Trump Confirms US Strikes On Venezuela, Says Nicolas Maduro And His Wife Captured

Last Updated:January 03, 2026, 15:19 IST

Donald Trump announced a large-scale US strike on Venezuela, claiming Nicolás Maduro and his wife were captured and flown out, amid explosions and low-flying aircraft in Caracas.

US President Donald Trump claimed early Saturday that the United States carried out a large-scale strike against Venezuela and that President Nicolás Maduro, along with his wife, had been captured and flown out of the country. (IMAGE: REUTERS)

US President Donald Trump early Saturday claimed that the United States had carried out a “large-scale strike" against Venezuela and that Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, along with his wife, had been captured and flown out of the country. In a post on Truth Social, Trump said the operation was conducted in conjunction with US law enforcement agencies and that more details would be shared at a news conference scheduled for 11 am local time at Mar-a-Lago. There was no immediate independent confirmation of the claims.

The statement came after loud explosions accompanied by the sound of low-flying aircraft were heard across parts of Caracas in the early hours of Saturday, journalists from AFP and the Associated Press reported.

According to AFP, the explosions were heard around 2 am local time (0600 GMT). An Associated Press reporter said at least seven explosions were heard, along with aircraft flying at low altitude over several neighbourhoods of the Venezuelan capital.

The US has not made such a direct intervention in Latin American since the invasion of Panama in 1989 to depose military leader Manuel Noriega.

“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 said in a Truth Social post.

There was no immediate confirmation from the Venezuelan government.

The US has accused Maduro of running a “narco-state" and rigging an election. The Venezuelan leader, who succeeded Hugo Chavez to take power in 2013, has said Washington wants to take control of its oil reserves, the largest in the world.

The social media post from Trump came shortly after Venezuelan Defence Minister Vladimir Padrino said in a video message early Saturday that Venezuela would resist the presence of foreign troops. Padrino confirmed that the US attack earlier in the morning had struck civilian areas and said authorities were compiling information on those killed and injured.

News world Trump Confirms US Strikes On Venezuela, Says Nicolas Maduro And His Wife Captured

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