In an unprecedented move in Latin America, the United States has reportedly captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife following a large-scale strike overnight, President Donald Trump announced early Saturday.
“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 posted on Truth Social, signaling a historic direct intervention reminiscent of the 1989 Panama operation that ousted Manuel Noriega.
The US government has long accused Maduro of running a “narco-state” and rigging last year’s elections. Maduro, who has led Venezuela since 2013 after succeeding Hugo Chavez, has repeatedly insisted that Washington is seeking control over Venezuela’s vast oil reserves—the largest in the world.
Trump said the operation involved “US Law Enforcement” and promised more details during a press conference at his Mar-a-Lago resort later Saturday. According to a US official, Maduro was taken by elite special forces troops.
Venezuela Responds
The Venezuelan government has not confirmed Maduro’s capture, but Defence Minister Vladimir Padrino condemned the strikes, calling on Venezuelans to resist. “Free, independent, and sovereign Venezuela rejects with all the strength of its libertarian history the presence of these foreign troops, which have only left behind death, pain, and destruction,” Padrino said in a state media broadcast.
Meanwhile, explosions rocked Caracas and nearby states like Miranda, Aragua, and La Guaira in the early hours, prompting Maduro’s government to declare a national emergency. Residents captured videos of bright orange flashes, smoke, and explosions, sharing their fear and uncertainty. Carmen Marquez, a Caracas resident, described hearing planes and seeing flare-like lights streaking across the sky, adding, “We don’t know anything from the government, only what the state television says.”
International Reactions
Allies of Venezuela, including Cuba and Iran, condemned the strikes. Tehran labeled them “a blatant violation of national sovereignty and territorial integrity” and called on the UN Security Council to intervene.
The US, along with several Latin American governments, maintains Maduro manipulated last year’s elections. Over the past months, Trump had pledged multiple operations in Venezuela, citing drug trafficking concerns and aiming to block Venezuelan oil exports.
The US military buildup in the Caribbean, including warships, advanced fighter jets, and an aircraft carrier, underscores the scale of the operation. Last week, Trump announced a strike targeting suspected drug-loading areas in Venezuela—the first known land-based action during the ongoing pressure campaign.
Legal experts have questioned the authority for these strikes, as past US attacks in the region have resulted in over 110 deaths. The Venezuelan government denies any involvement in drug trafficking and considers these actions extrajudicial.
This unfolding situation marks one of the most direct US interventions in Latin America in decades, leaving the world watching closely as Venezuela confronts a moment of uncertainty, fear, and historic geopolitical shifts.
