views
"The United States of America has successfully carried out a large scale strike against Venezuela and its leader, President Nicolas Maduro, who has been, along with his wife, captured and flown out of the Country. This operation was done in conjunction with U.S. Law Enforcement.… pic.twitter.com/sFa5OC4ZrZ
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) January 3, 2026
Explosions rocked the Venezuelan capital before dawn as Washington announced what it called a decisive blow against Maduro’s government.
Former U.S. President Donald Trump announced Saturday that Nicolás Maduro had been captured following what he described as a “large-scale” American military operation targeting Caracas and surrounding areas. Writing on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump claimed that U.S. forces detained Maduro along with his wife, Cilia Flores, and removed them from Venezuelan territory, marking an unprecedented escalation in Washington’s long-running confrontation with the Venezuelan government.
The announcement came hours after multiple explosions were reported across Caracas, Miranda, La Guaira, and Aragua, with residents describing a city shaken awake by blasts, aircraft flyovers, and the smell of gunpowder. One of the main targets was Fuerte Tiuna, Venezuela’s most important military complex, while state television showed damaged infrastructure and burning vehicles near the La Carlota air base. A striking detail from the early hours: the bombardment reportedly lasted close to an hour, leaving entire neighborhoods in silence once it ended.
U.S. officials said Maduro, who has ruled Venezuela since 2013, faces charges of narcotrafficking and terrorism in American courts. The U.S. government had formally indicted him in 2020 and offered a $50 million reward for information leading to his arrest. Trump has long dismissed Maduro’s presidency as illegitimate, accusing him of electoral fraud in Venezuela’s July 2024 vote and repeatedly warning that his grip on power was nearing its end.
Inside Venezuela, authorities condemned the strikes, claiming civilian areas were affected, though no evidence was immediately provided. Vice President Delcy Rodríguez demanded proof of life for Maduro and Flores, while Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino announced a nationwide military deployment across land, air, naval, and missile forces. International reactions were swift: Russia, Iran, Cuba, and Mexico rejected the attacks, the European Union urged restraint, and Colombia mobilized troops along its border while calling for urgent meetings at the OAS and the United Nations. Trump is expected to address the situation in a press conference from Mar-a-Lago later Saturday.
Comments
0 comment