WASHINGTON — The United States mounted a “large-scale strike” in Venezuela early Saturday and said President Nicolás Maduro had been captured and flown out of the country after months of stepped-up pressure by Washington, an extraordinary nighttime operation announced by President Donald Trump on social media hours after the attack.
Venezuela’s Vice President Delcy Rodríguez said, “We do not know the whereabouts of President Nicolás Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores.” He added: “We demand proof of life.”
Trump said Maduro “has been, along with his wife, captured and flown out of the Country. This operation was done in conjunction with U.S. Law Enforcement. Details to follow.” He set a news conference for later Saturday morning.
The explosions in Caracas, Venezuela’s capital, early on the third day of 2026 – at least seven blasts – sent people rushing into the streets, while others took to social media to report hearing and seeing the explosions.
It was not immediately clear if there were casualties. The apparent attack itself lasted less than 30 minutes, but it was unclear if more actions lay ahead, though Trump said in his post that the strikes were carried out “successfully.”
Trump added that he would give a news conference at 11:00 am (1600 GMT) at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida, where he is nearing the end of a two-week Christmas and New Year’s vacation.
In a brief phone interview with The New York Times, Trump hailed the “brilliant” operation.
“A lot of good planning and lot of great, great troops and great people,” the paper quoted Trump as saying.
Trump’s stunning announcement follows months of steadily mounting U.S. military and economic pressure on leftist leader Maduro and his country’s oil-export-dependent economy.
The U.S. president said in December “it would be smart for (Maduro)” to step down and has also said that the Venezuelan leader’s “days are numbered.”
Trump’s claim of Maduro’s capture comes two days after Maduro attempted to engage with Trump, offering cooperation on fighting drug trafficking and illegal migration.
Trump has given differing arguments for his campaign against Venezuela, including the claim that the country is a major drug exporter to the United States and that Venezuela seized U.S. oil interests.
The Republican leader has not explicitly called for Maduro’s ouster but the U.S. government, along with many European nations, does not recognize the Venezuelan leader’s legitimacy.
A huge naval and aerial presence has been established in the Caribbean, including the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford and other warships.
U.S. forces have seized two tankers at sea as part of an oil blockade on Venezuela and killed more than 100 people in aerial strikes to destroy small boats accused of drug trafficking.
Trump told reporters on Monday that the United States had hit and destroyed a docking area for alleged Venezuelan drug boats, in what was the first known strike on Venezuelan soil of the campaign. — (Agencies)