Author: americalatinanews.com

Explosions and reported bombings in Caracas and Venezuelan military bases

Images from different angles in Caracas of the explosions and helicopters flying over the city.

A wave of powerful explosions shook Caracas early Wednesday, signaling the most serious escalation yet in the standoff between the United States and Venezuela. Residents reported repeated blasts, aircraft flying overhead and widespread power outages, while images circulating on social media showed fires and thick plumes of smoke rising from strategic areas of the capital.

According to preliminary reports and independently reviewed footage, the strikes appear to have hit key military installations, including Fuerte Tiuna, Venezuela’s main military complex. Additional impacts were reported at other security facilities in Caracas and nearby cities, though the full scope of the operation has not been officially confirmed.

Attacks have also been reported against La Carlota air base and other military sites in Caracas, including the Cuartel de la Montaña—where Hugo Chávez’s remains are kept—as well as targets in Maracay and La Guaira, and Higuerote airport along the central coast. Social media footage shows helicopters operating over the city.

#URGENTE | Helicópteros de EEUU sobrevuelan Caracas. pic.twitter.com/X2pguuUxJ3

— Orlando Avendaño (@OrlvndoA) January 3, 2026 

Venezuelan government statement

Two and a half hours after the first explosions, state television VTV read an official statement announcing the activation of a state of emergency due to external commotion, a measure the government said had been prepared since October. The statement called for “armed struggle” in response to U.S. aggression.

“The entire country must mobilize to defeat this imperialist aggression,” the broadcast said.

The U.S. administration has not issued public comments so far. However, CBS journalist Jennifer Jacobs reported that White House officials are aware of the unfolding events in Venezuela.

The developments follow four months of escalating tensions between Washington and Caracas. President Donald Trump had repeatedly threatened military action, first citing counter-narcotics operations and later arguing for control over Venezuela’s oil sector, which he claims was unlawfully taken from U.S. companies.

Last week, Trump said a first ground strike had already taken place against a dock used by drug traffickers in December. U.S. media placed the incident in La Guajira, near the Colombia border—an account also shared by Colombian President Gustavo Petro.

Social media claims of operations over military bases

On X, Agustín Antonetti, a journalist with a history of commentary on Latin American affairs, shared video clips that he claims show the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (SOAR) of the US Army on a mission near Fuerte Tiuna, suggesting a possible target linked to senior Venezuelan officials. (Post at 3:28 a.m., 3 Jan 2026).

There is no independent confirmation of the SOAR unit’s presence or the authenticity of the footage, though the content has been widely shared.

Lo que me llega ahora mismo desde Caracas. Me manda @fsingerf pic.twitter.com/IJ5exMYRPN

— Juan Diego Quesada (@jdquesada) January 3, 2026

U.S. issues NOTAM restricting Venezuelan airspace

United States aviation authorities issued a NOTAM (Notice to Air Missions) prohibiting U.S. civil aircraft from operating at all altitudes within the Maiquetía FIR — Venezuelan airspace covering much of the country. Such notices are typically issued when there are significant safety risks, and have already led to flight cancellations and reroutes by international carriers.

Explosions documented in Caracas

International reporting has noted that on 3 January 2026, multiple explosions were heard in Venezuela’s capital during the early morning, along with reports of low helicopters and aircraft, and outages across parts of Caracas. The incidents occur amidst ongoing tension with the United States, but official confirmation from Venezuelan or US authorities is still pending.

Verification warning

Observers familiar with the flow of information inside Venezuela have cautioned about rapid spread of unverified videos and claims. Given longstanding restrictions on social media and news outlets within the country, analysts recommend careful verification with established international agencies before conclusions can be drawn.

The strikes come after four months of mounting tensions, repeated warnings from President Donald Trump about possible military action, and a significant U.S. military buildup in the Caribbean. Trump had said last week that Washington had already carried out limited ground operations against drug-trafficking targets linked to Venezuela.

 

News in development

Since the beginning of 2025, the “Here is Brazil” program has carried out 37 operations, guaranteeing the return of that number of vulnerable Brazilian nationals, mostly from the United States.

This represents almost double the 1,600 repatriations of 2024.

Such mass deportations were one of the campaign promises of US President Donald Trump, with repercussions also for Brazilians, who had already witnessed the increase in these measures.

In the case of the latest repatriation, after initial reception at the international airport of Belo Horizonte, capital of the state of Minas Gerais (southeast), part of the group was transferred to a hotel with a special assistance structure.

There they received food, hygiene kits, psychosocial support, medical and psychological assistance, as well as guidance and help for their journey to their cities of origin.

According to the MDCH, those who already had family in the area or decided to travel directly were also received at the airport terminal itself.

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In a statement issued by the Foreign Ministry, the Spanish government condemned the regulations for registering humanitarian NGOs operating in the occupied Palestinian territory, only to then revoke their licenses, expel them, and prevent them from carrying out their work.

With these measures, which have affected well-known Spanish and international NGOs, Israel is thus limiting their work and the ability of other actors to address the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza and meet the most basic needs of the Palestinian population, the statement said.

“This decision comes on top of the recent Knesset approval of the law that mandates cutting off the electricity and water supply to UNRWA facilities in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory, in addition to removing its immunities and privileges,” it noted.

Elsewhere in the statement, the Spanish government reiterated its “deepest concern about the severe impact these decisions will have on the already catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza and the Occupied Palestinian Territory.”

At the same time, it urged Israel to reverse “these unacceptable decisions that prevent essential humanitarian actors from working to save lives and address the urgent basic needs of the Palestinian civilian population and refugees in Gaza, the West Bank, and throughout the Middle East region.”

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Legra was rushed to the provincial hospital, where she died in the early morning, the president of the Cuban Film Institute (ICAIC), Alexis Triana, informed.

Adelaida Lopez Legra, known by her stage name Adela Legra, was born in 1939 in Guantanamo, where years later her talent was discovered by the multi-award-winning filmmaker Humberto Solas.

With this director, she landed her first film role, the lead in the medium-length film Manuela (1965), followed by the films Lucia (1968), Miel para Oshun (2001), and Barrio Cuba (2005).

Her name also appears in productions like Rancheador (1976), by Sergio Giral; El Brigadista (1977), by Octavio Cortazar; Aquella noche larga (1979), by Enrique Pineda; Vals de la Habana Vieja (1988), by Luis Felipe Bernaza; and Nada (2001), by Juan Carlos Cremata.

For her contributions to Cuban cinema, she received the Heredia Plaque, was honored at Havana Film Festival New York (2002) and at the 1st Gibara International Low-budget Film Festival (2003), and had the documentaries Adela un nombre de mujer (1999) and Quien me quita lo bailao (2000) dedicated to her.

The renowned actress will be laid to rest in the coming hours at El Calvario funeral home in the eastern province of Santiago de Cuba.

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“Our deepest condolences for the human losses caused by the fire,” said the Cuban Foreign Affairs Minister on the social network X.

Then, Rodriguez displayed “solidarity with the people and government of Switzerland and with the families of the victims”. At the same time, he wished prompt recovery to the wounded.

The fire in the ski resort of Crans-Montana killed about 40 people and about 115 injuries of various nationalities, according to the latest confirmations.

According to reports, there are between 80 and 100 seriously injured people, so the number of deaths could increase.

The accident happened in a crowded bar at 01:30 local time in a bar called Le Constellation on New Year’s Eve in the Valais canton, in southwest Switzerland.

So far there is no certainty of the cause of the fire.

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