Los Angeles, United States - January 03, 2026 01/03/2026 02:00 pm GMT-0800 DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES, LOS ANGELES, Calif. – Hundreds of demonstrators gathered in Downtown Los Angeles on Saturday afternoon to protest what U.S. officials described as the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro during a U.S. military and law enforcement operation. The protest began around 2 p.m. at the corner of Hill and 5th streets near Pershing Square, drawing a crowd critical of the United States’ actions inside Venezuelan territory and the role of the United States Department of Justice in the operation. According to statements from the Trump administration, U.S. special forces carried out a large-scale operation early Saturday morning that resulted in Maduro and his wife being taken into U.S. custody and flown out of Venezuela. Pres. Donald Trump said during a press conference that the United States would temporarily oversee Venezuela during a transition period and move quickly to restore oil production. U.S. officials told CBS News that the mission was executed by Delta Force, an elite U.S. Army special operations unit. Maduro and his wife reportedly landed in New York Saturday afternoon, where they are expected to face federal charges related to drug trafficking and alleged ties to gangs designated by the U.S. as terrorist organizations — allegations Maduro has previously denied. Attorney General Pam Bondi announced that a superseding indictment had been filed, similar to charges first brought against Maduro in 2020. The operation follows months of heightened U.S. military activity in the region, including the deployment of the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford and other naval assets to the Caribbean. Administration officials say recent U.S. strikes in the area targeted more than 30 vessels allegedly involved in drug trafficking. As the situation continues to unfold, demonstrators in Los Angeles called for an end to U.S. military intervention abroad, while law enforcement monitored the protest, which remained peaceful through the afternoon.