The United States on Saturday launched what President Donald Trump described as a large-scale military operation inside Venezuela, a dramatic move that he said resulted in the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, and their removal from the country.
The announcement, made by Trump via his social media platform, immediately sent shockwaves across the region and triggered sharp reactions in Caracas and beyond.
According to Trump, the operation was conducted in conjunction with U.S. law enforcement agencies and was aimed at dismantling networks linked to drug trafficking and organised crime. While the president did not provide details on where Maduro and his wife were taken, he said they had been flown out of Venezuela following the operation, with more information to be released later in a planned press briefing.
The announcement came amid reports of explosions and heavy military activity in and around the Venezuelan capital, Caracas, with witnesses describing loud blasts near both civilian and military installations and power outages in several areas. Venezuelan authorities said the strikes targeted strategic sites, fueling fears of wider instability in the already fragile country.
In a swift response before the U.S. claim of his capture, Maduro accused the Trump administration of launching an attack on Venezuela’s sovereignty, alleging that American forces had struck civilian and military infrastructure. He ordered social and political organisations to “activate mobilisation plans,” urging supporters and security forces to prepare to defend the nation against what his government described as foreign aggression.
Senior Venezuelan officials condemned the operation as an illegal act under international law and announced emergency measures as tensions escalated. At the same time, questions mounted internationally over the legality of the U.S. action, the absence of independent confirmation of Maduro’s capture, and the potential consequences for regional security in Latin America.
The United States has long accused Maduro’s government of involvement in drug trafficking and narco-terrorism, allegations Caracas has consistently denied.
However, the latest operation represents the most direct and forceful U.S. military action against Venezuela’s leadership to date, marking a significant and potentially historic turning point in relations between Washington and Caracas as the world awaits further clarification and confirmation of events.
