Minute30.com .- History has an implacable memory. This Saturday, January 3, 2026, the world attends an event that seems like a “déjà vu” of Latin American geopolitics of the 20th century. With the confirmation of the capture of Nicolás Maduro by US forces, an astonishing historical coincidence is sealed: exactly 36 years ago, another dictator fell under the same script.

January 3, 1990: The end of Manuel Antonio Noriega

Following the invasion of Panama known as “Operation Just Cause” (December 1989), General Manuel Antonio Noriega, who had taken refuge in the Apostolic Nunciature of Panama City, finally surrendered to DEA agents and the United States Army on January 3, 1990.

Noriega, accused of drug trafficking and money laundering – charges similar to those weighing on the Chavista leadership today – was transferred to Miami on a military plane, marking the end of an era of authoritarianism in the isthmus.

January 3, 2026: The fall of Nicolás Maduro

Thirty-six years later, the calendar marks the same date for the outcome of the Venezuelan crisis. After an early morning of strategic bombings in Caracas and the deployment of elite units (Delta Force), US President Donald Trump announced the successful capture of Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores.

As in 1990, the operation is based on the fight against drug trafficking and the restoration of democracy, under what analysts already call a “Just Cause 2.0.”

Parallels of a historic day

A message to the world

The coincidence of dates has not gone unnoticed by regional leaders. The mayor of Medellín, Federico Gutiérrez, and other leaders have highlighted that “every tyrant’s time comes,” echoing a historical lesson that today is once again on the front page of all the newspapers in the world.

While Caracas dawns amid smoke and uncertainty, and Miami prepares for the arrival of a new high-profile prisoner, January 3 is officially baptized as the day when Caribbean dictatorships end up facing international justice.