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President Donald Trump confirmed that Delta Force — the U.S. Army’s most elite counterterrorism and direct-action unit — carried out the daring overnight operation in Venezuela that led to the capture of dictator Nicolás Maduro and his wife.

Delta Force, officially known as 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment–Delta, specializes in high-risk missions involving the capture or killing of high-value targets, as well as other sensitive operations that require speed, secrecy and precision.

The unit operates under U.S. Special Operations Command and is typically deployed when missions carry significant political or strategic stakes.

According to Military.com, Delta Force is based at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, the hub of U.S. Army special operations training. The unit has previously been involved in some of the most consequential U.S. military operations, including the 2003 capture of Saddam Hussein. The secretive unit also conducted numerous counterterrorism missions in Afghanistan and elsewhere in the Middle East, targeting senior al-Qaeda figures.

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Delta Force is commanded by a senior Army officer, but the identity of the unit’s leader is also kept classified, as is the exact size of the unit. 

It is unclear how many members took part in the Venezuela operation.

During the raid, U.S. Army helicopters from the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, known as the "Night Stalkers," flew the special operations forces into Venezuela, officials said.

At least seven explosions were heard in Venezuela’s capital, Caracas, and low-flying aircraft were seen over the city at about 2 a.m. local time, according to reports.

The CIA provided intelligence to the Department of War that helped guide Delta Force to Maduro and his wife, whom President Donald Trump said were apprehended during the U.S. military operation.

Officials emphasized that while the CIA played a critical role in tracking and locating Maduro, U.S. military special operations forces carried out the physical capture.

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Trump told "FOX & Friends Weekend" early Saturday that U.S. military personnel involved in the operation "did an incredible job."

"They rehearsed and practiced like nobody’s ever seen," Trump said. "And I was told by real military people that there’s no other country on earth that could do such a maneuver."

Trump said he watched the operation unfold in real time.

"The whole maneuver of the landings, the number of aircraft — which were massive — the number of helicopters, different types of helicopters, different types of fighter jets," Trump said. "We had a fighter jet for every possible situation."

"They just broke in and they broke into places that were not really able to be broken into," he added. "I’ve never seen anything like it."

Trump said Maduro was inside a fortified residence but was captured before he could reach a secure area.

Trump also said there were injuries during the operation but no U.S. fatalities and no aircraft losses.

Maduro and his wife were taken aboard the USS Iwo Jima and are expected to be transported to the United States, where they could appear in federal court in New York City as soon as Monday, Fox News has learned.

Fox News’ Rachel Wolf, David Spunt, Jennifer Griffin and Lucas Tomlinson contributed to this report.

As Americans awoke to the news of U.S. military strikes on Venezuela, and the capture and extraction of Venezuelan strongman Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores, questions are being asked if Maduro was betrayed by someone from his secretive inner circle. 

That inner circle includes Diosdado Cabello, who currently holds the role of minister of interior, justice, and peace, is widely believed to be as powerful as Maduro.

Another member of that inner circle is Vladimir Padrino, the longstanding head of the nation's Armed Forces, who wields enormous power. Both Cabello and Padrino quickly condemned U.S. actions, but their responses so far have rung hollow.

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Cabello now stands as the undisputed heir to the Chavista movement, with Padrino and the nation's military muscle seemingly in lockstep, yet the Venezuelan Armed Forces seemingly put up no resistance of any kind to the operation.

In an early morning video shared on X, Padrino lambasted the "criminal military aggression by the government of the United States…coming to strike with their missiles and rockets fired from combat helicopters in Fuerte Tuna, Caracas, and the states of Mirana, Aragua, and La Guaira."

He repeated decades-old Hugo Chavez talking points, stating, "Venezuela rejects with all its strength the presence of these foreign troops which have only brought death, pain and destruction. This invasion represents the greatest tragedy that the country has suffered, which is motivated by an insatiable greed for our strategic resources."

With a $50 million bounty on Maduro's head, considerable domestic unpopularity, and the disputed 2024 election which the international community widely discredited as stolen, the writing appeared on the wall for Nicolas Maduro for years.

Now, Maduro and Flores are reportedly guests of the United States government on the warship Iwo Jima, bound for New York to face what is likely to be the trial of the decade. Maduro is facing weapons and drug charges.

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The Venezuelan head of the Economic Inclusion Group, Jorge Jraissati, lauded the operation:

"If everything goes well, this could open a new era of peace in Venezuela. For too long, Maduro has been a cancer for Venezuela and the region. It has turned Venezuela into an authoritarian state…This would not have happened if Maduro had accepted his defeat in 2024. He should have left power peacefully."

Yet, experts are wondering how the operation was undertaken so smoothly, without some level of complicity on the part of the Venezuelan regime.

Jraissati argued, "Trump’s ability to take Maduro quickly is an indicator that the U.S. had great intelligence on the ground. It shows that Venezuelans were actively cooperating with the Americans. It’s a huge win for the U.S."

"Trump’s operation is not against the Venezuelan people; it is against those who oppress us. Against Maduro and his crooks, who turn our country into a humanitarian crisis."

Delcy Rodriguez, the nation's current vice president and presumptive successor to Maduro, demanded a "proof of life" of Maduro on X, and is now the subject of intense speculation as to her whereabouts. Reports say she is currently in Russia, but Moscow has denied this. 

Taking out Maduro without taking out the rest of the Chavista power structure could prove problematic. Diosdado Cabello and Vladimir Padrino would be unlikely to preside over democratic elections that they would likely lose. In such a scenario, they could put themselves and their fortunes at considerable risk.

Analysts will now be assessing who potentially was involved in the operation to capture Maduro, as well as whether Cabello or Padrino, or members of the Venezuelan military were involved, with reports of an entrenched CIA asset reporting on the whereabouts of Maduro.

As the future of Venezuela remains very much in doubt, every day Venezuelans scrambled to stock up on food and fuel. 

With Delcy Rodriguez as the de jure head of state, there is going to be an inevitable power struggle with Maria Corina Machado, recent winner of the Nobel Prize. It is widely believed that in any kind of free and fair election, she would win in a landslide. However, her current whereabouts are unknown, since leaving Norway in mid-December after receiving her award.

Venezuela experts know one thing: the Chavista movement will not go gently into the Caracas night.

Cabello, Padrino and other regime loyalists may stay to fight to the end, or they may seek to negotiate an exit to Havana and Moscow, the most logical choices.

