President Donald Trump announced on Saturday that United States forces had captured Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro following what he described as a “large-scale strike” on the country.
“The United States of America has successfully carried out a large-scale strike against Venezuela and its leader, President Nicolás Maduro, who, together with his wife, has been captured and flown out of the country,” Trump posted on Truth Social, around two hours after explosions were reported in the capital, Caracas.
Venezuela’s government did not confirm Maduro’s whereabouts or condition. In a statement, it condemned what it called an “extremely serious act of military aggression” by the United States, following months of growing political, economic, and military pressure from Washington.
Caracas experienced a series of explosions at around 2:00am (0600 GMT), accompanied by the sound of helicopters. The blasts continued for nearly an hour, according to AFP correspondents.
Trump said he would hold a press conference at 11:00am (1600 GMT) at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida, where he is currently on holiday.
Speaking briefly by phone to The New York Times, Trump praised what he called a “brilliant” operation involving extensive planning and “great troops and great people.”
Among the reported targets were Fuerte Tiuna, Venezuela’s largest military complex in southern Caracas, and the Carlota airbase in the north of the city. AFP journalists observed flames and thick smoke rising from Fuerte Tiuna.
Explosions were also heard in La Guaira, north of Caracas, where the capital’s main port and airport are located.
“I felt the blasts lift me from my bed. I thought, ‘God, the day has come,’ and I cried,” said María Eugenia Escobar, 58, a resident of La Guaira.
In its statement, the Venezuelan government said the country “rejects, condemns, and denounces before the international community the extremely serious military aggression carried out by the current government of the United States against Venezuelan territory and its people.”
The authorities added that Maduro had declared a state of emergency, although the 63-year-old socialist leader had not been seen publicly.
The defence ministry accused the United States of striking residential areas and announced a “massive deployment” of military resources in response.
Colombia’s left-wing president, Gustavo Petro, called via X for an emergency United Nations meeting and said troops were being deployed to the Venezuelan border.
As the strikes unfolded during the night, many residents of Caracas rushed to balconies and windows to understand what was happening, while others sheltered in interior rooms for safety.
Videos circulated on social media showed helicopters silhouetted against the night sky, and residents reported power cuts in parts of the city.
‘They’re bombing’
Francis Peña, a 29-year-old communications worker in eastern Caracas, said his girlfriend woke him saying: “They’re bombing.”
“I can’t see the explosions, but I can hear aircraft. We’ve started packing essentials, passports, bank cards, cash, candles, a change of clothes, and tinned food,” he told AFP.
Trump had previously deployed an aircraft carrier and warships to the Caribbean as part of what he initially described as an anti-drug operation, while repeatedly threatening military action against Venezuela.
Earlier in the week, he said it would be “smart” for Maduro to step aside, following a 2024 election widely rejected by the international community as illegitimate. He also claimed the United States had destroyed a docking site allegedly used by Venezuelan drug boats.
Maduro recently said he was open to dialogue with Washington. The Trump administration, however, accuses him of leading a narcotics trafficking network, an allegation he rejects, insisting the United States seeks to topple him because of Venezuela’s vast oil reserves.
In recent weeks, Washington has tightened sanctions, restricted Venezuelan airspace, and ordered the seizure of oil tankers carrying Venezuelan crude. US forces have also launched multiple strikes on vessels in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific since September, actions it says target drug-smuggling operations. According to the US military, at least 107 people have been killed in those strikes.
