Who is Nicolás Maduro? Trump says Venezuelan president 'captured'

Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro was in U.S. custody overnight on Jan. 3, President Donald Trump said, after U.S. airstrikes a Delta Force raid on the South American country.

The U.S. "successfully carried out a large scale strike against Venezuela and its leader, President Nicolás Maduro, who has been, along with his wife, captured and flown out of the Country," Trump said in a post on Truth Social. "This operation was done in conjunction with U.S. Law Enforcement."

Since September, the U.S. military has carried out fatal strikes on nearly two dozen alleged drug boats in international waters, and has seized oil tankers departing Venezuela.

Who is Nicolás Maduro?

Nicolás Maduro, 63, is the president of Venezuela and has served as the oil-rich country's leader since 2013. He was born in the country's capital of Caracas.

In 2013, he married Cilia Flores, who is often captured in photos with him during political events.

Maduro shares a 35-year-old son, Nicolás Maduro (Jr.) Guerra, with his first wife, Adriana Guerra Angulo.

Maduro represents the United Socialist Party of Venezuela.

Despite Maduro remaining in power, people from across the globe as well as Venezuelan opposition leaders have claimed Maduro lost the country's 2024 election.

Nicolás Maduro's rise to power

During the 1980s, Maduro worked as a bodyguard and a bus driver, according to previous USA TODAY reporting. He also belonged to the Caracas Metro system transit union.

He is the hand-picked successor to socialist leader, Hugo Chávez, who died from cancer in 2013.

Maduro's relationship with Chávez began in the 1990s when the now president became involved in winning the release of Chávez, who had been jailed for anti-government activities including a reported coup to oust then-President Carlos Andres Perez.

Maduro later supported Chávez's 1998 presidential campaign "that promised to give poor Venezuelans a larger share of the economic pie dominated by the country's wealthy ruling elite," earning him a place in Chávez’s inner circle.

Before becoming the country's top leader, he went on to serve as the country's foreign minister and vice president.

When was Nicolás Madaro re-elected?

Maduro has been president for three terms.

In July 2024, the country's government-controlled electoral commission declared Maduro won the election, keeping his seat in office.

The government's opposition claimed their candidate, Edmundo Gonzalez, won the race, but Venezuela’s Supreme Court backed Maduro on Aug. 22.

What is Maduro accused of?

Trump himself has said Maduro is allegedly behind supplying illegal drugs trafficked into the U.S. as the alleged head of the Cartel de los Soles, a group the U.S. State Department has labeled a foreign terrorist organization.

Trump has signaled forthcoming land attacks in the country, after telling U.S. troops on Thanksgiving to expect strikes on Venezuelan territory.

Maduro and his top generals were indicted in 2020 for their alleged involvement in a drug trafficking conspiracy. The Venezuelan president has denied having any links to the illegal drug trade.

Delcy Rodriguez, Venezuela's vice president, said on Jan. 3 the Venezuelan government did not know the whereabouts of Maduro or his wife, Cilia Flores, after President Trump announced that the U.S. had captured Maduro and flown them out of the country.

"We demand immediate proof of life of President Nicolás Maduro and the first lady Cilia Flores," Rodriguez said on Venezuelan state TV.

The U.S. had positioned an aircraft carrier, guided missile destroyers and a special operations ship near Venezuela. Around 12,000 troops are stationed in the area.

Contributing: Eduardo Cueva and Phillip M. Bailey, USA TODAY

Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] and follow her on X @nataliealund