Summary

  • This live coverage has finished - follow this link for the latest updates

  • US Secretary of State Marco Rubio says America is not at war with Venezuela, a day after US strikes on the country

  • Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores, who were captured by the US, are set to appear in court on Monday, according to a spokesperson

  • Venezuela's Defence Minister Vladimir Padrino says a large part of Maduro's security team and "innocent civilians" were killed in the US operation

  • Venezuela has denounced the "military aggression", and the army says it backs interim President Delcy Rodríguez

  • This is important because it is a confirmation that - despite Donald Trump saying the US will now run the country - Maduro's allies are still in charge, writes our South America correspondent

  • Donald Trump tells The Atlantic that Rodríguez will "pay a big price" if she "does not do what is right". The president also told reporters aboard Air Force One that Venezuela was "our area" invoking the Monroe Doctrine

  • Venezuelans have been sharing their worries about the uncertainty and prospects for a peaceful transition of power with the BBC

  1. Helicopter believed to be carrying Maduro touches down in Manhattanpublished at 00:00 GMT 4 January

    One of three helicopters believed to be carrying Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores arrives in Manhattan.Image source, Jeenah Moon/Reuters

    We've now had pictures come through of three helicopters touching down in New York City - one believed to be carrying captured Venezuelan president Maduro and his wife.

    The helicopters landed at the Westside Heliport in Manhattan.

    Maduro will now be driven to the Drug Enforcement Agency's office in the city.

  2. Latin American leaders split in reaction to Maduro's capturepublished at 23:37 GMT 3 January

    Lula in a grey suit standing in an outdoor spaceImage source, Reuters
    Image caption,

    President Lula da Silva of Brazil

    Earlier, we brought you some reactions from countries in Latin America. Here's a bit more of the response from the region:

    • Brazil: President Lula says US actions "cross an unacceptable line" and are "a most serious affront to Venezuela's sovereignty". He calls on the international community to "respond vigorously"
    • Argentina: Trump ally President Javier Milei says "we celebrate the fall of the narco-terrorist dictator Maduro". Offering Argentina's help in the country's transition to new government, he says "there are no half-measures or shades of grey here" he adds. "You are either on the side of GOOD, or you are on the side of EVIL"
    • Uruguay: Sharing an official statement, President Yamandú Orsi says he's monitoring developments "with attention and serious concern" and "rejects, as it always has, military intervention"
  3. Maduro to be taken to Brooklyn detention centrepublished at 23:16 GMT 3 January

    Now that Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro has landed in New York, he will be flown by helicopter to the Westside Heliport in Manhattan and will be driven to the US Drug Enforcement Administration’s headquarters there for booking, according to US media reports.

    From there, he will be taken to the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, where he is expected to be held before facing drug and weapons charges in Manhattan federal court next week.

    The notorious jail, commonly known as MDC, is known for handling many high-profile cases, including rapper R Kelly, Jeffrey Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell, and, most recently, Sean "Diddy" Combs.

  4. 'This would not have happened without Trump': Venezuelans react to US actionpublished at 23:03 GMT 3 January

    Bernd Debusmann Jr
    Reporting from Doral, Florida

    Image of Elkin holding Venezuelan flag

    Elkin, who has lived in the US for nine years, tells me he was woken up by a friend in Venezuela late last night, who reported the strikes before it hit social media.

    "This would not have happened without Donald Trump," he tells me in the distinctive Spanish of Venezuela, a broad smile on his face as he held a Venezuelan flag.

    For now, Elkin is unconcerned by the transition of power, or Trump's earlier comment that the US will "run" Venezuela.

    "The important thing now is that [Maduro and his wife] they are finished, they won't be able to come back," he says. "Trump did that."

    Rosanna Matteo, a Venezuelan who has lived in the US since 2012, says she knew the US was "capable" of toppling Maduro – and Chavez before him - but never thought it would happen.

    Matteo says she would often dream of waking up in the middle of the night to the news that Maduro had fallen.

    "And last night my husband woke me up to tell me," she says.

    While she is not worried about the transition, she says she wants one thing to be made clear to the Trump administration: many Venezuelans like her would be furious if, in the long-term, officials tied to the Maduro regime remain in place.

    "We don't accept that, and we don't want it," she adds.

  5. Image shows figure in grey being led across tarmacpublished at 22:47 GMT 3 January

    Multiple law enforcement officers lead a figure dressed in grey across a tarmacImage source, ABC Affiliate WABC via REUTERS

    As we've been reporting, a group of people have been seen leading a figure off the plane believed to be carrying Maduro that's landed in New York.

    We can now bring you another image, this one shows several dozen people - who look like law enforcement officers - leading a figure dressed in grey across the tarmac.

