The United States says it has captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro during a large-scale military operation, after overnight strikes shook the capital, Caracas, and the government declared a national emergency.
In a post on his Truth Social platform early on Saturday, U.S. President Donald Trump said Maduro and his wife had been detained and flown out of the country in an operation carried out alongside U.S. law enforcement. There was no immediate confirmation from Venezuelan authorities.
A U.S. official told Reuters that Maduro was captured by elite special forces. The Pentagon referred questions to the White House, which declined to provide further comment.
The announcement followed hours of explosions, aircraft activity and power outages across Caracas. Reuters witnesses reported loud blasts, smoke rising from multiple areas and electricity cuts in the southern part of the city near major military bases. Video verified by Reuters showed repeated explosions lighting up the night sky, while flight-tracking data indicated Venezuelan airspace had been largely cleared of civilian aircraft.
Venezuela’s government said strikes also hit the neighbouring states of Miranda, Aragua and La Guaira. President Maduro’s administration declared a national emergency and ordered the mobilisation of defence forces.
Defence Minister Vladimir Padrino condemned what he described as foreign military aggression, calling on Venezuelans to unite in defence of national sovereignty. Residents described scenes of fear and confusion, with some reporting aircraft flying overhead before flashes and explosions followed. Power outages affected several districts.
The operation comes after months of escalating pressure from Washington. The Trump administration has expanded sanctions, announced a blockade on Venezuelan oil shipments, increased U.S. military deployments in the Caribbean and carried out dozens of strikes on vessels it says were linked to drug trafficking.
Washington accuses Maduro of running a “narco-state” and rigging last year’s election, allegations Venezuela denies. Caracas has long said U.S. actions are aimed at gaining control of the country’s vast oil reserves.
Venezuela’s allies, including Cuba and Iran, condemned the strikes. Iran called the operation a violation of national sovereignty and urged the UN Security Council to intervene.
Trump later said he would provide further details at a news conference scheduled for 11 a.m. local time at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida.
The intervention marks the most direct U.S. military action in Latin America since the 1989 invasion of Panama, when U.S. forces captured former leader Manuel Noriega.
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