— Agustín Antonetti (@agusantonetti) January 3, 2026
En pleno centro de Caracas, en el marco de los bombardeos aéreos, habrían destruido parte del Cuartel de la Montaña (4F), donde se encontraban los restos del tirano Hugo Chávez. pic.twitter.com/PL8ZB9Ucl3
— Alfredo Salvador Flores (@Alfredosfloresp) January 3, 2026
Hugo Chavez mausoleum which contains* his remains
*containedpic.twitter.com/3Ru6CFnAzV
— Dr. Eli David (@DrEliDavid) January 3, 2026
JUST IN: The US military seems to have launched a strike on the mausoleum of former anti-US Venezuelan dictator Hugo Chavez
America just turned his shrine into a pit of ash.
Huge middle finger to the socialists. pic.twitter.com/4e9nRT4Aeh
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) January 3, 2026
Meanwhile, Nicolas Maduro and his wife have both been captured and are currently being flown to the U.S. where they will face a multitude of criminal charges, most notably for drug trafficking and potentially crimes against humanity.
During his 12 years in power, Maduro further cemented Hugo Chavez’s legacy.
As hyperinflation ravaged the spending power of ordinary Venezuelans, Maduro dismantled all the country’s remaining democratic institutions and stole numerous elections to cement his grip on power.
Trump confirmed the operation in a post on Truth Social.
“The United States of America has successfully carried out a large scale strike against Venezuela and its leader, President Nicolas Maduro, who has been, along with his wife, captured and flown out of the Country,” he wrote.
”This operation was done in conjunction with U.S. Law Enforcement. Details to follow.”
Trump added that a news conference will take place this morning at 11am at his Mar-a-Lago resort.
— Pete Hegseth (@PeteHegseth) January 3, 2026
Maduro and his wife are extremely unlikely to see the light of day again.
Ben Kew is a writer and editor. Originally from the UK, he moved to the U.S. to cover Congress for Breitbart News and has since gone on to editorial roles at Human Events, Townhall Media, and Americano Media. He has also written for The Epoch Times, The Western Journal, and The Spectator.
You can email Ben Kew here, and read more of Ben Kew’s articles here.
