Venezuela on the Brink as US Military Action Sparks Outrage

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Jeremy Corbyn calls it “illegal war,” US lawmakers clash over presidential authority, and Caracas reels amid explosions, troop movements, and regime-change claims

TRH World Desk

New Delhi, January 3, 2026 — The world is watching Venezuela with alarm as claims of US military action in Caracas collide with fierce political condemnation, constitutional disputes in Washington, and calls for resistance from Venezuelan leaders.

Former UK Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn issued one of the strongest denunciations yet, calling the alleged US action “unprovoked and illegal.”

“This is a brazen attempt to secure control over Venezuelan natural resources,” Corbyn said. “It is an act of war that puts the lives of millions at risk—and should be condemned by anyone who believes in sovereignty and international law.”

The comments came amid reports of multiple explosions across Caracas, helicopters overhead, and claims—still contested—that Nicolás Maduro has been arrested by US personnel.

Conflicting Claims From Washington

US Senator Mike Lee said he spoke directly with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who allegedly informed him that Maduro had been arrested to face criminal charges in the United States.

“The kinetic action… was deployed to protect and defend those executing the arrest warrant,” Lee said, arguing the operation likely falls under the president’s Article II authority to protect US personnel.

However, other US lawmakers sharply disagreed. Congresswoman Melanie Stansbury warned that the White House may have crossed a constitutional red line. “These strikes are illegal. The President does not have the authority to declare war or undertake large-scale military operations without Congress,” she said, calling for immediate legislative intervention.

Caracas: Explosions, Silence—and Signals

According to Reuters, US ground forces and US Air Force assets are reportedly active in and around Caracas, with operations continuing as of early morning. In a highly unusual move, the entire US Air Force reportedly disabled most flight-tracking transponders, a step typically associated with sensitive combat operations.

Meanwhile, Venezuela’s defence minister released a video message, confirming he is alive and calling for an “anti-imperialist and liberation war” against what he described as the American empire.

The Venezuelan opposition, for its part, has reportedly begun mobilising to secure government buildings, suggesting an effort to establish what it calls a legitimate transitional administration.

Imperialism or Enforcement?

Former UK MP Claudia Webbe framed the crisis in stark economic terms: “Venezuela has the largest oil reserves in the world. Trump’s attack on Venezuela is naked imperialism. Blood for oil.”

That accusation echoes a long-standing narrative in Latin America—that Venezuela’s vast energy resources lie at the heart of repeated foreign interventions.

Washington, however, appears divided between those framing the operation as law enforcement, those calling it constitutional overreach, and those warning it is outright war.

A Dangerous Precedent

If confirmed, the arrest of a sitting foreign head of state by US forces would represent a historic rupture in international norms. If denied or disproven, the consequences could still be severe—stoking unrest, retaliation, and regional instability.

Either way, Venezuela has entered a moment of extreme peril. This is no longer just about Caracas. It is about sovereignty, constitutional authority, and whether global power will be restrained by law—or imposed by force.