Nicolás Maduro became interim president following Hugo Chávez’s death in March 2013 and won the special election in April 2013 to serve out the remainder of Chávez’s term.

On January 3, 2026, Nicolás Maduro was captured by United States forces in a large-scale attack on Venezuela. He and his wife, Cilia Flores, were swiftly flown out of the country, and Maduro was charged in the Southern District of New York of narco-terrorism, cocaine trafficking, and possession of machine guns and destructive devices against the U.S. The operation marked months of buildup by U.S. forces in the region, as U.S. Pres. Donald Trump had accused Maduro of supporting drug traffickers, accusations that Maduro has vehemently denied. Trump said the U.S. would run the country following M

Maduro faced an economic crisis, opposition attempts to remove him, international condemnation, and allegations of electoral fraud. He also dealt with a faltering economy, high inflation, and shortages of basic goods.