  6. Large group disembarks plane including person believed to be Maduropublished at 22:38 GMT 3 January

    A lit stairwell leading off a plane at night time, several figures are walking down the stairsImage source, ABC Affiliate WABC via REUTERS

    We've just watched a group of people disembarking the plane that landed a short while ago at New York's Stewart Air National Guard Base.

    It's dark out now, and difficult to make out the figures pictured, however, US TV networks have identified a person as Maduro.

    The group went down the stairs of the plane, before making their way across the tarmac. There were several dozen people, and they appeared to be leading one figure.

    We'll bring you more information when we get it.

  7. 'I'm so happy' - Venezuelans in the US react to Maduro's capturepublished at 22:14 GMT 3 January

    The BBC's Bernd Debusmann Jr reports from Doral, Florida, a hub for the Venezuelan and Venezuelan-American community in the US.

  8. Plane carrying Maduro lands in New Yorkpublished at 21:56 GMT 3 January
    Breaking

    A plane with stairs attached and FBI agents walking aboardImage source, CBS

    The plane carrying Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, and his wife Cilia Flores, has landed at New York's Stewart Air National Guard Base, our US partner CBS is reporting.

    The plane has touched down on the tarmac, and a number of law enforcement agents have gone aboard.

    We'll bring you more in just a moment.

  9. Journalists await the arrival of Maduro and first lady in New Yorkpublished at 21:44 GMT 3 January

    Pratiksha Ghildial
    Reporting from New York

    A group of journalists in winter coats stand by a camera on a tripod near a fence

    Amid frigid temperatures, news crews are awaiting the plane that's expected to be carrying Maduro when it lands here at Stewart Air National Guard Base in New York state.

    We're keeping across this, and will bring you an update when he lands. Stick with us.

  10. 'We shed no tears' about end of Maduro's regime, says Starmerpublished at 21:35 GMT 3 January

    Prime Minister Keir Starmer says the UK has "long supported a transition of power in Venezuela".

    Starmer says in a post on X: "We regarded Maduro as an illegitimate President and we shed no tears about the end of his regime. I reiterated my support for international law this morning."

    He adds that the UK government will discuss the "evolving situation with US counterparts" in the coming days and "seek a safe and peaceful transition to a legitimate government that reflects the will of the Venezuelan people".

    Earlier, when asked if he would condemn the US operation in Venezuela, as a number of UK MPs have, Starmer said: "I want to establish the facts first. I want to speak to President Trump. I want to speak to allies. As I say, I can be absolutely clear we were not involved in that."

  11. Venezuelans in Florida gather to celebrate Maduro's oustingpublished at 21:18 GMT 3 January

    Bernd Debusmann Jr
    Reporting from Doral, Florida

    Image of woman standing through sunroof of car, waving Venezuelan glag

    I'm in Doral, the heart of south Florida's Venezuelan expatriate population – affectionately known among many as "Doralzuela".

    The mood here is, for lack of a better word, ecstatic. For about a mile, I was caught in a huge traffic jam behind a line of cars waving Venezuelan flags and Trump signs.

    There is very little love for Maduro among many of these Venezuelan expats, some of whom fled Venezuela, either during Maduro's regime or that of his predecessor, Hugo Chavez.

    The hub of the celebrations is a much beloved restaurant called El Arepazo, where since 05:00 this morning crowds have gathered after hearing the news.

    There are currently several hundred people here – and many more trying to find parking – and it's extremely loud, with horns honking, music blaring and people chanting.

    Images of a crowd gathered holding Venezuelan flags
  12. US will make decisions based on Venezuela's actions, Rubio sayspublished at 21:09 GMT 3 January

    Secretary of State Marco Rubio gestures while President Donald Trump stands behind himImage source, Reuters

    Secretary of State Marco Rubio says the US will make decisions based on the Venezuelan government's "actions and their deeds" over the coming days.

    It follows Venezuelan Vice-President Delcy Rodriguez's comments earlier today, in which she denied she planned to work with the US following the capture of Maduro.

    "We think they’re going to have some unique and historic opportunities to do a great service for the country, and we hope that they’ll accept that opportunity," he told the New York Times, referring to Venezuelan government officials.

  13. Watch: How the US attack on Venezuela unfoldedpublished at 21:06 GMT 3 January

  14. Analysis

    What does Trump want with Venezuela?published at 20:44 GMT 3 January

    Tom Bateman
    US State Department correspondent

    I got the impression from Trump's earlier remarks that there isn’t much of a plan beyond a clear threat to the now de-facto leader, Vice-President Delcy Rodriguez, to comply with what he wants. And what he wants, he made clear, is US access to Venezuela’s oil fields.

