By PRAISE DOMINIC
The United States carried out a significant military operation inside Venezuela overnight, and U.S. President Donald Trump announced early Saturday that Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife have been captured and flown out of the country. The developments mark an extraordinary escalation in tensions between Washington and Caracas.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said that the United States had “successfully carried out a large scale strike against Venezuela and its leader, President Nicolás Maduro, who has been, along with his wife, captured and flown out of the Country.” He added that U.S. law enforcement agencies were involved in the operation, though he did not provide independent verification of the capture or details about where the pair were taken.
Explosions were reported in multiple locations around Caracas early Saturday morning, and videos circulating on social media showed aircraft overhead and smoke rising from parts of the Venezuelan capital. Venezuelans described loud detonations that shook streets around major military installations.
The Venezuelan government has condemned the attack as an “imperialist aggression”, and announced a nationwide state of emergency, calling on citizens to defend the nation’s sovereignty. Its statement accused the United States of seeking to seize control of Venezuelan natural resources.
White House officials have not yet issued additional details beyond the president’s social media post. No independent verification from international observers, Venezuelan authorities, or U.S. military spokespeople is currently available confirming the capture or subsequent location of Maduro and his wife.
The incident follows months of escalating U.S. pressure on Maduro’s government tied to accusations of narcotics trafficking and threats to regional security, including previous military actions targeting drug routes in Caribbean waters.
International reactions are still emerging, with Venezuela’s regional allies expected to respond formally as the situation continues to unfold.
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