The presumed successor to Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro is currently in Russia, a report said Saturday. 

Four sources familiar with the movements of Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez confirmed her location to Reuters, although the news agency cited Russia’s foreign ministry as claiming the report was "fake." 

Earlier in the day, Rodriguez demanded in audio played on Venezuelan state TV that the U.S. provide "proof of life" for Maduro and his wife after President Donald Trump said the pair were captured in a U.S. military operation. 

"We demand that President Donald Trump’s government provide immediate proof of life for President Maduro and the First Lady," Rodriguez said, according to Reuters. 

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Trump later shared to Truth Social a photo of Maduro seen detained, blindfolded and clutching a water bottle while wearing gray sweatpants and a sweatshirt aboard the U.S.S. Iwo Jima. Trump said he would later be brought to New York. 

Maduro previously served as Venezuela’s vice president before he took power in 2013 following the death of then-leader Hugo Chávez. 

Jorge Rodriguez, who is Delcy’s brother and is the head of Venezuela’s national assembly, remains in Caracas, three sources told Reuters. 

When asked about what the future of Venezuela holds with Maduro no longer in the country, Trump said in an interview on "Fox & Friends Weekend" that, "we're making that decision now."

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"We can't take a chance of letting somebody else run and just take over where he left off. So we're making that decision now," Trump told Fox News. "We'll be involved in it very much, and we want to do liberty for the people. We want to, you know, have a great relationship. I think the people of Venezuela are very, very happy because they love the United States. You know, they were run by essentially a dictatorship or worse." 

Trump later confirmed at a press conference in Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Fla., that the U.S. would run Venezuela on a temporary basis.

The successors to Maduro are likely to be the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize winner and opposition leaders María Corina Machado and Edmundo González, an expert said Saturday. 

Jorge Jraissati, a Venezuelan who is the president of the Economic Inclusion Group, told Fox News Digital that "Machado and Gonzalez would assume a transitional government in Venezuela. 

Fox News’ Rachel Wolf, Benjamin Weinthal and Efrat Lachter contributed to this report. 

Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro participated in a car interview just days before he was captured by U.S. forces. 

During the interview, Maduro said that his government is open to negotiating an agreement targeting drug trafficking networks tied to his government.

The pre-taped interview was staged with Maduro seated behind the wheel of a car and driving with Spanish journalist Ignacio Ramonet in the passenger seat while they discussed a potential deal. 

In the clip that aired on state TV, Maduro said Venezuela is "ready" to discuss a drug-trafficking deal with the U.S. He called on the countries to "start talking seriously, with data in hand."

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"The U.S. government knows, because we’ve told many of their spokespeople, that if they want to seriously discuss an agreement to combat drug trafficking, we’re ready," he said. "If they want oil, Venezuela is ready for U.S. investment, like with Chevron, whenever they want it, wherever they want it and however they want it."

President Donald Trump confirmed early Saturday morning that the U.S. had carried out strikes in Caracas and captured both Maduro and his wife.

"The United States of America has successfully carried out a large scale strike against Venezuela and its leader, President Nicolas Maduro, who has been, along with his wife, captured and flown out of the country," the president wrote on Truth Social.

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Trump later joined "Fox & Friends Weekend" to discuss the operation, which he said he watched from Mar-a-Lago. The president also confirmed that Maduro and his wife were transported to the U.S.S. Iwo Jima via helicopter.

Fox News host Griff Jenkins asked Trump, "Before we let you go, though, can you tell us where Maduro and his wife are right this second?"

"Well, they'll be heading to New York," Trump said. Griffin interjected, "Were they taken to a ship first?"

"Yes, the Iwo Jima," Trump said. "They'll be heading into New York. The helicopters took them out, and they went by helicopter on a nice flight. I'm sure they loved it, but they've killed a lot of people."

"Even people in their own country. They killed a lot of people to maintain power. He's a very vicious person."

Fox News learned on Saturday that Maduro could appear in federal court in New York as soon as Monday.

Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado issued an open call for a transfer of power Saturday, urging the military to abandon Nicolás Maduro’s government and recognize opposition-backed candidate Edmundo González as president after the U.S. said Maduro had been captured.

Machado’s statement came hours after President Donald Trump announced that U.S. forces had captured Maduro following what he described as "large-scale" military strikes targeting the Venezuelan government. Trump said Maduro and his wife were flown out of the country, a move that would mark the most direct U.S. military action against a Latin American head of state in decades.

"The hour of freedom has arrived," wrote in a post on X. "This is the hour of the citizens. Those of us who risked everything for democracy on July 28th. Those of us who elected Edmundo González Urrutia as the legitimate President of Venezuela, who must immediately assume his constitutional mandate and be recognized as Commander-in-Chief of the National Armed Forces by all the officers and soldiers who comprise it."

It remained unclear Saturday whether senior commanders have shifted allegiance or whether the opposition has secured control of state institutions.

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Machado also called on Venezuelans inside the country to remain "vigilant, active and organized," signaling that further instructions would be communicated through official opposition channels. To Venezuelans abroad, she urged immediate mobilization to pressure foreign governments to recognize a new leadership in Caracas.

The U.S. conducted strikes on Caracas early Saturday morning and took Maduro and his wife into custody and flew them to New York to face drug trafficking charges.

Machado and González have repeatedly argued that the July 28 presidential election was stolen, pointing to an opposition-run parallel vote count that they say shows González won by a wide margin.

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Venezuela’s electoral authorities, which are controlled by Maduro allies, declared him the winner with just under 52% of the vote, compared with roughly 43% for González. The government has rejected allegations of fraud.

The opposition, however, says it collected and published tally sheets from polling stations nationwide showing González received about two-thirds of the vote, compared with roughly 30% for Maduro — a claim cited by several foreign governments that declined to recognize the official results.

Maduro’s government has refused to release detailed precinct-level data to independently verify the outcome, further fueling accusations that the election did not reflect the will of voters.

While González is the opposition-backed presidential candidate, Machado has remained the dominant figure in Venezuela’s opposition movement. Machado won the opposition’s primary by a landslide before being barred from running by Maduro’s government, forcing the coalition to rally behind González as a substitute candidate.

Throughout the campaign, González publicly acknowledged Machado as the movement’s leader, with Machado continuing to direct strategy, messaging and voter mobilization efforts. Machado has remained the public face of the opposition, while González has largely played a formal, constitutional role tied to the presidency.

