In January 2026, US special forces executed Operation Absolute Resolve, conducting targeted military strikes in Venezuela that captured President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, amid longstanding sanctions and diplomatic isolation of the regime. This intervention, framed by the Trump administration as a law enforcement action rather than full invasion, prompted a political transition to an interim government under Delcy Rodríguez, with the US lifting sanctions on her and easing oil sector restrictions in early April to support stabilization and economic recovery. Increased US military presence continues to secure key sites, while Maduro faces US court proceedings; no further escalation signals have emerged in recent weeks, though regional diplomacy with allies like Colombia remains key to avoiding spillover tensions.