by Maximillian Alvarez and Michael Fox | Jan 6, 2026 | Podcast, Politics and Movements: International, Politics and Movements: US, Trump, Venezuela
In the early, pre-dawn hours of Saturday, Jan. 3, the US invaded and bombed the sovereign country of Venezuela, and kidnapped Venezuela’s president Nicolas Maduro and the First Lady of Venezuela, Cilia Flores. This is the first time the United States has used its own military to invade a South American country, and President Trump made the purpose of the invasion very clear: oil. What will happen to Venezuela’s government now? What will be the geopolitical fallout in the Western Hemisphere from this stunning act of imperial intervention? How does this period of US intervention in Latin America compare to previous ones? TRNN Editor-in-Chief Maximillian Alvarez and Latin America correspondent Michael Fox break down your questions.
Additional links/info:
Michael Fox, The Real News Network, “Trump invades Venezuela, kidnaps Maduro, and hurls the Western hemisphere into chaos”
Michael Fox, Under the Shadow / The Real News Network, “Trump’s piracy in the Caribbean won’t end with Venezuela”
Michael Fox, Under the Shadow (podcast series)
Credits:
Production: Maximillian Alvarez
Post-Production: David Hebden
Transcript
The following is a rushed transcript and may contain errors. A proofread version will be made available as soon as possible.
Maximillian Alvarez:
In the early pre-dawn hours of Saturday, January 3rd, the US administration of self-proclaimed Peace President Donald Trump invaded and bombed the sovereign country of Venezuela and kidnapped Venezuelan President Nicholas Maduro and the First Lady of Venezuela, Celia Flores. As our Latin America based correspondent, Michael Fox reports for the real news, “This is the first US invasion of another country in Latin America since the 1989 invasion of Panama, when the US kidnapped and detained Panamanian President Manuel Noriega under charges of drug trafficking. The Trump administration used the same
by Sharon Zhang | Jan 6, 2026 | Article, Politics and Movements: International, Politics and Movements: US, Reprint, Trump, Venezuela
This story was originally published on Truthout on Jan. 05, 2026. It is shared here under a Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0) license.
Major American news outlets were informed of the Trump administration’s plan to bombard Venezuela and abduct its president ahead of the operation early Saturday morning, but withheld their reporting on the operation to protect the military, Semafor reports.
Both The New York Times and The Washington Post knew about the raid before President Donald Trump approved it on Friday night at 10:46 pm, Semafor reported over the weekend.
However, according to two people familiar with the administration’s communications with the outlets, they “held off publishing what they knew to avoid endangering U.S. troops.”
The report raises major questions about the media’s role in the operation, which has been widely condemned as an illegal and authoritarian action by legal experts and foreign leaders; Semafor describes the withholding of coverage as potential “cooperation” with the military by news outlets.
Major news outlets in the U.S. have a history of coordinating with the Pentagon in order to protect military operations.
As Semafor notes, The New York Times reportedly withheld a story about the disastrous Bay of Pigs operation in 1961 before the Cuban invasion at the behest of the Kennedy administration.
There are numerous other such examples. In the mid-2000s, the Times withheld a major report on the National Security Agency’s campaign of warrantless spying on American citizens, Stellar Wind, for a year at the Bush administration’s request.
Most recently, The Atlantic withheld a potential report on a planned U.S. attack on Yemen that was the central focus of Signalgate. That attack, which the magazine’s editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg was notified about two hours in advance, killed 15 people, including six children, one of them a newborn baby.
Goldberg noted that he wasn’t clear about the authenticity
by Michael Fox | Jan 5, 2026 | Podcast, Politics and Movements: International, Politics and Movements: US, Trump, Under the Shadow, Venezuela
In the early hours of Saturday morning, January 3rd, Venezuelans were awoken by the sounds of bombs falling. US helicopters whirled overhead. Explosions struck across the capital Caracas and in surrounding states.
Hours of chaos, fear, and uncertainty.
President Donald Trump would post over social media that the US had “captured” Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores amid a “large-scale” strike against the country.
This is the first US invasion of another country in Latin America since the 1989 invasion of Panama, when the US kidnapped and detained Panamanian President Manuel Noriega under charges of drug trafficking. The Trump administration used the same excuse to detain Maduro, despite lack of evidence linking Maduro to drug trafficking.
