President Donald Trump, on Saturday, announced that United States forces had captured Venezuelan President, Nicolás Maduro, and flown him out of the country following what he described as a “large-scale strike”.
Trump disclosed the development in a post on his social media platform, Truth Social, saying the operation was carried out “in conjunction with U.S. law enforcement.”
Disclosing that Maduro’s wife was also taken into custody during the operation, Trump lauded the mission, attributing its success to “a lot of good planning” and the efforts of “great, great troops and great people.” He described the operation as “brilliant.”
Venezuelan authorities, however, strongly disputed the claim. Vice President Delcy Rodríguez, speaking on state-run television, said President Maduro’s whereabouts were unknown and demanded proof of life from the United States.
Earlier on Saturday, the Venezuelan government accused Washington of launching military attacks in Caracas and other parts of the country after large explosions were reported at a military base in the capital. The government subsequently declared a state of emergency, saying the attacks occurred in Caracas as well as in the states of Miranda, Aragua and La Guaira.
In a statement issued by the communications ministry, Venezuela said it “rejects, repudiates and denounces” what it described as U.S. military aggression, calling on political and social forces across the country to mobilise against the attack.
U.S. media reports quoted officials as saying the operation to capture Mr Maduro was carried out by the U.S. Army’s Delta Force, an elite special operations unit. A Republican senator also said Secretary of State Marco Rubio had indicated that Maduro would face criminal charges in the United States, where he was indicted years ago on drug trafficking offences, and that no further military action in Venezuela was anticipated.
The Trump administration has long accused Maduro, who has led Venezuela since 2013, of running a “narco-terrorist” state and collaborating with criminal groups involved in drug trafficking—allegations the Venezuelan leader has consistently denied.
Saturday’s announcement followed months of escalating U.S. military and economic pressure on Venezuela. Since late August, the Pentagon has deployed troops, aircraft and warships to the Caribbean, including the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford. The U.S. has also seized and intercepted oil tankers carrying Venezuelan crude and carried out strikes on vessels it claims were smuggling drugs—actions criticised by some experts as unlawful extrajudicial killings.
International reaction was swift. Russia and Iran condemned the reported U.S. action, with Moscow describing it as an “act of armed aggression” and Tehran calling it a “flagrant violation” of Venezuela’s sovereignty. Both countries supported calls for an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council.
