Venezuela’s political shock has sharpened global attention on a country already facing one of the world’s largest humanitarian and displacement crises. The recent seizure of President Nicolás Maduro by US special forces has added a new layer of uncertainty to an already volatile situation. According to the UN aid coordination office, OCHA, 7.9 million people — more than a quarter of the population — need urgent humanitarian assistance. Poverty has since become the norm: the Humanitarian Data Exchange says that since 2017, the share of households living under Venezuela’s poverty line has surpassed 90%. As of early 2026, about 7.9 million people in the country require humanitarian assistance, according to the U.N.
The United Nations maintains a broad operational presence in Venezuela, with most agencies active on the ground. Work spans food security, healthcare, gender equality, education, decent work, water and sanitation, and peacebuilding. Agencies including the World Food Programme (WFP), World Health Organization (WHO) and the reproductive rights agency, UNFPA, deliver life-saving aid and help keep essential services running — from food distributions and nutrition screenings to maternal care and clean water projects. Following the latest political developments, UN leadership in the country said it is closely assessing needs to ensure support can be scaled up if required. For the United Nations, the priority remains unchanged: protecting lives, sustaining basic services and supporting Venezuelans at home and across the region.
Venezuela’s human rights situation remains a core UN concern. The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) continues to monitor violations. Briefing the Human Rights Council last month, High Commissioner Volker Türk warned of deepening repression, citing increased militarisation, threats to journalists and human rights defenders, arbitrary detention and enforced disappearances. UN investigators have stressed that accountability for long-documented abuses — including extrajudicial killings, torture and sexual and gender-based violence — must not be overshadowed by the current crisis.
Regional Displacement and Response
It is too early to know whether recent events will intensify the mass displacement that has unfolded over the past decade. Millions of Venezuelans have already fled repression, instability and economic hardship. Nearly half of those who have left rely on informal, low-paid work; 42 per cent struggle to afford enough food, and 23 per cent live in overcrowded housing. The UN refugee agency UNHCR and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) coordinate a regional response across 17 countries. This effort has helped more than 4.5 million Venezuelans in Latin America and the Caribbean obtain regular status, giving access to documentation.
Political Context and International Relations
Following Chávez’s death in 2013, his mentee Maduro won by a narrow margin in a special election. Maduro’s regime has been characterized by repression and human rights abuses, as he has gone after his political opponents. The mix of Maduro’s authoritarian rule, staggering poverty levels, and citizens’ limited access to food and other basic necessities have forced an estimated 8 million Venezuelans to leave the country and look for better living conditions elsewhere, according to the Human Rights Watch. Maduro declared victory in subsequent disputed elections in 2018 and 2024—but several countries, including the U.S., have not recognized his victories and consider him an illegitimate President. The 63-year-old leader is particularly at odds with President Donald Trump over the influx of Venezuelan immigrants and drugs into the U.S. In 2020, the Justice Department during the first Trump Administration charged Maduro—along with other officials—for allegedly running a narcoterrorism conspiracy and using cocaine as a weapon to “flood” the U.S.
Security Concerns and Travel Advisories
The U.S. State Department has advised American citizens to leave Venezuela immediately, citing “severe risks” to Americans such as “wrongful detention, torture in detention, terrorism, kidnapping,” and “arbitrary enforcement of local laws,” among others. The advisory warned that, before departure, U.S. citizens should look out for armed militias or so-called colectivos who are “setting up roadblocks and searching vehicles for evidence of U.S. citizenship or support for the United States.” Journalists in Caracas have reported on the presence of these paramilitary forces, who are masked and armed with rifles. Venezuela’s foreign ministry countered the security narrative. In a statement Saturday, it said that Venezuela is “in absolute calm, peace, and stability” and that the State Department warning was “based on fabricated accounts aimed at creating a perception of risk that does not exist.”
Cuba’s Economic Dependence and Response
Cuba’s economy has depended on Venezuela as a major beneficiary of its oil, and the government in Havana is strongly allied with the since-arrested Maduro. In exchange, Havana would provide intelligence and personnel. (In a social media post, the Cuban government said more than 30 of its nationals died in the Jan. 3 attack.) Trump has since described Cuba as a “failing nation” on the brink of collapse, as the country of an estimated 8 million, even before Maduro’s arrest, has been in a deep economic crisis, consistently racked by widespread blackouts and water shortages. Trump had earlier floated similar U.S. intervention in Cuba, but walked back, citing that the country would not be able to hold out without Venezuelan oil as its economic lifeline. On Jan. 11, Trump singled out Cuba, posting on Truth Social that “THERE WILL BE NO MORE OIL OR MONEY GOING TO CUBA - ZERO” and urging Cuba to “make a deal, BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE.” Miguel Díaz-Canel, Cuba’s President, appeared to rebuke Trump’s call and to reject any form of U.S. intervention the same day: “Cuba is a free, independent and sovereign nation. No one tells us what to do.”
International Reactions and Global Stage
A number of staunch Trump allies in Latin America backed the U.S. operation in Venezuela. Argentina's President Javier Milei hailed Maduro's capture as a victory for freedom, El Salvador's Nayib Bukele signaled support via social media, and Ecuador's Daniel Noboa called it a blow to Venezuela's "narco-Chavista" structures. Close allies China and Russia have also reacted. Russia condemned the strikes, reaffirming solidarity with the Venezuelan people. In a statement, Russia's Foreign Ministry called the Trump administration's pretext for attacking Venezuela unfounded and said if the reports of Maduro's capture were true, the U.S. action marked an "unacceptable assault" on Venezuela's sovereignty. Despite such expressions of support, Moscow has stopped short of challenging the U.S. more forcefully amid a months-long pressure campaign by the Trump administration against the Venezuelan leadership. China said it strongly opposed the U.S. action condemning the move as a violation of international law.
Economic Collapse and Humanitarian Need
Venezuela has endured years of economic collapse, political instability, hyperinflation and economic sanctions from Washington, compounded by floods, landslides and other climate shocks. The combination of these factors has created a dire situation for millions of Venezuelans who continue to face food insecurity, lack of access to basic services, and limited economic opportunities. The UN and its partner organizations continue to monitor the situation closely and adjust their response strategies as needed to address the evolving humanitarian needs.
Conclusion
The situation in Venezuela remains highly volatile, with significant humanitarian, human rights, and political dimensions. The international community, led by the United Nations, continues to provide critical assistance to millions of Venezuelans both within the country and across the region. The recent military intervention by the United States and the capture of President Maduro have introduced new complexities to an already challenging situation, with varying international reactions reflecting broader geopolitical dynamics. The priority for humanitarian organizations remains the protection of lives and the provision of essential services, while monitoring how recent events may affect displacement patterns and humanitarian needs in the coming months.