Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, are in U.S. custody following a massive pre-dawn military operation on Saturday that included airstrikes across northern Venezuela.
The raid, dubbed "Operation Absolute Resolve," resulted in the deaths of at least 40 people, including civilians and military personnel, according to Venezuelan officials cited by The New York Times.
The operation involved over 150 U.S. aircraft, targeting key military installations and communication hubs in Caracas, Miranda, Aragua, and La Guaira. Verification of video footage showed heavy smoke and explosions near La Carlota Airport and the Fuerte Tiuna military base.
In a civilian neighborhood in Catia La Mar, an airstrike reportedly destroyed an apartment building, killing an 80-year-old woman and injuring several others.
U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed the capture, stating that Maduro and Flores were flown out of the country to face federal narcoterrorism and drug trafficking charges in New York. While some U.S. personnel were injured during the extraction, no American fatalities were reported.
The U.S. government maintains it will oversee a "proper transition" for Venezuela, a move that has sparked both celebration and fierce international debate over the legality of the intervention.
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