The United States carried out a "large-scale strike" against Venezuela early Saturday morning. President Donald Trump announced on social media that Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were captured during the operation and flown out of the country.
The nighttime mission began around 2:00 a.m. local time with at least seven explosions reported across Caracas. Low-flying aircraft and helicopters were seen over the capital as strikes hit military installations, including the Fuerte Tiuna base and La Carlota airbase.
President Trump stated on Truth Social that the mission was conducted alongside U.S. law enforcement. Reports indicate that the U.S. Army’s Delta Force executed the capture. Trump has scheduled a news conference for later Saturday morning at Mar-a-Lago to provide further details.
The Venezuelan government condemned the mission as "imperialist aggression" and a violation of international law. Vice President Delcy Rodríguez confirmed the couple’s whereabouts are unknown and demanded "proof of life."
The government has declared a "state of external disturbance" and urged citizens to take to the streets in protest. Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López reported that the strikes hit residential areas and announced a "massive deployment" of national defense forces.
The attack follows months of escalating tension and a U.S. military buildup in the Caribbean under Operation Southern Spear.
The FAA has banned U.S. commercial flights in Venezuelan airspace due to "ongoing military activity."
U.S. Senator Mike Lee (R-Utah) expressed concern over the constitutional authority for the strike without a formal declaration of war.
Russia and Iran condemned the strikes, while Argentine President Javier Milei praised the operation.
Maduro was previously indicted by the U.S. in 2020 on narco-terrorism charges.14 It remains unclear where he is being held or if he will face immediate prosecution in U.S. federal court.
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