Editor Roula Khalaf on the Venezuela story and how we’ll keep you informed

Dear reader,

2026 is off to a dramatic start. In the early hours of January 3, US commandos captured Venezuela’s dictator Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores. They will now stand trial in the US for ‘narco terrorism’ and other charges. In their place, Donald Trump says Washington will “run” Venezuela, a sovereign country of nearly 30mn people and home to the world’s largest oil reserves. 

Trump’s extraordinary intervention marks the culmination of months of US military build-up in the Caribbean. It is also a watershed moment for US foreign policy in the western hemisphere. The US president has recently renewed his threats against Colombia, Cuba, Greenland and Mexico.

But the full implications of Maduro’s removal - for Venezuelan democracy, regional power politics and global energy markets - will play out in the coming weeks and months. The US appears intent on running Venezuela by dictating policy to what remains of the Maduro regime, at least during a transition period.

As always, you can trust the Financial Times to guide you through the uncertainty. Our network of correspondents, from Caracas to Beijing, will continue to bring you the inside track from key players in politics, business and finance. 

You can also expect big picture analysis that distills and makes sense of key developments. Watch out for more sharp insights from Michael Stott, our Latin America Editor, and our columnists Edward Luce, Gideon Rachman, Martin Wolf, Gillian Tett, Janan Ganesh and others. Stay up to date with all of our Venezuela coverage here. 

Thank you for reading the Financial Times and for supporting quality journalism in these extraordinary times.