Former US President Donald Trump announced on Saturday that American forces have captured Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro and his wife following a “large-scale strike” on Venezuela. The operation, Trump said on Truth Social, was conducted in coordination with US law enforcement.
“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,” Trump stated.
Trump said he would hold a news conference at 11:00 a.m. EST at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida, where he is concluding a two-week holiday break. In a brief interview with The New York Times, Trump described the operation as “brilliant,” praising the planning and the troops involved.
The announcement comes amid months of rising US military and economic pressure on Maduro and Venezuela’s oil-dependent economy. In December, Trump had suggested it would be “smart” for Maduro to step down, warning that his “days are numbered.”
The capture claim follows an attempt by Maduro two days earlier to engage with Trump on cooperation to combat drug trafficking and illegal migration. Trump has justified US actions against Venezuela on grounds that the country is a major drug exporter to the US and had allegedly seized American oil interests.
A significant US military presence, including the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford and other warships, has been deployed in the Caribbean. US forces have also seized two tankers in an oil blockade on Venezuela and reportedly killed more than 100 individuals in strikes targeting small boats accused of drug trafficking.
Venezuela has condemned the US operations, describing them as “extremely serious military aggression,” after explosions were reported in Caracas early Saturday. US media outlets, including Fox News and CBS News, confirmed the military strikes, which Venezuelans had feared amid escalating tensions.
CNN correspondent Osmary Hernandez reported that the first blast, recorded at approximately 1:50 a.m. local time, was powerful enough to shake windows.
The situation represents a dramatic escalation in US-Venezuela tensions, with international attention focused on potential political and humanitarian impacts.
