On January 3rd, 2026, the United States launched a large-scale strike on Venezuela and arrested President Nicolás Maduro.
Relations between the U.S. and Venezuela strained since the Cold War era, and worsened after Hugo Chávez came to power in 1999, and deteriorated further with U.S. sanctions imposed from 2006 onward. The arrest of Maduro marks a dramatic escalation of ties.
Maduro has long been in Washington’s crosshairs. In 2020, the U.S. indicted him on multiple charges during Donald Trump’s first term. Now, Maduro has been charged with this wife, son and three others.
So why did Washington act now? Tune in!
Guest: Srinivasan Ramani, Senior Associate Editor, The Hindu.
Host: Nivedita V
Recorded by Shivaraj S
Produced and edited by Jude Weston
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