Just hours before his capture by the U.S., Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro met with a Chinese envoy, highlighting the great power competition between Washington and Beijing in the Western Hemisphere.

Maduro received Qiu Xiaoqi, the Chinese government’s special representative for Latin American affairs, at the Miraflores Presidential Palace on Friday — reaffirming Caracas’ strategic ties with Beijing and pledging to build what he called a "multipolar world of development and peace.

Coincidentally, Trump met with US Ambassador to China David Perdue on Friday evening.

Hours later, President Donald Trump announced that U.S. forces had struck targets across Venezuela and taken Maduro and his wife into custody, flying them out of the country as part of a dramatic escalation of pressure on the embattled leader.

The U.S. operation appears to mark the most direct U.S. military action against a sitting head of state in Latin America since Panama in 1989, with Trump’s administration framing the capture as the culmination of months of allegations that Maduro trafficked drugs into the United States and ruled illegitimately.

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China, meanwhile, said it was "deeply shocked" by the U.S. action. 

"China is deeply shocked and strongly condemns the U.S.'s blatant use of force against a sovereign state and its action against its president," Beijing's foreign ministry said in a statement.

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"Such hegemonic behavior by the U.S. seriously violates international law, infringes upon Venezuela's sovereignty, and threatens peace and security in Latin America and the Caribbean. China firmly opposes it," it added.

China has provided billions of dollars in financing and energy investment to expand its influence throughout Latin America through its Belt and Road Initiative and is Caracas’ largest crude oil importer.

The Trump administration has openly rejected that trajectory. Senior officials have said the U.S. intends to reassert the Monroe Doctrine, a long-standing policy opposing foreign powers establishing strategic footholds in the Americas, particularly authoritarian rivals such as China.

Venezuela has been a focal point of that competition. U.S. officials have accused Beijing, along with Russia and Iran, of propping up Maduro’s government as it faced international isolation, economic collapse and widespread allegations of corruption and narcotrafficking.

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro reportedly made a statement on television and radio early Saturday as the U.S. strikes against his country unfolded, describing them as an "attack against the sovereignty of Venezuela." 

The remarks came before President Donald Trump announced that Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were "captured and flown out of the country" following a "large scale strike" carried out by the U.S. military. Attorney General Pam Bondi later said Maduro and Flores were indicted on charges including narco-terrorism conspiracy. 

In comments aired on state television and radio, Maduro alleged that U.S. forces attacked civilian and military sites in Venezuela’s capital of Caracas, as well as the states of Miranda, Aragua and La Guaira, according to The Miami Herald.

"This is an attack against the sovereignty of Venezuela," Maduro reportedly said as he stood alongside military and government officials. "It is an attempt to impose a colonial war and force political change by violence."

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Maduro also described the U.S. actions as a "grave military aggression" and violation of the United Nations charter, adding that it threatened peace across Latin America and the Caribbean, The Miami Herald reported. 

The U.S. has been carrying out a military campaign against alleged drug-trafficking boats in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific in recent months. 

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Maduro’s government cast the U.S. strikes on Saturday as part of a larger American effort to seize Venezuela’s oil and mineral reserves, according to The Miami Herald. 

The newspaper reported that state TV broadcasted images of Venezuelan soldiers deploying to strategic infrastructure and officials holding emergency meetings. 

As part of Maduro’s response, he also signed a decree that declared a nationwide state of "external disturbance," which gives his government sweeping powers during emergencies, including mobilizing security forces and limiting certain civil liberties, The Miami Herald added. 

World leaders were sharply divided Saturday after the United States launched a large-scale strike on Venezuela and President Donald Trump announced that the country’s leader, Nicolás Maduro, had been captured and flown out of the country.

Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez condemned what he called a "criminal attack," writing on X that, "Our zone of peace is being brutally assaulted." Communist Cuba is a supporter of the Maduro government and has been a longtime adversary of the United States.

Colombian President Gustavo Petro said his government viewed the reports coming out of Venezuela "with deep concern," and he warned against further escalation, claiming the U.S. strikes risked destabilizing the region.

"The Colombian Government rejects any unilateral military action that could aggravate the situation or put the civilian population at risk," Petro wrote on X.

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Petro said Colombia is taking preventive measures to "protect the civilian population" and "preserve stability on the Colombian-Venezuelan border," although he did not provide exact details.

Mexico also condemned the U.S. military intervention in Venezuela, saying it was a "clear violation" of international law and urging an end to what it described as "any acts of aggression" against Venezuela.

"Latin America and the Caribbean is a zone of peace," a statement released by the Mexican foreign ministry reads. The statement was shared by Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum on X.

It warned that any military action puts regional stability at "serious risk."

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva also blasted the military action, saying the bombings and the reported capture of its president crossed "an unacceptable line."

"These acts represent a most serious affront to Venezuela’s sovereignty and yet another extremely dangerous precedent for the entire international community," Lula said, warning the strike risked plunging the world into "violence, chaos, and instability."

Russia too criticized the strikes, calling them an act of "armed aggression" against Venezuela. Moscow warned the move risked further escalation and urged dialogue instead.

"Latin America must remain a zone of peace, as it proclaimed itself in 2014. Venezuela must be guaranteed the right to determine its own destiny, free from any destructive – let alone military – external interference," the Russian government said in a statement. 

Iran’s Foreign Ministry also condemned the strikes.

Meanwhile, President Javier Milei of Argentina, a close ally of Trump, praised the news by sharing a previous video of him denouncing Maduro's "narco-terrorist" regime as a regional threat and urging Latin American leaders to back U.S. pressure to end it.

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"Long live freedom, dammit!" Milei wrote, using his signature pro-freedom chant.

In Europe, European Council President António Costa said he was following developments in Venezuela "with great concern," urging de-escalation and respect for international law.

"The European Union calls for de-escalation and a resolution in full respect of international law and the principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations," Costa said, adding that the bloc would continue to support a "peaceful, democratic, and inclusive solution" in Venezuela.

In the U.K., Reform leader and staunch Trump ally Nigel Farage questioned the legality of the attack but said it may lead to a favorable outcome.

"The American actions in Venezuela overnight are unorthodox and contrary to international law — but if they make China and Russia think twice, it may be a good thing," Farage wrote. "I hope the Venezuelan people can now turn a new leaf without Maduro.