    This was couched in a pledge to release vast amounts of oil wealth for the people of Venezuela, but also for the US, and in Trump’s demand for “stability” in nations close to the US. He said Secretary of State Marco Rubio had spoken to Rodríguez, who was “gracious” and appeared to be compliant.

    But Rodríguez appeared shortly afterwards to contradict this, saying in a televised address that Venezuela’s government was ready to defend the country and maintaining that Maduro was still in charge.

    Trump was pressed on specifics, but stuck to his trademark ambiguity. Asked whether the US would send in US ground troops, he only said he wasn’t afraid of boots on the ground. And asked about opposition figure Maria Corina Machado, Trump said it would be hard for her to lead as she didn’t have popular “respect”.

    That alone will signal to some in Venezuela, particularly Machado’s supporters, that Trump isn’t serious about shoring up Venezuela for a democratic or just future, but rather to plunder its oil wealth.

  15. UN Security Council to hold emergency meetingpublished at 20:32 GMT 3 January

    The United Nations Security Council says it will hold an emergency meeting on Monday about the US operation in Venezuela.

    The attendees have not yet been confirmed, but may include the UN Secretary-General António Guterres.

    Colombia requested the meeting with the support of Russia and China, both permanent members of the Security Council.

  16. Analysis

    Venezuela action one of Trump's biggest foreign policy gamblespublished at 20:28 GMT 3 January

    Tom Bateman
    US State Department correspondent

    Nicolás Maduro, the Venezuelan leader, and his wife are being brought to New York to face what officials have called the wrath of US justice. A 25-page indictment charges the couple along with their son, two other politicians and an alleged cartel leader with running a violent cocaine trafficking empire for their own enrichment.

    Maduro has always rejected the accusations as an excuse for regime change. And in an extraordinary development, Trump has said the US would now be in charge of Venezuela.

    The US attack follows a months-long pressure campaign involving a vast and deadly military buildup in the Caribbean.

    Trump has voiced varying motives, from ending Venezuelan drug trafficking – even though this makes up a relatively small part of the illicit regional trade – to taking back what he says are US oil rights in the country, which he doubled down on in his news conference.

    He already faces a backlash from his Democratic opposition in Congress who saw the build up as unconstitutional, and a bullying campaign which risks destabilising the region.

    Trump is celebrating deposing a dictator, in one of the biggest gambles for his second term foreign policy. While the US has a strong record in removing autocrats, it has a far weaker one in managing the aftermath.

  17. Rodríguez: 'There is a clear government in Venezuela'published at 20:11 GMT 3 January

    Venezuela Vice-President Delcy RodriguezImage source, Venezuela state television

    We can bring you some more of Rodríguez's remarks, after she spoke on state television a few moments ago.

    She condemns the "armed aggression against our country", and adds that the country's defence council has been "activated".

    Further response from the government can be expected over the coming hours, she says.

    "To our Venezuela, to our people: There is a clear government here," she says, adding that Venezuela is open to respectful and lawful dialogue.

  18. Venezuela ready to defend country, VP sayspublished at 19:45 GMT 3 January

    More now from Venezuela's Vice-President Delcy Rodríguez.

    She says the government is a ready "to defend" Venezuela, after Trump said the US will "run" the country.

    Rodríguez also called for calm and unity.

  19. Maduro is Venezuela's only president, says VP Delcy Rodriguezpublished at 19:28 GMT 3 January
    Breaking

    Venezuela's Vice-President Delcy Rodríguez has been speaking on state television the last few minutes. She says Nicolás Maduro is Venezuela's only president.

    "There is only one president in Venezuela, and his name is Nicolás Maduro," she says.

    It comes after US President Donald Trump earlier said she was the country's new leader, after Maduro was captured by US forces overnight.

  20. European leaders react to Venezuela operationpublished at 19:21 GMT 3 January

    Here's what some European leaders are saying about the US action in Venezuela.

    • UK: Prime Minister Keir Starmer says the UK was not involved in the operation and he wants to speak to Trump "to establish the facts first" before commenting further
    • France: President Emmanuel Macron calls for the Maduro's 2024 opposition candidate – Edmundo González – who he refers to as "president", to oversee a "peaceful, democratic" transition
    • Germany: Maduro "led his country to ruin", says Chancellor Friedrich Merz, but adds the government is taking time to decide if US actions broke international law
    • Italy: Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni says that "external military action is not the way to put an end to totalitarian regimes", but adds it is "legitimate" to defend against "attacks on one's own security"
    • Spain: Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez says Spain "did not recognise" Maduro's regime, but "nor will it recognise an intervention that violates international law". He calls for respect for the UN Charter
    • European Union: High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaja Kallas says the EU "has repeatedly stated" that Maduro lacks legitimacy, but calls "for restraint" and a respect for international law