Breaking reports claim the US launched a massive military strike on Venezuela, with Donald Trump alleging President Nicolas Maduro and his wife were captured and flown out, amid explosions in Caracas and sweeping criminal indictments announced by US authorities.
In a dramatic and unprecedented claim that has sent shockwaves across the Americas and beyond, former US President Donald Trump announced early Saturday that the United States had carried out a large-scale military strike on Venezuela and had “captured” Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro along with his wife, Cilia Flores.
Posting on his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump asserted that US forces successfully executed a coordinated operation targeting the Venezuelan leadership. “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.
Trump further stated that the operation was conducted in conjunction with US law enforcement agencies and added that additional details would be disclosed during a scheduled news conference at 11 a.m. local time at Mar-a-Lago. As of early Saturday, no independent verification of the claims had been provided by the Pentagon or the White House.
Indictments Announced by US Attorney General
Shortly after Trump’s statement, US Attorney General Pam Bondi announced that President Nicolas Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores had been formally indicted in the Southern District of New York. According to Bondi, the indictments include multiple serious federal charges linked to drug trafficking and terrorism.
Bondi stated that Maduro faces charges of Narco-Terrorism Conspiracy, Cocaine Importation Conspiracy, Possession of Machineguns and Destructive Devices, and Conspiracy to Possess Machineguns and Destructive Devices against the United States.
“They will soon face the full wrath of American justice on American soil in American courts,” Bondi wrote in a post on X. She praised the US military for what she described as a “highly successful mission” and thanked Trump for “demanding accountability on behalf of the American people.”
Reports of Explosions and Military Activity in Caracas
Venezuelan media outlet El Nacional reported that the alleged nighttime operation involved a significant deployment of US military assets, including Chinook helicopters and elite special forces. Residents of Caracas reported hearing multiple loud explosions and aircraft flyovers in the early hours of Saturday.
According to American media reports cited by El Nacional, a unit of the US Army’s Delta Force was allegedly involved in the operation that reportedly led to Maduro’s capture. The incidents were said to have occurred around 2:00 a.m. local time, triggering widespread panic across several neighborhoods in the Venezuelan capital.
Administration sources quoted by the newspaper claimed that Trump had authorized military action days earlier, following months of increased US naval and military presence off the Venezuelan coast and renewed calls for Maduro to step down from power.
US Embassy Issues Travel Warning
Amid the reports, the US Embassy in Bogota, Colombia—responsible for US affairs related to Venezuela—issued an urgent advisory warning Americans against traveling to Venezuela or its border regions.
“US Embassy Bogota is aware of reports of explosions in and around Caracas, Venezuela,” the statement said. “US citizens are advised not to travel to Venezuela. US citizens currently in Venezuela should shelter in place.”
The embassy reiterated that the US government withdrew all diplomatic personnel from Caracas in March 2019 and that all consular services remain suspended. As a result, the US government currently lacks the ability to provide emergency assistance to American citizens inside Venezuela.
Venezuelan Government Denounces US Actions
In a sharply worded response, the Venezuelan government condemned Washington’s actions, describing the alleged attack as an attempt to undermine the country’s sovereignty. Officials accused the United States of seeking to seize Venezuela’s strategic resources, particularly oil and mineral reserves, and of trying to forcibly dismantle the nation’s political independence.
Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez said earlier Saturday that the whereabouts of Maduro and Flores were unknown following the reported attacks in Caracas, Miranda, Aragua, and La Guaira. In a telephone interview with state broadcaster Venezolana de Television, Rodríguez demanded proof of life from the US government.
She also called on citizens to mobilize in what she described as a “civic-military fusion” to defend the country, according to El Nacional.
International Uncertainty and High Stakes
As of now, the claims made by Trump and US officials remain unconfirmed by independent international observers, and no visual or documentary evidence has been released to substantiate the reported capture. The situation has heightened fears of regional instability and raised serious questions about international law, sovereignty, and the potential for wider conflict.
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Global reactions are expected to intensify as more information emerges, with analysts warning that any confirmed US military action inside Venezuela could mark a historic escalation in US–Latin America relations.