Meanwhile, in Venezuela, the government called on citizens to mobilize against what it labeled an "imperialist attack," urging, "People to the streets!"

Regional reaction elsewhere in Latin America was muted in the early hours after the strike, with several governments remaining silent as uncertainty grew over who was in control in Caracas.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

The Venezuelan dictator captured by the Trump administration worked as a bus driver and union organizer before his ascent through the South American country’s political system, where he ultimately became a wanted man by the U.S. with a $50 million reward for information leading to his arrest. 

Nicolás Maduro was "captured and flown out of the country" early Saturday following a "large-scale strike" by the U.S. military, according to President Donald Trump. 

The actions mark a stunning fall for Maduro, who was serving his third term as president of Venezuela. He led an administration that grappled with economic challenges, mass protests, disputed election results and allegations of narco-trafficking. 

Maduro was born in Venezuela’s capital of Caracas on Nov. 23, 1962. As a young man, he was sent to communist Cuba in 1986 for a year of ideological instruction — his only studies after high school.

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Upon returning home, Maduro found work as a bus driver and union organizer. He embraced the late Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez after the then-army paratrooper in 1992 staged a failed coup against an unpopular austerity government. Around the same time, he met his longtime partner, Cilia Flores, a lawyer for the jailed leader. 

After Chávez was freed and elected president in 1998, Maduro, a young lawmaker, helped push his agenda of redistributing the OPEC nation’s oil wealth and political power. 

In 2000, Maduro was elected to Venezuela’s National Assembly. He later became the president of the National Assembly in 2005.

Then in 2006, Chávez appointed Maduro as Venezuela’s foreign minister. Six years later, Maduro was appointed as Venezuela’s vice president. 

When Maduro took power in 2013 following his mentor’s death from cancer, he struggled to bring order to the grief-stricken nation. Without "El Comandante" in charge, the economy entered a death spiral — shrinking 71% from 2012 to 2020, with inflation topping 130,000% — and opponents and rivals inside the government saw an opportunity. 

Less than a year into Maduro's presidency, hardliner opponents launched demonstrations demanding his exit.

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Leaning heavily on Venezuela’s security forces, Maduro crushed the protests. However, with supermarket shelves empty amid widespread shortages, they resumed with more intensity three years later, leaving more than 100 people dead. In 2018, the International Criminal Court initiated a criminal investigation into possible crimes against humanity. 

The crackdown continued into the 2018 presidential race, which the opposition boycotted when several of its leaders were barred from running. Dozens of countries led by the U.S. condemned Maduro’s first re-election as illegitimate and recognized Juan Guaidó, the head of the National Assembly, as Venezuela’s elected leader. 

"Since 2019, more than 50 countries, including the United States, have refused to recognize Maduro as Venezuela’s head of state," the State Department said in a profile of Maduro on its website.

"Maduro helped manage and ultimately lead the Cartel of the Suns, a Venezuelan drug-trafficking organization comprised of high-ranking Venezuelan officials. As he gained power in Venezuela, Maduro participated in a corrupt and violent narco-terrorism conspiracy with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), a designated Foreign Terrorist Organization," it added.  

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"Maduro negotiated multi-ton shipments of FARC-produced cocaine; directed the Cartel of the Suns to provide military-grade weapons to the FARC; coordinated with narcotics traffickers in Honduras and other countries to facilitate large-scale drug trafficking; and solicited assistance from FARC leadership in training an unsanctioned militia group that functioned, in essence, as an armed forces unit for the Cartel of the Suns," the State Department continued. 

"In March 2020, Maduro was charged in the Southern District of New York for narco-terrorism, conspiracy to import cocaine, possession of machine guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices," it also said.

Maduro was re-elected again in 2024 in another disputed election. 

"Given the overwhelming evidence, it is clear to the United States and, most importantly, to the Venezuelan people that Edmundo González Urrutia won the most votes in Venezuela’s July 28 presidential election," then-Secretary of State Antony Blinken said at the time. 

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Maduro then delivered a fiery inauguration speech in January 2025, likening himself to a biblical David fighting Goliath and accusing his opponents and their supporters in the U.S. of trying to turn his inauguration into a "world war." 

He said his enemies’ failure to block his inauguration to a third six-year term was "a great victory" for Venezuela’s peace and national sovereignty. 

"I have not been made president by the government of the United States, nor by the pro-imperialist governments of Latin America," he said, after being draped with a sash in the red, yellow and blue of Venezuela’s flag. "I come from the people, I am of the people, and my power emanates from history and from the people. And to the people, I owe my whole life, body and soul." 

Months later, Attorney General Pam Bondi announced a $50 million reward for information leading to Maduro’s arrest.

"Maduro uses foreign terrorist organizations like TdA (Tren de Aragua), Sinaloa and Cartel of the Suns (Cartel de Soles) to bring deadly violence to our country," Bondi said in a video message in August 2025. "He is one of the largest narco-traffickers in the world and a threat to our national security." 

Fox News’ Michael Sinkewicz, Lucas Y. Tomlinson, Louis Casiano and The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

The successors to the ousted authoritarian Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro are likely to be the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize winner and opposition leaders María Corina Machado and Edmundo González, according to an expert on Caracas.

Jorge Jraissati, a Venezuelan who is the president of the Economic Inclusion Group, told Fox News Digital that "Machado and Gonzalez would assume a transitional government in Venezuela. They have the support of 70% of Venezuelans. They would lead this transition period." He added that "I believe Machado has the capacity and integrity to lead this very delicate transition. Key will be her ability to surround herself with young and capable Venezuelans instead of career politicians."

The United States recognized González as the legitimate leader of Venezuela after he soundly defeated Maduro by a more than two-to-one margin in the 2024 election. González replaced Machado after she was banned from running for the presidency by the Maduro-run high court. Maduro ignored the results.

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While Machado has yet to comment on Maduro's fall, just last month she told Fox News Digital that "I am absolutely grateful to President Donald Trump for every gesture, every signal and every moment that he has stood with the Venezuelan people. I have watched it very closely, and I know what it has meant for those who are fighting to reclaim democracy and freedom in our country."

Having been announced as the winner of the Nobel Prize in December, Machado, who was hiding at the time because of Maduro’s efforts to purge the opposition, said about the award and committee, "I am very grateful to them, and this is a measure of what this recognition means to the Venezuelan people."

