During his 2026 State of the Union address on Tuesday night, President Donald Trump discussed the incredible raid that brought narco-terrorist dictator Hugo Chavez to justice — and he hosted a surprise reunion between a political prisoner of the Chavez regime and his niece.
“In January, elite American warriors carried out one of the most complex, spectacular feats of military competence and power in world history,” Trump said.
“No one has seen anything like it,” he continued. “Foreign leaders, I won’t tell you who, called me and they said, ‘Very impressive!’ They couldn’t believe it. They all watched. They saw what happened.”
“This is a different fighting force than we had years ago, when we fought to tie,” Trump mused. “It’s a great fighting force. I’m so proud of it.”
“America’s armed forces overwhelmed all defenses and utterly defeated an enemy — good fighters — to end the reign of outlaw dictator Nicolas Maduro and bring him to face justice, American justice.”
“This was an absolutely colossal victory for the security of the United States, and it also opens up a bright new beginning for the people of Venezuela. We’re working closely with the new president of Venezuela, Delcy Rodriguez, to unleash extraordinary economic gains for both of our countries, and to bring new hope to those who have suffered so terribly,” he said.
“With us tonight is Alejandra Gonzalez,” Trump said. “She grew up in a tight-knit Venezuelan family, and was especially close to her beloved uncle Enrique. But after Enrique ran for office and opposed Maduro, he was kidnapped by Maduro’s security forces and thrown into the regime’s really infamous prison in Caracas.”
“Alejandra feared she would never see her uncle again. She feared for her own life also. But since the raid, we have worked with the new leadership, and they have ordered the closure of that vile prison and released hundreds of political prisoners already, with more to come,” he said.
Trump then addressed Gonzalez and said, “Alejandra, I’m pleased to inform you that not only has your uncle been released, but he is here tonight! We brought him over to celebrate his freedom here in person. Enrique, please come down.”
Enrique Marquez came forward to embrace his niece in the gallery, to thunderous applause from Congress — one of the few moments during the evening when Democrats stood to applaud.
As President Trump said, Enrique Marquez is a dissident politician and former Venezuelan presidential candidate who famously disrupted what turned out to be Maduro’s final rigged “election” in 2024. Marquez called the vote a fraud during a state television broadcast, with Maduro sitting in the audience.
A few months afterward, Marquez was arrested, accused of planning a coup against Maduro, and jailed without a trial. He was imprisoned for a year in El Helicoide, the odious secret police dungeon Trump described in his State of the Union speech.
El Helicoide is a potent symbol of the tragedy of Venezuelan socialism. It was constructed as a futuristic shopping plaza during the boom years of the 1950s, a massive structure intended to be visible from all across Caracas as a sign of progress.
The feared Venezuelan intelligence services began using it as a headquarters building in the 1980s, and it became a massive prison complex for dissidents, political activists, and even children. Detainees reported hideous conditions inside the facility, with dozens of prisoners crammed into tiny, sweltering rooms, the uncleaned walls stained with bodily fluids.
Marquez was among the first wave of political prisoners released in January by the Rodriguez interim administration after the fall of Maduro.
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