In a dramatic escalation of tensions, former U.S. President Donald Trump declared on his Truth Social platform that American military forces had successfully captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro during a series of large-scale strikes within Venezuela. Trump asserted that Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, had been extracted from the country by U.S. forces.
The announcement followed reports of significant explosions near key civilian and military installations in Caracas, as well as in the states of La Guaira, Aragua, and Miranda. According to U.S. officials speaking to CBS News, the high-risk operation was executed by the elite Delta Force unit, which Trump later praised as a ‘brilliant’ mission in communications with The New York Times.
Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez, who stands next in the line of succession, immediately challenged Trump’s claims, stating that the whereabouts of both Maduro and his wife were unknown. She publicly demanded that the U.S. provide verifiable proof that Maduro was alive and in their custody.
The Venezuelan government reported numerous casualties from the attacks, though no specific death toll was immediately provided. U.S. authorities confirmed they sustained no American casualties during the operation.
Contradictory narratives emerged regarding the circumstances of Maduro’s apparent removal. Sky News cited senior Venezuelan opposition sources suggesting Maduro’s exit had been ‘negotiated’ with the United States, while U.S. Senator Mike Lee of Utah stated on social media platform X that Secretary of State Marco Rubio anticipated ‘no further action in Venezuela now.’ Lee further revealed that Rubio informed him Maduro would face criminal charges in the United States.
In response to the military action, Venezuelan Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino condemned the strikes as ‘the worst aggression’ against the nation and announced the full deployment of military forces across Venezuela, vowing to resist any foreign troop presence.