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Her daughter, Ana Corina Sosa, who accepted her Nobel Prize in Norway, said that her mother "wants to live in a free Venezuela" and "will never give up on that purpose." Machado would later appear in Norway following a daring operation to get her out of the country.

Sosa’s prediction appears to have crystallized having said, "That is why we all know, and I know, that she will be back in Venezuela very soon." Machado dedicated her Nobel to both Trump and the "suffering people of Venezuela." 

If either opposition leader María Corina Machado or Edmundo González fail to fill the vacuum in a post-Maduro Venezuela, experts point to a crowded field of dangerous actors who could attempt to seize power now that Maduro is out.

Diosdado Cabello emerges as the most feared and influential figure in the regime. La Nación describes him as the longtime number two of Chavismo, with sweeping control over party machinery and the propaganda apparatus. His power stretches from internal political enforcement to the interior and justice portfolios.

MADURO’S HEIRS: HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATORS, CORRUPT ENFORCERS AND RUTHLESS LOYALISTS

Jorge Rodríguez, president of the National Assembly and one of Maduro’s closest political operators, is another senior figure positioned for any succession scenario. La Nación highlights his prominence inside the ruling elite, noting his roles as mayor, communications minister and key strategist.

Delcy Rodríguez, Venezuela’s vice president, is described as a central political operator within the regime and part of a powerful governing duo with her brother Jorge. Her influence spans institutional, economic and diplomatic spheres. The U.S. Treasury sanctioned Rodríguez as part of Maduro’s inner circle for helping dismantle democratic governance, and the European Union lists her under measures for human rights violations and the erosion of the rule of law.

Ivan Hernández Dala heads Venezuela’s military counterintelligence service (DGCIM) and commands the presidential guard, making him one of the most feared figures in the security apparatus. His control over internal repression gives him significant leverage in any power struggle. He was designated by the State Department in 2019 for his involvement in gross violations of human rights.

Vladimir Padrino López, Venezuela’s long-serving defense minister, is portrayed by La Nación as the backbone of the military establishment and the guarantor of Maduro’s survival. The armed forces remain loyal because of him, forming an axis of power between Padrino and Maduro.

In an interview with Fox News Digital in December, Jason Marczak, vice president and senior director at the Atlantic Council’s Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center, said, "A win isn’t just Nicolás Maduro leaving. . . . A win is actually a transition to democratic forces."

At least seven explosions could be heard in Venezuela’s capital city of Caracas early Saturday morning, according to reports.

Low-flying aircraft were seen flying over Caracas at about 2 a.m. local time on Saturday, according to The Associated Press.

The Federal Aviation Administration issued a Notice to Air Missions at 1 a.m. EST on Saturday prohibiting all U.S. aircraft from operating "at all altitudes within Venezuelan airspace."

NATIONAL SECURITY EXPERT PREDICTS VENEZUELAN LEADER MADURO IS 'GOING TO BE GONE' UNDER TRUMP PRESSURE

The report comes as the U.S. military has been targeting alleged drug-smuggling boats in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific.

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro said Thursday that his government was open to negotiating an agreement with the United States after months of American military pressure targeting drug trafficking networks tied to his government.

The Associated Press Contributed to this report.

This is a breaking news story. Check back for updates.

A customer at a McDonald's in Brazil was seen launching into a flying kick toward an employee during a fight in the fast-food restaurant. 

The incident happened at the chain's Sao Paulo location during a confrontation between workers and customers, The Sun reported.

A couple was seen arguing with staff members on Dec. 13 when the dispute escalated. 

MCDONALD'S WORKER SHOOTS CUSTOMER IN NECK DURING 'MCMESS' ALTERCATION, FLORIDA SHERIFF SAYS

As both sides scream at each other, a female customer is seen hurling a fallen burger at one of the employees, the outlet reported. 

In response, an employee throws what appeared to be a burger box at a man in a white T-shirt who appears to be accompanying the woman.

The man leads a small girl away before he launched himself at employees near a counter with a flying kick. An employee then appears to throw a punch, prompting the man to walk away. 

WATCH: FOOD ORDER MIX-UP TRIGGERS BRAWL AT BURGER JOINT, LEADING TO SEVEN ARRESTS

Other employees attempted to step in as the woman demanded her money back. She is seen picking something up from the counter and throwing it before the footage ends. 

The reason for the dispute was unclear, but local media outlets said it could have stemmed from a food order. 

McDonald’s said it regretted the scenes of violence at its Sao Paulo branch, the Sun report states. 

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The fast-food giant said it was investigating the incident and taking appropriate measures.

The luxury Swiss Alps nightclub where at least 40 people were killed and nearly 120 others were injured in a New Year’s Eve inferno, had previously released a promotional video advertising flaming champagne bottles, which authorities deemed the cause of the tragedy.

Le Constellation, a bar in the resort town of Crans-Montana, Switzerland, posted the video on YouTube showing waitresses in helmets moving through the dark, crowded club carrying bottles topped with sparkling candles.

In the footage, the bottles appear to be held high, at times nearly touching the ceiling.

EXPLOSION AT PENNSYLVANIA SENIOR HOME PROMPTS MASS CASUALTY RESPONSE

The video surfaced following a deadly blaze that tore through the basement nightclub at about 1:30 a.m. Thursday during a New Year’s Eve celebration.

At least 40 people were killed, and 119 others were injured, many seriously, when flames and smoke spread rapidly through the packed venue.

According to two witnesses, a bartender was carrying a female staff member on his shoulders while she held a champagne bottle fitted with a lit sparkler or flare near the wooden ceiling above the bar area.

Moments later, fire erupted overhead.

OVERNIGHT FIRE AT INDIA NIGHTCLUB LEAVES 25 DEAD

Valais Attorney General Beatrice Pilloudsaid confirmed on Friday the boozy fireworks were likely the cause, with the flames triggering a violent ignition of combustible gases known as a flashover, causing the flames to spread suddenly.

"The whole ceiling was in flames, and the fire spread really fast. It happened in seconds," two survivors later told the French broadcaster BFMTV.

Axel Clavier, 16, of Paris, said he felt as though he was suffocating as smoke filled the club.

Clavier told The Associated Press he escaped by using a table to force a plexiglass pane out of its frame amid what he described as "total chaos." 

He also said he saw waitresses arrive with champagne bottles and sparklers.

FIRE TEARS THROUGH HONG KONG HOUSING COMPLEX, KILLING AT LEAST 13 WITH OTHERS REPORTED TRAPPED

As of Friday afternoon, no arrests have been confirmed.

