JEYSTACK

U.S. CAPTURE OF VENEZUELAN PRESIDENT NICOLÁS MADURO — JANUARY 2026

On 3 January 2026, U.S. forces carried out a major military operation in Caracas, Venezuela, that resulted in the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. The operation involved extensive U.S. air and military strikes and was announced publicly by U.S. President Donald Trump. Trump said Maduro and Flores were taken into U.S. custody and flown to New York to face federal charges, including drug trafficking and related offenses. 

Photos shared by Trump showed Maduro blindfolded and handcuffed aboard a U.S. Navy ship.  Trump described the action as part of a broader effort to pressure the Maduro government and to oversee a “transition” in Venezuela under U.S. guidance, saying Washington would govern the country until a safe transition could take place. 

Following Maduro’s removal, Delcy Rodríguez, Venezuela’s vice president, was declared interim president by the Venezuelan Supreme Court and backed by sections of the Venezuelan military. 

The operation prompted international legal debate, with critics saying it violated Venezuelan sovereignty and lacked clear United Nations authorization, while U.S. officials defended it as lawful enforcement against criminal wrongdoing. 

😔💔💔 THE NIGHT OF THE LONG KNIVES

The Night of the Long Knives was a political purge carried out by Adolf Hi**er in Germany, beginning on 30 June 1934 and continuing for several days. Hi**er ordered the arrest and ex*****on of hundreds of people, targeting the leadership of the SA (Sturmabteilung or Stormtroopers), as well as other political opponents he considered a threat to his power.

The SA, led by Ernst Röhm, had grown powerful and ambitious, demanding more influence in the German military and government. Hi**er, concerned about the loyalty of the army and his control over the N**i Party, decided to remove them.

Victims were arrested without trial, shot in detention, or executed at their homes. Prominent figures killed included Ernst Röhm, Gregor Strasser, and former Chancellor Kurt von Schleicher, along with many others. Estimates suggest between 85 and 200 people were killed, though some counts go higher.

This purge also targeted political opponents outside the SA, including conservatives, critics, and former government officials. The operation was carefully planned, carried out by the SS and Gestapo, and presented as a defense of the state.

The Night of the Long Knives consolidated Hi**er’s power, secured the loyalty of the army, and marked a turning point in N**i Germany, demonstrating his willingness to use violence and fear to eliminate rivals and strengthen his dictatorship.

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