With this strike, the United States has taken an unprecedented step: This is the first time the United States has used its own military to invade a South American country.
Today, we go to Caracas to look in-depth at the January 3rd US invasion of Venezuela. Host Michael Fox speaks with Caracas-based reporter Ricardo Vaz.
Under the Shadow is an investigative narrative podcast series that walks back in time, telling the story of the past by visiting momentous places in the present.
Season 2 responds in real time to the Trump Administration’s onslaught in Latin America.
Hosted by Latin America-based journalist Michael Fox.This podcast is produced in partnership between The Real News Network and NACLA.Theme music by Monte Perdido and Michael Fox. Monte Perdido’s new album Ofrenda is now out. You can listen to the full album on Spotify, Deezer, Apple Music, YouTube or wherever you listen to music. Other music from Blue Dot Sessions.
Resources:
Under the Shadow
You can check out the first season of
by Maximillian Alvarez | Jan 5, 2026 | baltimore, Politics and Movements: International, Politics and Movements: US, Venezuela, video
Around 100 Baltimore residents and local organizers marched through the streets of downtown on Saturday, Jan. 3, to protest the Trump regime’s lawless military invasion of the sovereign country of Venezuela and kidnapping of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores. Numerous organizations were represented at the protest, including: Party for Socialism and Liberation – Baltimore, the People’s Power Assembly, Black Alliance for Peace, Veterans for Peace, and more. Here’s what the protest looked and sounded like on the ground…
Additional links/info:
Michael Fox, The Real News Network, “Trump invades Venezuela, kidnaps Maduro, and hurls the Western hemisphere into chaos”
Credits:
Production/Post-Production: Maximillian Alvarez
Transcript
The following is a rushed transcript and may contain errors. A proofread version will be made available as soon as possible.
Crowd Chants:
No more coups, no more war. Venezuela is it yours. Venezuela isn’t yours. Venezuela isn’t yours. Hands off Venezuela. Hands off Venezuela.
Maximillian Alvarez:
I’m here in downtown Baltimore on Saturday, January 3rd. It’s a little after 3:00 PM and dozens and dozens of Baltimore residents and local organizers are marching through the streets of downtown in protest of the Trump regime’s lawless invasion of Venezuela and kidnapping of its president Nicolas Maduro earlier this morning. I’m here on the ground for The Real News Network.
Protestor 1:
I’m just out here today because I’m outraged because I’m in disbelief that our country’s being run by this person that does whatever the F he wants and it’s shocking, it’s scary and I’m terrified. So this is what I’m doing. I’m doing what I can.
Protestor 2:
I’m a cadre member of an organization called the All African People’s Revolutionary Party. My comrade here, Nancy
by Jon Queally | Jan 5, 2026 | Article, Oil, Politics and Movements: International, Politics and Movements: US, Reprint, Venezuela
This story originally appeared in Common Dreams on Jan. 05, 2026. It is shared here under a Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0) license.
President Donald Trump on Sunday told reporters that the heads of American oil companies were informed of the US military’s attack on Venezuela—described as “brazenly illegal” by scholars and experts—even before it took place.
Trump’s admission, a renowned liar, sparked condemnation because the administration refused to consult with US lawmakers about the operation, citing fears of a leak that would compromise operational security.
“Before and after,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday when asked if he’d spoken with oil executives or perhaps “tipped them off” about the operation. “They want to go in, and they’re going to do a great job for the people of Venezuela.”
Reporter: Did you speak with the oil companies before the operation? Did you tip them off?Trump: Before and after. They want to go in and they’re going to do a great job. pic.twitter.com/zxOG648Ww0— Acyn (@Acyn) January 5, 2026
Trump’s remarks were condemned by those critical of the president’s actions in recent days, including his failure to consult with or seek authorization from Congress.
“I can’t begin to tell you how insane this is,” said Fred Wellman, an Army combat veteran now running for Congress as a Democrat in Missouri. “He did not inform Congress, but he’s saying he informed the oil companies.”
“Keep in mind who he means,” Wellman added. “The billionaire mega donor that just got control of Citgo. Our service members were used directly to move the interests of Trump’s donors.”
“The oil companies were notified before Congress,” said Melanie D’Arrigo, executive director of the Campaign for New York Health. “This
by Michael Fox | Jan 3, 2026 | Article, Politics and Movements: International, Politics and Movements: US, Under the Shadow, Venezuela