Pilloud said investigators will work to determine if anyone bears criminal liability for fire by negligence, homicide by negligence, or injuries by negligence.

Since the tragedy, hundreds of people have gathered outside the burned-out venue in Crans-Montana, laying flowers and candles as families waited for news of missing loved ones.

Italian authorities said the death toll could be as high as 47, Reuters reported, citing information provided by Swiss officials, who continue working to identify bodies.

Swiss President Guy Parmelin described the disaster as "one of the worst tragedies our country has ever known," noting that many of the victims were young people celebrating the New Year.

While the majority of those hurt were Swiss, four Serbians were injured, along with others from Bosnia, Belgium and Portugal.

Italy and France confirmed some of their nationals remain missing.

Le Constellation did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.

Fox News Digital's Michael Dorgan contributed to this report.

As nationwide protests continued to spread across Iran on Friday, the regime’s hardline Parliament speaker warned the U.S. that American forces and bases in the region would be considered "legitimate targets" if Washington intervenes in the country’s ongoing political unrest.

Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf made the comments after President Donald Trump said earlier Friday that the U.S. would take action if Iran uses force against demonstrators. It comes as protests entered a sixth day and appear to be spreading, with Iranian opposition groups claiming at least eight deaths.

"The disrespectful President of America should also know that with this official admission, all American centers and forces across the entire region will be legitimate targets for us in response to any potential adventurism," Qalibaf wrote in Persian on X.

"Iranians have always been united and determined to act in the face of an aggressor enemy," he added.

IRANIAN PROTESTERS CLASH WITH SECURITY FORCES AS TEAR GAS FILLS TEHRAN STREETS AMID NATIONWIDE UNREST

Qalibaf’s threat emerges as the United States maintains a substantial military presence in the region.

Roughly 40,000 active-duty U.S. troops and War Department civilians are deployed across the Middle East, according to Military Times, citing Pentagon officials. Forces are stationed in countries including Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Iraq and Syria, according to Reuters.

Trump said earlier Friday that the United States is "locked and loaded and ready to go" if Iranian authorities violently suppress demonstrators.

"If Iran shoots and ‘violently kills peaceful protesters, which is their custom, the United States of America will come to their rescue,’" Trump wrote on Truth Social.

US AIRSTRIKE ON NUCLEAR FACILITIES FOLLOWS YEARS OF IRANIAN PLOTS ON AMERICAN SOIL

The Iranian opposition group National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) claimed Friday that protests have spread to at least 44 cities across 19 provinces, with at least eight people killed in clashes with security forces over the past two days. The group said the youngest victim was 15 years old. The claims could not be independently verified.

According to the NCRI, demonstrations and street fighting intensified overnight, with protesters blocking roads, throwing stones and setting fire to police vehicles in multiple cities, including Marvdasht, Semirom, Darreh-Shahr, Ramhormoz and Azna. 

The group also claimed demonstrators burned a statue of slain Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani in Lali, in Iran’s Khuzestan province.

Funerals of those killed in the uprising turned into angry demonstrations against the clerical dictatorship, NCRI reported.

In Zahedan, in Iran’s southeast near the borders with Pakistan and Afghanistan, demonstrators rallied after Friday prayers, chanting slogans including "Death to the dictator" and "Death to Khamenei."

The unrest marks Iran’s most significant protests since 2022, when the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in police custody sparked nationwide demonstrations. Iranian officials say the current unrest has not reached the same scale or intensity.

EXILED PRINCE WARNS IRANIAN MILITARY OF 'FINAL CHANCE' TO STAND UP TO THE REGIME

In recent demonstrations, some of the most severe violence has been reported in western Iran, where videos circulating online appear to show fires burning in streets and the sound of gunfire during nighttime protests.

In a message to the protesters, the President-elect of the NCRI, Maryam Rajavi, said that the protesters have "struck fear into a weakened enemy."

"Scenes of your courage, valor, and steadfast resistance captivate the conscience of the world," Rajavi said. "Therefore, from here, I say to the clerics, the Revolutionary Guards, the Basij forces, and their intelligence agents: whatever measures you take, you will not be able to silence a people who have resolved to overthrow the clerical regime."

"You may kill, you may wound, you may arrest and imprison, but you will not escape the relentless wrath of this nation. And let this stand as an explicit warning to all those who order and carry out these crimes and killings: the courts of a free Iran are awaiting you."

Meanwhile, exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi, the eldest son of Iran’s former shah, praised Trump’s "decisive leadership" and tough stance against Iran’s ruling clerics.

Pahlavi said Iranians are risking their lives to end 46 years of rule by the Islamic Republic.

"[The people] have entrusted me with a message along with a great responsibility: to strive for the revival of the relationship that Iran once had with America; a relationship that brought peace and prosperity to the Middle East," Pahlavi wrote on X.

"I have a clear plan for a stable transition in Iran and enjoy the support of my people to achieve it. With your leadership in the free world, we can leave behind a lasting legacy of enduring peace."

Fox News’ Bradford Betz, Greg Norman, Morgan Phillips and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Ukraine orchestrated a fake hit on one of Russia's enemies who has fought alongside Ukrainian forces, tricking the Kremlin into paying out a $500,000 bounty Kyiv used to fund its war effort. 

The subject of the supposed Dec. 27 assassination was Denis Kapustin, also known as "White Rex," the leader of the right-wing Russian Volunteer Corps, a group fighting for the overthrow of Vladimir Putin, Metro UK reported. 

However, Kapustin is alive despite claims from the Ukrainian Armed Forces last week that he was killed by an FPV drone in the southern Zaporizhzhia region.

CHECHEN LEADER THREATENS ZELENSKYY AMID DRONE STRIKE, ECHOES ALLEGED ASSASSINATION PLOT

"We will definitely avenge you, Denis. Your legacy lives on," the RVC group wrote on Telegram last week. 

On Thursday, the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine (GUR) confirmed this was part of a special operation to save Kapustin’s life and, in the process, earn $500,000.

RUSSIAN CRUISE MISSILES HIT US COMPANY IN MASSIVE UKRAINE STRIKE AMID TRUMP’S PEACE PUSH

"Welcome back to life," HUR General Kyrylo Budanov, who heads Ukraine’s military intelligence agency, said while congratulating Kapustin and his team on a successful intelligence operation, News.com.au, an Australian news website, reported. 

After Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Kapustin founded the RVC to fight alongside the Ukrainian army.

The group, which was banned in Russia as a terrorist organization, was known for staging cross-border attacks in Russia’s Belgorod and Kursk regions. He had twice been sentenced in absentia to life imprisonment by kangaroo courts in Russia, The Sun reported. 

In March 2024, the RVC stormed into Russia and clashed with security forces before capturing Russian soldiers.

Ukraine and Russian are in the middle of peace talks mediated by President Donald Trump. The deal is close, but Ukrainian leaders have said the sticking point remains the issue of disputed territories.  

Eyewitnesses have been recounting the nightmare they saw after a fiery blaze erupted at a bar in Switzerland leaving dozens dead and others wounded earlier this week.

"I thought my little brother was inside so I came and tried to break the window to help people to exit, and after that I went in," a man, aged 18, said, according to the BBC. "I saw people burning... I found people burning from head to foot, no clothes anymore," he recalled, noting, "It was very shocking." 

The man's brother was not harmed, the outlet reported.

"I went in this bar every day this week — the day I didn't go, it burned," he noted, according to the outlet.

An individual named Daniella was heading home with her husband from a dinner when she witnessed some of the horror, the BBC reported.

OFFICIALS RACE TO IDENTIFY MOSTLY YOUNG VICTIMS OF DEADLY SWISS ALPS BAR FIRE

"People were running in all directions, screaming and crying. I saw several people being carried out on stretchers," she told the outlet. "A young man came up to me and said he'd seen hell — things he would never forget. And then I just froze."

Gianni Campolo, 19, headed to the bar to assist first responders after getting a call from a friend who escaped the fire, according to the Associated Press.

AT LEAST 40 DEAD IN FIRE AT SWISS ALPS BAR DURING NEW YEAR'S CELEBRATIONS, POLICE SAY

"I have seen horror, and I don’t know what else would be worse than this," Campolo informed TF1, according to the AP.

Ferdinand Du Beaudiez, a 19-year-old who escaped from the fire in the bar, said that he went back in to look for his brother, his girlfriend and others, said he "couldn't think to let them stay in the fire when I was alive outside." 

He said the first time he headed back in, he found a person "laying in the stairs" who "was completely burned, clothes were burned" — he explained that he could not tell if the individual was a man or a woman. He "slid" the person "on the ground, and he was being taken care of, um, outside … " the survivor recalled. 

MASSIVE BLAZE ENGULFS HISTORIC NEW ENGLAND WHARF; FIREFIGHTERS RACE TO CONTAIN FLAMES

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The second time he headed back in, he experienced "more smoke," and he "could breathe less," he said, explaining he "went in, couldn't see anything and went straight out."

He eventually found his girlfriend, who told him where his brother was.

Swiss authorities on Friday began the grim task of identifying the mostly young victims of a deadly New Year’s Eve bar fire that killed around 40 people and injured more than 100 at a ski resort in Crans-Montana.

Italian authorities said the death toll could be as high as 47, Reuters reported, citing information provided by Swiss officials. Several Italian nationals were reportedly among the dead, injured or still missing.

The fire tore through the Le Constellation bar in the Alpine resort town in the early hours Thursday, turning a packed night of celebration into panic and tragedy. Officials said the blaze appeared to be an accident rather than an attack.

HONG KONG LEADER SAYS 'WE MUST UNCOVER THE TRUTH' AFTER DEADLY APARTMENT FIRE, CALLS FOR BUILDING REFORM

Swiss authorities said the severity of the burns suffered by many of the victims could delay formal identifications for days, as forensic teams worked to determine the identities of those killed.

Police and government officials said a large share of the victims were teenagers and young adults, with many believed to be between 16 and 26 years old. In Switzerland, the legal drinking age is 16 for beer and wine.

"All this work needs to be done because the information is so terrible and sensitive that nothing can be told to the families unless we are 100% sure," said Mathias Reynard, head of government of the canton of Valais. He said investigators were using dental records and DNA samples to identify the victims.

Italy and France said some of their nationals remain missing, and Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani visited Crans-Montana on Friday and laid flowers. 

The number of Italians involved in the incident currently stands at 19, according to the BBC, which cited Italy's foreign ministry.

Australia has also confirmed that one of its nationals was injured. 

OVERNIGHT FIRE AT INDIA NIGHTCLUB LEAVES 25 DEAD

Some survivor accounts and video broadcast on social media suggested the ceiling of the bar’s basement may have caught fire when sparkling candles used during bottle service got too close, though authorities said the cause had not yet been formally determined.

Officials said the blaze triggered the violent ignition of combustible gases — a phenomenon known to English-speaking firefighters as a flashover or backdraft, according to The Associated Press.

Axel Clavier, a 16-year-old from Paris who survived the blaze, described "total chaos" inside the bar. One of his friends died and "two or three were missing," he told the outlet.

FIRE TEARS THROUGH HONG KONG HOUSING COMPLEX, KILLING AT LEAST 13 WITH OTHERS REPORTED TRAPPED

Clavier said he did not see the fire start but recalled waitresses entering the room carrying Champagne bottles topped with sparklers shortly before the blaze erupted.

Another witness told BFMTV that people smashed windows to escape the flames. Panicked parents rushed to the scene to see whether their children were trapped inside.

Helicopters and ambulances rushed to the scene to assist victims from multiple countries, officials said. Hospitals were quickly overwhelmed, with intensive care units and operating theaters reaching capacity.

Swiss authorities later said the burn unit in Valais was full, and that Italy made a major burns unit in Milan available to treat the injured. 

By Friday, mourners had begun leaving flowers and candles at a makeshift memorial near the cordoned-off bar as the resort town struggled to absorb the scale of the tragedy.

Fox News' Bradford Betz, Greg Norman, Emma Bussey, as well as The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report. 

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro said Thursday that his government is open to negotiating an agreement with the United States after months of American military pressure targeting drug trafficking networks tied to his government.

In a pre-taped interview with Spanish journalist Ignacio Ramonet that aired on state television, Maduro said Venezuela is "ready" to discuss a drug-trafficking deal with the U.S. He called on the countries to "start talking seriously, with data in hand."

"The U.S. government knows, because we’ve told many of their spokespeople, that if they want to seriously discuss an agreement to combat drug trafficking, we’re ready," he said. "If they want oil, Venezuela is ready for U.S. investment, like with Chevron, whenever they want it, wherever they want it and however they want it."

