Venezuelan President captured by the US

U.S. President Donald Trump says American forces have captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, following what he described as a large-scale U.S. military operation in Venezuela.

In a post on Truth Social early Saturday, Trump said: “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.”

He added that the operation was conducted “in conjunction with U.S. Law Enforcement” and said further details would be provided at a news conference scheduled at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida.

The announcement followed reports from residents in Caracas of multiple explosions, low-flying aircraft and smoke rising from military installations, including La Carlota air base and Fuerte Tiuna, the country’s largest military complex.

U.S. officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, told several media outlets, including Reuters, that elite Delta Force operatives were involved in the operation.

The Trump administration has previously accused the Maduro government of operating a “narco-terrorist” state.

Washington has not recognised Maduro as Venezuela’s legitimate leader since disputed elections, instead supporting opposition figures such as exiled politician Edmundo González.

Following the announcement by Trump, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio reposted a statement he made in mid-2025.

“Maduro is NOT the President of Venezuela and his regime is NOT the legitimate government,” said Rubio.

“Maduro is the head of the Cartel de Los Soles, a narco-terror organization which has taken possession of a country. And he is under indictment for pushing drugs into the United States,” he added.

Venezuelan authorities condemned the actions, describing them as “extremely serious military aggression” by the United States.

In a statement, officials said civilian and military sites were hit in Caracas as well as in the states of Miranda, Aragua and La Guaira.

The government also announced a national state of emergency, calling for the mobilisation of defense forces and urging citizens to oppose what it called an attack on national sovereignty.

International reactions were swift. Colombian President Gustavo Petro called for an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council, while Cuba described the operation as “state terrorism.”

Iran also condemned the strikes, citing a violation of Venezuelan sovereignty.

The operation comes after years of U.S. pressure on Venezuela, including sanctions, maritime interdictions linked to alleged drug trafficking, and a heightened U.S. military presence in the Caribbean.

The U.S. has not conducted such a direct intervention in Latin America since the 1989 invasion of Panama to remove military leader Manuel Noriega.

This is a developing story. More details are expected following President Trump’s scheduled news conference.