Caracas, Venezuela — The United States carried out a large-scale overnight military strike in Venezuela early Saturday, with President Donald Trump claiming that Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife were captured and flown out of the country in an operation coordinated with U.S. law enforcement.
Multiple explosions and low-flying aircraft were reported across Caracas around 2 a.m. local time, prompting evacuations near government and military facilities. Venezuelan officials accused the United States of attacking civilian and military targets and declared a state of external emergency, activating national defense and mobilization plans. It remained unclear who was exercising control of the government hours after the strike.
Trump announced the operation on Truth Social, saying Maduro had been taken into custody to face criminal charges in the United States. Maduro was indicted in 2020 on federal “narco-terrorism” charges in New York. Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez said the government had no confirmation of Maduro’s whereabouts and demanded proof of life.
The strike followed months of escalating pressure by the Trump administration, including seizures of oil tankers, naval deployments in the Caribbean, and repeated attacks on vessels accused of drug trafficking. The FAA temporarily banned U.S. commercial flights over Venezuelan airspace due to ongoing military activity.
The legal basis for the strike remains unclear. Several lawmakers questioned whether Congress had authorized military action, while the administration framed the operation as part of a broader campaign against drug trafficking and organized crime linked to the Maduro government.
Sources:
Discover more from News Facts Network
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