Chevron Corp. is the only major U.S. oil company currently exporting Venezuelan crude to the United States.

MADURO TRAPPED WITH FEW RETALIATION OPTIONS AFTER TRUMP ADMIN SEIZES VENEZUELAN OIL TANKER

Maduro said the U.S. wants a regime change in Venezuela and access to its oil reserves through a months-long pressure campaign that began with a major military deployment to the Caribbean Sea in August.

He said it is clear the U.S. wants "to impose themselves through threats, intimidation and force."

The interview was recorded on New Year’s Eve, the same day the U.S. military announced a kinetic strike that killed five people aboard two vessels operated by designated terrorist organizations involved in narcotics trafficking.

SEN. KENNEDY DOUBLES DOWN ON VENEZUELA CRACKDOWN, URGES SANCTIONS TO 'CHOKE OFF' FUNDS

At least 114 people have been killed since the U.S. began bombing alleged drug-trafficking boats in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific in early September.

The U.S. may be signaling a possible expansion of its Venezuela-focused campaign, including potential ground operations.

President Donald Trump confirmed that a strike last week targeted what he described as a Venezuelan port used for drug trafficking, but declined to say whether the operation was carried out by the U.S. military or another entity, such as the CIA.

SOUTHCOM SAYS 8 NARCO-TERRORISTS KILLED IN LATEST EASTERN PACIFIC LETHAL KINETIC STRIKES

Maduro declined to comment on that strike during the interview, but said he could "talk about it in a few days."

In recent weeks, Trump has intensified pressure on Maduro, ordering a total blockade of oil tankers entering or leaving Venezuela, designating his regime a foreign terrorist organization, and accusing it of using stolen U.S. assets to fund terrorism, drug trafficking and other criminal activity.

U.S. authorities have also seized two ships carrying sanctioned oil.

Fox News Digital's Greg Wehner, Morgan Phillips, Jasmine Baehr and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un appeared publicly with his daughter, Ju Ae, during a New Year’s Day visit to the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun, a symbolic site honoring the country’s founding leaders.

Images from the state news agency KCNA show Ju Ae standing between her parents in the main hall of the mausoleum, a moment that analysts say has fueled speculation about her future role in the regime.

Ju Ae has been featured more often in state media over the past three years, fueling speculation by analysts and South Korea’s intelligence agency that she may be positioned as a potential successor to Kim Jong Un.

The appearance comes amid a longstanding tradition in North Korea, where Kim visits the mausoleum on key dates and anniversaries to reinforce the legitimacy of the nuclear-armed country's dynastic heritage.

TRUMP AND KIM JONG UN SHOULD MAKE 'BOLD DECISION' TO MEET DURING HIS ASIA TRIP, SOUTH KOREAN OFFICIAL SAYS

North Korea has never confirmed Ju Ae’s age, and her exact age remains unknown, but she is believed to be around 12 or 13.

After being publicly introduced in North Korea in 2022, Ju Ae made her first public appearance outside of her home country while accompanying her father on a trip to Beijing in September, his first visit to China in years, a move analysts said may signal her role as North Korea’s heir-in-waiting.

Ju Ae's existence was inadvertently revealed by retired NBA star Dennis Rodman over a decade ago in an interview with The Guardian.

NORTH KOREA FIRES BALLISTIC MISSILE DAYS AFTER HEGSETH WRAPS SOUTH KOREA VISIT

Rodman told reporters during a 2013 trip to Pyongyang he had "held the baby Ju Ae," while calling Kim Jong Un a "good dad."

Parenting expert Kirsty Ketley told Fox News Digital in September that placing Ju Ae in the global spotlight at a young age could have lasting consequences.

"She’s being shaped into a role rather than being supported to figure out who she is as an individual, and that pressure could have a huge impact on her mental health," she said. 

Fox News Digital's Emma Bussey and Reuters contributed to this report.

Pope Leo XIV opened the new year Thursday with an appeal to the world for peace and urging people everywhere to begin 2026 by rejecting violence and committing to reconciliation.

Speaking during his first Angelus address of 2026, the pope invited the faithful to "build a year of peace by disarming our hearts and refraining from every form of violence."

Around 40,000 gathered in St. Peter’s Square in Rome to hear the pope’s New Year's Day message on the Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God, which also coincides with World Day of Peace.

POPE LEO XIV CALLS OUT CHRISTIAN PERSECUTION AMID LATEST MASSACRE OF CIVILIANS IN AFRICAN NATION

At the start of his address, Pope Leo extended his wishes for peace and good in the new year and offered a special greeting to the president of the Italian Republic, Sergio Mattarella.

After the Angelus prayer, the pope said Jan. 1 has been marked as the World Day of Peace since 1968 at the initiative of Pope St. Paul VI.

Reflecting on the meaning of the day, Pope Leo referred to the words that came to him after his election as bishop of Rome: "Peace be with you all."

"This peace," the pope said, "is unarmed and disarming. It comes from God; it is a gift of his unconditional love, and it is entrusted to our responsibility."

ADVENT PEACE DEMANDS ACTION: DEFEND THOSE WHO RISK THEIR LIVES TO WORSHIP FREELY

He also emphasized that peace is not something imposed by force, but a gift that needs personal conversion and choices in daily life.

Calling on Christians and all people of goodwill, Pope Leo urged them to begin immediately.

"With Christ’s grace," he said, "let us start today to build a year of peace, disarming our hearts and refraining from all violence."

The pope acknowledged that efforts to build peace are already underway across the world and expressed appreciation for individuals and organizations dedicated to ending conflict and promoting dialogue.

POPE LEO XIV DELIVERS FIRST CHRISTMAS MESSAGE CALLING FOR END TO VIOLENCE IN MIDDLE EAST, RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR

In line with the peacekeeping theme, he highlighted a national peace march held Dec. 31 in Catania, Italy, and mentioned another organized by members of the Community of Sant’Egidio, known for its international peace initiatives.

Pope Leo also welcomed students and teachers from Richland, New Jersey, who were in the square watching.

At the end of the address, the pope spoke about the 800th anniversary of the death of St. Francis of Assisi, a figure also closely associated with peace.

He closed with the saint’s biblical blessing: "The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift his countenance upon you and give you peace."

Pope Leo ended by entrusting the new year to Mary, the Mother of God, asking that she guide humanity on its journey in the new year.