The United States conducted a significant military operation in Venezuela on January 3, 2026, targeting multiple locations, detaining President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, and bringing them to New York for US criminal charges. This action, undertaken without UN Security Council approval or Venezuelan consent, is viewed by many as a violation of sovereignty and international law, challenging the post-1945 legal order. However, some hail it as a triumph over an undemocratic regime. The US justifies the action based on existing indictments against Maduro, including for alleged narco-terrorism.