The Venezuelan government has declared a seven-day period of national mourning following a U.S. military operation that officials here describe as an act of aggression against the South American nation.

The announcement was made by acting President Delcy Rodríguez, who stated the mourning was for “the martyrs, who sacrificed their lives in defense of our holy homeland during the criminal military attack carried out by the US Government on January 3, 2026.”

The crisis began on January 3, when Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil Pinto accused the United States of striking civilian and military facilities in the capital, Caracas. The government immediately declared a state of emergency.

U.S. President Donald Trump later confirmed the operation, announcing that Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife had been apprehended and removed from the country. According to U.S. officials, the couple is now being held at a detention facility in Brooklyn, New York.

On January 5, Maduro and his wife appeared before the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. U.S. authorities have leveled charges of alleged involvement in drug trafficking against them, accusations that both defendants have publicly denied.

The humanitarian cost of the military action remains under international scrutiny. Stéphane Dujarric, spokesperson for the United Nations Secretary-General, stated this week that the UN is working to gather more information on casualties. Preliminary reporting from The New York Times estimates the death toll from the operation in Caracas at approximately 80.

The unprecedented event has sparked a severe diplomatic rupture and raised questions about the future of Venezuela's political leadership, as the nation observes a week of mourning for those killed. (ILKHA)