US Senator Mike Lee said on Saturday, 3rd January, that Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro is now in US custody after a military operation carried out earlier in the day. Lee said Secretary of State Marco Rubio personally confirmed to him about the arrest and said that US forces took Maduro into custody to face criminal charges in the United States.
Just got off the phone with @SecRubio
— Mike Lee (@BasedMikeLee) January 3, 2026
He informed me that Nicolás Maduro has been arrested by U.S. personnel to stand trial on criminal charges in the United States, and that the kinetic action we saw tonight was deployed to protect and defend those executing the arrest warrant… https://t.co/lXCxhPoKSZ
Posting on the social media platform X, Lee said Rubio explained that the operation involved “kinetic action” and was carried out to protect and defend the personnel who were executing the arrest warrant. He added that the action was focused on ensuring the safety of US forces during the mission.
Lee also said the step likely comes under the authority of President Donald Trump under Article II of the US Constitution, which allows the president to act to protect American personnel from real or immediate threats. According to the senator, Rubio believes no further military steps will be taken in Venezuela now that Maduro has been detained.
The remarks came after Trump announced that the US had carried out a successful large-scale strike against Venezuela. He claimed that Maduro and his wife were captured during the operation and flown out of the country, setting the stage for a high-profile trial in the US.
