Rage Against The Machine and Audioslave guitarist Tom Morello has called the United States a ‘terror state’ after Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro was removed from power.
The incendiary claim by Morello, made in a social post shortly after news broke of a dramatic U.S. military operation in Venezuela, reflects a wave of shock, praise, criticism and geopolitical debate swirling around one of the most consequential U.S. interventions in Latin America in decades.
U.S. Forces Capture Maduro in Overnight Strike
On January 3, 2026, U.S. President Donald Trump announced that American forces had carried out a “large-scale strike” in Caracas that resulted in the capture and removal of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. Maduro’s detention followed months of escalating tensions, sanctions, and military pressure from Washington.
Trump claimed the operation was aimed at dismantling Maduro’s alleged narco-terror network and restoring order in Venezuela. U.S. officials have long accused Maduro and his inner circle of deep involvement in international drug trafficking and corruption, including links to the Cartel of the Suns — an organization the U.S. State Department designated a Foreign Terrorist Organization in late 2025.
Following Maduro’s capture, Trump stated the United States would “run” Venezuela temporarily to oversee a transition to a new government and to “get the oil flowing,” emphasizing Venezuela’s vast crude reserves as part of the rationale. The operation drew immediate global attention not only for its unprecedented nature but also for its legal and humanitarian implications.
The sudden leadership change has left Venezuela’s 28 million citizens in a precarious position. While some Venezuelans expressed relief at the removal of a long-controversial leader, others fear instability and potential civil strife amid military occupation and a power vacuum.
