Clearly, there was little planning for what would transpire after the illegal invasion and abduction of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

On Sunday night, January 4, 2026:

“And don’t ask me who’s in charge, because I’ll give you an answer, and it’ll be very controversial.”

“What does that mean?” a reporter asked.

“It means we’re in charge,” the Trump said.

On Sunday morning, January 4, 2026, in a testy exchange later on NBC’s ‘Meet the Press’, Rubio complained that people were “fixating” on Trump’s declaration at a news conference in Florida on Saturday that the US government would run Venezuela. He added that “it’s not running — it’s running policy, the policy with regards to this.”

Rubio said on CBS that the US naval force that Trump massed in the Caribbean Sea near Venezuela over recent months — “one of the largest naval deployments in modern history, certainly in the Western Hemisphere” — would remain in place to enforce the quasi blockade, with the aim of “paralyzing that portion of how the regime, you know, generates revenue.”

Source:

Edward Wong, NYT: Trump says US is ‘In Charge’ of Venezuela, while Rubio stresses coercing it

As at December 31, 2025, at least 115 people have been killed by US military in 35 boat strikes that started September 2, 2025.

The US military and civilian forces killed at least another 80 people, including civilians, during the illegal invasion and abduction of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in Caracas on January 3, 2026.

Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel said on January 3, 2026 that 32 Cuban military and intelligence personnel were killed during the illegal US operation.

US officials claim ‘around’ 6 US soldiers were injured. None were reported killed.

Sources:

Isabela Espadas Barros Leal and Genevieve Glatsky, NYT: A timeline of rising tension between the US and Venezuela

Jack Nicas, NYT: Cuba says 32 of its citizens died in Venezuela, including military personnel