United States President Donald Trump on Saturday announced that the US had conducted a “large-scale strike” against Venezuela, claiming that President Nicolás Maduro and his wife were captured and flown out of the country.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said the operation was carried out “in conjunction with US law enforcement” and promised further details at a press conference scheduled for 11 a.m. at Mar-a-Lago.
“The United States of America has successfully carried out a large-scale strike against Venezuela and its leader, President Nicolas Maduro, who has been, along with his wife, captured and flown out of the country,” Trump wrote.
The US embassy in Bogota confirmed awareness of reports of explosions in Caracas and reiterated its Level 4 “Do Not Travel” advisory for Venezuela. In a security notice, it urged US citizens in the country to leave as soon as safely possible, avoid unnecessary movement, and maintain communication with relatives abroad. The embassy recalled that all US diplomatic personnel were withdrawn from Caracas in March 2019.
Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel strongly condemned the reported strike, describing it as a “criminal attack” and “state terrorism.” In a post on X, he said Washington had “brutally assaulted” Latin America’s “zone of peace” and called for an urgent international response. He ended his statement with the slogan: “Homeland or Death, We Shall Overcome.”
The US has long accused Maduro of leading an international drug trafficking organisation, allegations he has consistently denied. Washington previously offered a $50 million reward for information leading to his arrest.
Trump did not provide details on how Maduro was captured or where he was taken, and the Venezuelan government has yet to confirm the claim.
