In the early hours of January 3, the United States launched Operation “Absolute Resolve” to capture and arrest then-Venezuelan Nicolás Maduro in Caracas, Venezuela.

The operation was the culmination of months of planning, involving 150 planes and helicopters. US forces carried out diversionary strikes in other parts of Venezuela, and firefights lit up the night in Caracas. Dozens of Venezuelan officials were killed, and Maduro and his wife were transported to the United States to face charges of drug trafficking and terrorism.

The arrest made headlines worldwide and reignited debates over geopolitics, international law, and possible regime-change scenarios in Venezuela. But the possible implications for organized crime and drug trafficking — the very arguments US President Donald Trump cited to justify increased military action in the region — have largely been sidelined.

In the final installment of our year-end GameChangers series, we examine the US’ audacious new approach to security policy in Latin America and what it could mean for organized crime throughout the region in 2026 and beyond.

GameChangers: US Reignites the War on Drugs and Weakens It for 2026 | Written by Jeremy McDermott and Steven Dudley and read by Steven Dudley.

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