Trump claims Maduro captured after “large-scale strike” on Venezuela
The statement comes hours after reports of explosions and airstrikes across Caracas and other Venezuelan cities
U.S. President Donald Trump said early Saturday morning that the United States had carried out a “large-scale strike” against Venezuela, claiming that President Nicolás Maduro had been captured along with his wife and flown out of the country.
In a post published on his social media platform Truth, Trump stated that the operation was conducted “in conjunction with U.S. law enforcement” and announced that further details would follow, including a news conference scheduled for 11 a.m. at Mar-a-Lago.
Truth Social
The statement comes hours after reports of explosions and airstrikes across Caracas and other Venezuelan cities, where residents described sustained detonations, military aircraft overhead and widespread power outages. Videos circulating on social media overnight showed fires and heavy smoke near key military installations, including the Fuerte Tiuna complex in the Venezuelan capital.
Shortly after the first reported strikes, Venezuela’s government declared a state of emergency due to external aggression and called on the population to prepare for armed resistance, according to a statement broadcast on state television. Until Trump’s post, Washington had remained publicly silent on the unfolding events.
The escalation follows months of rising tensions between Washington and Caracas, marked by U.S. accusations linking Maduro to drug trafficking networks, a strengthened U.S. military presence in the Caribbean, and repeated warnings by Trump that direct action inside Venezuela was imminent.
No official verification beyond the U.S. president’s statement has been made.
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