The United States’ seizure of Venezuela’s president reshapes the Western Hemisphere and sends immediate shockwaves through global security calculations. This episode starts with the Maduro operation—its execution, legal fallout, regional reactions, and energy implications—before tracking spillover pressures across the Americas. We then cover Iran’s expanding protest wave and its shift toward regime-change dynamics, followed by North Korea’s missile and hypersonic tests framed as responses to global instability. We close with China’s diplomatic posture and Russia’s constrained reaction as the war in Ukraine grinds on, including emerging drone adaptations on the battlefield.

1. https://interestingengineering.com/military/shahed-drone-with-shoulder-fired-missile
2. https://edition.cnn.com/2026/01/03/asia/north-korea-fires-ballistic-missiles-intl-hnk
3. https://www.twz.com/air/rq-170-sentinel-stealth-drone-supported-maduro-capture-mission
4. https://understandingwar.org/research/russia-ukraine/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-january-4-2026/
5. https://understandingwar.org/research/middle-east/iran-protests-january-4-2026/
6. https://www.dw.com/en/trump-threatens-iran-as-more-protest-deaths-reported/a-75388284
7. https://apnews.com/article/trump-venezuela-greenland-cuba-571aac35e259857fd512c46f5af11e4d
8. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jan/05/russia-weighs-up-fall-of-nicolas-maduro-venezuela
9. https://www.reuters.com/world/china/china-says-it-cannot-accept-countries-acting-world-judge-after-us-captures-2026-01-05/
10. https://www.defenseone.com/threats/2026/01/us-spy-agencies-contributed-operation-captured-maduro/410437/
11. https://foreignpolicy.com/2026/01/05/iran-protests-islamic-republic-regime-change/
12. https://foreignpolicy.com/2026/01/03/the-downside-of-trumps-venezuela-op/
13. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jan/04/few-in-caracas-are-celebrating-as-they-face-an-uncertain-post-maduro-future
14. https://www.businessinsider.com/big-short-michael-burry-us-venezuela-maduro-oil-energy-china-2026-1
15. https://www.rte.ie/news/world/2026/0104/1551369-venezuela-us-maduro/

Thank you for listening to The LOWDOWN.

Today’s LOWDOWN focuses on the U.S. capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and the cascading international reactions documented in open-source reporting. The episode begins with a detailed walkthrough of Operation Absolute Resolve, outlining what occurred, where and when the operation unfolded, the forces involved, and the military systems employed, including airstrikes, electronic warfare, and special operations helicopter insertions that enabled Maduro’s removal and transfer into U.S. custody. Reporting on satellite imagery and official statements is used to describe the scale of damage to Venezuelan military facilities and the unresolved questions surrounding succession and interim governance.

The briefing then broadens to the Western Hemisphere, summarizing regional reactions, sovereignty concerns, and how U.S. justification of the operation has been framed in reporting.

Next, the episode covers authoritarian responses and observations, beginning with China. Reporting from Reuters, Bloomberg, and SCMP is cited describing Chinese official condemnation, nationalist social media reactions, and analyst commentary discussing how Beijing is studying the U.S. raid as a reference case for intelligence preparation, air defense suppression, cyber effects, and leadership targeting—while emphasizing that China would adapt, not replicate, such methods in any Taiwan contingency.

The briefing also reviews North Korean, Iranian, and Russian reactions as reported, including regime security concerns in Pyongyang, expanding protests and official warnings in Iran, and Moscow’s diplomatic and informational response alongside continued fighting in Ukraine. The episode closes with developments in Yemen, where reporting indicates renewed tension surrounding Southern Transitional Council moves toward secession.

Thank you for listening to The LOWDOWN.

Reporting from The Washington Post describes growing social strain inside Russia as the war nears its fourth year, with border regions facing routine drone attacks, visible air defenses, and reliance on volunteer networks, while wounded soldiers cite heavy losses and disillusionment even as wartime spending has improved conditions in some areas and raised concerns over veteran reintegration and crime.

In the Taiwan Strait, the PLA announced completion of the two-day Justice Mission 2025 exercise around Taiwan. Associated Press reports limited official detail, while President Xi Jinping reiterated that reunification is “unstoppable.” The Wall Street Journal and independent reporting describe the drills as simulating blockade and isolation operations, drawing regional concern. Separately, USNI News reports the PLAN tested the YJ-20 hypersonic anti-ship ballistic missile from a Type 055 destroyer.

In Iran, protests spread across at least 17 provinces with security forces using live fire and arrests, alongside announced IRGC leadership changes. In the Western Hemisphere, Bloomberg and The War Zone report new U.S. sanctions tied to Iran–Venezuela weapons cooperation and indications of limited Iranian drone use in Venezuela. CSIS reporting also notes a sharp Saudi–UAE escalation over Yemen, including Saudi airstrikes and an Emirati troop withdrawal.

1. https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/12/30/russia-war-ukraine-society-dissent/
2. https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2025/12/30/world/europe/ukraine-war-us-russia.html?unlocked_article_code=1.A1A.B8jV.GFq1LeGFUco5
3. https://understandingwar.org/research/china-taiwan/china-taiwan-special-report-december-31-2025/
4. https://understandingwar.org/research/middle-east/iran-update-december-31-2025/
5. https://understandingwar.org/research/russia-ukraine/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-december-31-2025/
6. https://www.twz.com/news-features/iranian-mohajer-6-drones-now-operating-in-venezuela
7. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/dec/31/xi-jinping-vows-reunification-china-taiwan-new-years-eve-speech
8. https://www.wsj.com/world/asia/five-takeaways-from-chinas-military-drills-around-taiwan-47c64aee
9. https://news.usni.org/2025/12/29/chinese-navy-destroyer-tests-hypersonic-anti-ship-ballistic-missile-at-sea
10. https://www.csis.org/analysis/understanding-saudi-reaction-escalation-yemen

Thank you for listening to The LOWDOWN.