Caracas/Bogotá: The United States has launched a “large-scale strike” on Venezuela and captured President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, US President Donald Trump claimed on Saturday, triggering shockwaves across Latin America and prompting neighboring Colombia to deploy security forces along its border.
In a statement posted on his Truth Social platform, Trump said US forces had carried out a major military operation against Venezuela and that President Maduro and his wife had been “captured and flown out of the country.” He added that further details would be provided at a news conference scheduled for later in the day at his Florida residence, Mar-a-Lago.
US officials, speaking to the BBC’s US partner CBS News, said the operation to capture Maduro was carried out by Delta Force, the US military’s elite counter-terrorism unit. However, neither the White House nor the Pentagon has released an official statement confirming the operation, and the Venezuelan government has not independently verified Trump’s claims.
Venezuela declares emergency, deploys armed forces
Following overnight explosions in Caracas and other parts of the country, Venezuela declared a state of national emergency, accusing the United States of “extremely serious military aggression.” Defence Minister Vladimir Padrino López announced the immediate deployment of all armed forces across the country, calling the attacks “the worst aggression” Venezuela has ever faced.
“They’ve attacked us, but they will not subdue us,” Padrino said in a televised address, urging unity and resistance. He also said authorities were compiling information on possible deaths, injuries, and damage, alleging that some strikes hit civilian areas.
Venezuela’s Vice President Delcy Rodríguez said the government did not know the whereabouts of President Maduro or First Lady Cilia Flores and demanded “immediate proof of life” from the United States.
Colombia on alert, refugee fears grow
In neighboring Colombia, President Gustavo Petro convened an emergency national security council meeting early Saturday and announced the deployment of public forces along the Venezuelan border. From Bogotá, authorities began preparations for a potential influx of Venezuelan refugees if the situation further deteriorates.
Colombia and Venezuela share more than 2,000 kilometers of border, and past political and economic crises have driven millions to cross in both directions. Petro, who has repeatedly called for peace and dialogue since the first explosions were reported in Caracas, warned that developments in Venezuela would have direct regional consequences.
Confusion in Caracas, airspace closed
Explosions were heard in Caracas around 2:00 a.m. local time, with residents reporting low-flying aircraft, power outages, and smoke rising from military installations. The US Federal Aviation Administration later issued a Notice to Airmen, banning US commercial and private flights from Venezuelan airspace and nearby Curaçao due to “ongoing military activity.”
Despite the blasts, vehicles continued to move in parts of the capital hours later, though uncertainty and fear remained widespread.
What is known — and what remains unclear
According to US statements and media reports, Washington claims Maduro has been arrested and will stand trial in the United States on criminal charges related to alleged drug trafficking. Republican Senator Mike Lee said Secretary of State Marco Rubio anticipated “no further action” in Venezuela now that Maduro was in US custody, describing the strikes as necessary to protect those executing the arrest warrant.
However, critical questions remain unanswered: the exact location of Maduro and his wife, confirmation of casualties, the full extent of damage, and the precise number and targets of the strikes. Venezuela continues to accuse the US of seeking regime change to gain access to its vast oil reserves, while Washington maintains that Maduro leads an international narco-trafficking network — allegations he has long denied.
If confirmed, Maduro’s capture would mark the most direct US intervention in Latin America since the 1989 invasion of Panama that led to the arrest of Manuel Noriega. Analysts warn that while some in Washington may see this as a decisive victory, the political and security consequences inside Venezuela — and across the region — remain highly uncertain.
As the situation unfolds, Latin America is holding its breath, awaiting clarity on the fate of Venezuela’s leadership and what comes next for a country already deep in crisis.
