Trump claimed the United States had successfully executed a large-scale military operation targeting Venezuela and its leadership. He said Maduro and his wife had been captured and flown out of the country
Washington/Caracas — U.S. President Donald Trump said early Saturday that American forces carried out overnight strikes in Venezuela and captured the country’s long-serving president, Nicolás Maduro, marking what would be the most direct U.S. military intervention in Latin America in more than three decades.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump claimed the United States had successfully executed a large-scale military operation targeting Venezuela and its leadership. He said Maduro and his wife had been captured and flown out of the country.
“The United States of America has successfully carried out a large-scale strike against Venezuela and its leader, President Nicolás Maduro, who has been, along with his wife, captured and flown out of the country,” Trump wrote.
If confirmed, the operation would represent Washington’s most significant military action in the region since the 1989 U.S. invasion of Panama that removed military ruler Manuel Noriega from power over drug-trafficking allegations.
The United States has for months accused Maduro of presiding over what it calls a “narco-state” and of rigging Venezuela’s 2024 presidential election to remain in power.
The opposition says it won the vote by a wide margin. Maduro, who succeeded Hugo Chávez in 2013, has repeatedly rejected the accusations, insisting Washington is seeking control of Venezuela’s vast oil reserves—the largest in the world.
Explosions were reported in Caracas and several other regions in the early hours of Saturday, according to witnesses and images circulating on social media. Reuters witnesses said blasts, aircraft activity, and black smoke were visible across parts of the capital from about 2 a.m. local time for roughly 90 minutes.
Venezuela’s government declared a national emergency and announced the mobilization of troops, saying attacks had occurred in the states of Miranda, Aragua, and La Guaira. A temporary power outage was also reported in southern Caracas near a major military base.
Residents described scenes of fear and confusion. Videos shared online showed flashes of light in the sky and rising smoke. “Flare-like lights were crossing the sky and then explosions could be heard,” said Carmen Márquez, a 50-year-old resident of eastern Caracas. “We’re worried about what’s coming next.”
Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López condemned the reported U.S. action in a televised address, calling it a violation of Venezuela’s sovereignty and urging citizens to unite in resistance.
Regional and international reactions were swift. Venezuela’s allies, including Cuba and Iran, strongly condemned the strikes. Tehran described the action as a “blatant violation of national sovereignty” and called on the United Nations Security Council to intervene.
The Venezuelan opposition, led by Nobel Peace Prize laureate María Corina Machado, said it had no official comment on the events.
Trump has repeatedly threatened direct military action against Venezuela and recently expanded sanctions, sought a blockade of Venezuelan oil, and overseen a major U.S. military buildup in the region, including an aircraft carrier, warships, and fighter jets stationed in the Caribbean. His administration has also carried out multiple strikes on vessels it says were involved in drug trafficking.
It remains unclear under what legal authority the latest strikes were conducted. Legal experts have previously raised concerns about the legality of U.S. operations targeting suspected drug-trafficking vessels, which have resulted in more than 110 deaths, according to human rights groups.
The Venezuelan government has consistently denied involvement in drug trafficking, calling the accusations part of a broader Western campaign to remove Maduro from power.
Credit: Reuters
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