United States Intervention in Venezuela Situation Report #2

US intervention in Venezuela Sitrep #2.pdf

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Military and Diplomatic Highlights:  

·       On January 5^th the State of External Emergency that was declared by the Venezuelan government granted extraordinary powers to the Executive Branch to include:

o   Military mobilization.

o   Criminalization of perceived dissent or alleged support for US actions.

o   Border control.

o   Restrictions on movement and gatherings.

o   Requisition of goods, and mandatory cooperation.

·       The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has warned of the dangers emerging from the current situation in the country:

o   On January 5^th more than a dozen journalists were temporarily detained in Caracas while reporting on unfolding events.

o   There is uncertainty over the internal power dynamics within Venezuela’s ruling elite, where different factions control the military, police and intelligence services, as well as paramilitary actors like the colectivos, which have long been implicated in violent repression and social control.

o   The security environment is further complicated by a broader range of armed groups and non-state actors operating across the country under opaque arrangements with state authorities, with poorly defined levels of territorial control and involvement in illicit economies.

o   There are also videos showing armed colectivos roaming the streets of Caracas.

·       The Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Belarusian Foreign Minister Mikhail Ryzhenkov discussed the US operation in Venezuela during a phone call on January 3 and issued a joint condemnation and the return of President Nicolas Maduro and his wife to the country.

·       Between January 7-9, the United States has maintained a blockade, stopping and seizing ships that they believe are carrying Venezuelan oil:

o   On January 7^th, the US Coast Guard seized two oil tankers with links to Russia:

ü  The Bella-1 and Motor/Tanker (M/T) Sophia were boarded and seized in the North Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea:

Ø  The Bella-1 was reportedly not transporting any oil. The U.S. reported that this ship was being escorted by Russian naval ships before it was seized. The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that Russian citizens were on the ship and detained by the U.S.

Ø  The M/T Sophia was reportedly transporting about 1.8 to 2 million barrels of Venezuelan crude oil.

o   On January 9^th, the United States apprehended the M/T Olina in the Caribbean Sea without incident.

·       The Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs on January 8^th reported that five prisoners who are Spanish nationals (with dual citizenship) were released by the Venezuelan government.

Humanitarian Assistance Highlights:

·       Following the U.S. attack on January 3^rd, there were reported power outages and damage to the country’s communication’s infrastructure.

·       As of January 6^th, the UN and its agencies are continuing to support the estimated 8 million Venezuelans in need of humanitarian assistance:

o   This presence covers critical areas such as food security, health care, gender equality, decent work, education, clean water, migration and peacebuilding.

·       It is too early to determine if the refugee and migrant crisis created by the Venezuelan government will continue to persist:

o   Nearly half of migrants and refugees face informal and poorly paid jobs.

o   42% of them cannot afford to buy enough food and 23% live in overcrowded shelters.

o   The UN Refugee Agency and the International Organization for Migration are leading a coordinated response in 17 countries.

Sources:

·       Clúster Salud: Venezuela: Escalada del conflicto, Ataques aéreos en Caracas, Miranda y La Guaira - Flash Update: Nº1 (Fecha de reporte: 05 de enero de 2026)

·       Atrocity Alert No. 464: Venezuela, Sudan and Nigeria

·       UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, Venezuela Twitter Page 

·       U.S. Department of Defense Twitter Page

·       Institute for the Study of War Twitter Page

·       Spain Ministry of Foreign Affairs Twitter Page