A portrait of ousted Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro is seen during a demonstration in Caracas on January 4, 2026, a day after he was forcibly seized in a US strike.Photo: VCG

Venezuela issued a decree ordering police to "immediately begin the national search and capture of everyone involved in the promotion or support for the armed attack by the US," according to a text of the decree published on Monday, Reuters reported.

The decree mandates a series of emergency defense measures, including the imposition of military administration over public service infrastructure, the oil industry, and other national strategic industries, the Xinhua News Agency reported on Tuesday.

The enhancement of patrols and security safeguards along land, maritime, and aerial borders, and the deployment of comprehensive defense commands across all states and municipalities nationwide are also listed in the decree, the report said.

The decree also specifies that, in light of the armed attacks launched by US military forces against Venezuela's territory and people — grievous violations of Venezuela's territorial integrity, sovereignty, and independence — a national state of emergency is hereby declared throughout the entire country, per Xinhua.

The decree affirms that, pursuant to Article 51 of the Charter of the UN, Venezuela possesses the inherent right to exercise self-defense against the entirely illegal and unjustified armed aggression and shall unwaveringly uphold this right to repel the US' invasion of its territory and people, according to the report.

The decree has been in force since Saturday, but was published in full on Monday, Reuters reported.

Earlier on Saturday, the US launched a large-scale strike against Venezuela, forcibly  seized Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores and transferred them out of the country. Maduro made his first court appearance Monday morning in New York. The president has pleaded not guilty to all the charges he is faced with, US media reported. 

Gunfire was heard on Monday night local time near the Miraflores presidential palace in Caracas, CNN News reported. Videos geolocated by CNN show what appear to be lights from drones and anti-aircraft fire.

CNN en Espanol reported on Tuesday that the decree also carries the force of law and shall remain in effect for 90 days, with a potential extension for an additional 90-day period.

The decree was endorsed and signed by Delcy Rodriguez, acting president of Venezuela, per CNN en Espanol.

The Fox News noted that it was not clear what charges could be levied against those taken into custody.

According to a New York Times (NYT) report on Saturday local time, a CIA source within the Venezuelan government monitored the location of Maduro in both the days and moments before his capture by American special operation forces, citing people briefed on the operation.

It is not clear how the CIA recruited the Venezuelan source who informed the Americans of Maduro's location. But former officials said the agency was clearly aided by the $50 million reward the US government offered for information leading to Maduro's capture, NYT reported.

Venezuelan UN ambassador Samuel Moncada on Monday requested action from the Security Council following US strikes against his country over the weekend, Xinhua reported. "In that regard, we request that the government of the United States of America be demanded to fully respect the immunities of (Venezuelan) President Nicolas Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores, as well as their immediate release and safe return to Venezuela," said the ambassador.

Respect for the UN Charter and international law is the foundation of the international order, President of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) Annalena Baerbock said in a statement on the situation regarding Venezuela.

In the statement sent to reporters on Monday, the UNGA president stressed: "The UN Charter is not optional -- it is our guiding framework, in moments of calm and in times of crisis, like in Venezuela today, culminating with the United States military action."

Speaking at an emergency meeting of the Security Council following the US assault on Venezuela, Sun Lei, deputy permanent representative of China to the UN, said as a permanent member of the Council, the US has disregarded the grave concerns of the international community, wantonly trampled upon Venezuela's sovereignty, security, and legitimate rights and interests, and seriously violated the principles of sovereign equality, non-interference in internal affairs, peaceful settlement of international disputes, and the prohibition of the use of force in international relations.

Global Times