In a dramatic escalation of tensions in Latin America, U.S. President Donald Trump announced early Saturday morning that Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife were captured and flown out of the country following a coordinated U.S. military strike. The operation, confirmed by senior U.S. officials, involved explosions in Caracas and at several strategic locations across Venezuela.
Trump described the strikes as a “large-scale operation”, and said that U.S. law enforcement and military units had carried out the capture of Maduro. While the president did not specify which agencies were involved, sources confirmed that the U.S. Army’s Delta Force, an elite special operations unit, executed the mission. Delta Force is known for high-profile operations, including the 2019 raid that killed ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.
According to reports, the U.S. had positioned the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier and multiple warships in the Caribbean in recent weeks, signaling months of military preparation. The strike comes after increasing U.S. pressure on Venezuela, which included the seizure of two oil tankers, attacks on more than 30 boats allegedly carrying narcotics, and strikes on the docks where drugs were reportedly loaded for international distribution.
The Trump administration has repeatedly accused Maduro of drug trafficking and colluding with gangs designated as terrorist organizations. Maduro has consistently denied the allegations, dismissing the claims as political attacks aimed at removing him from power. On Christmas Eve, Trump had warned that if Maduro “played tough,” it would be the last time he could do so, hinting at potential military intervention.
Military and Political Response in Venezuela
In response to the strikes, Venezuelan Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López announced the deployment of armed forces across the country. In a video posted on social media early Saturday, he called for “unity in the face of the worst aggression ever against Venezuela” and urged citizens to resist. He did not directly mention Maduro’s reported capture, focusing instead on maintaining order and national defense.
Venezuelan authorities also declared a state of external disturbance, granting Maduro’s government extraordinary powers, including the ability to expand the military’s role and restrict certain civil rights. The government called on supporters to take to the streets to protest what it described as U.S. imperialist aggression, urging social and political forces to activate mobilization plans.
The Venezuelan opposition has largely supported Trump’s strategy. Opposition leader María Corina Machado previously praised the U.S. approach, calling Trump a “champion of freedom in this hemisphere” and expressing gratitude for the administration’s pressure on Maduro. Machado, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, had been barred from running in Venezuela’s 2024 elections and previously collected her prize in Norway after a risky exit from the country.
Impact on Civilians and Infrastructure
The U.S. military strikes targeted several key sites in Caracas and surrounding areas, including:
- Fuerte Tiuna, Venezuela’s largest military base
- La Carlota Air Base, a strategic air hub
- El Volcán, a critical communications antenna
- La Guaira Port, a major seaport on the Caribbean coast
Explosions and fires were reported across these locations, prompting the U.S. State Department to advise American citizens in Venezuela to shelter in place. The FAA also banned commercial flights over Venezuelan airspace due to “safety-of-flight risks associated with ongoing military activity,” effective from 2 a.m. local time Saturday until early Sunday.
The strikes have added to ongoing chaos in Venezuela, already grappling with economic collapse, shortages of food and medicine, and widespread civil unrest. Experts warn that further escalation could destabilize the region, risking humanitarian crises and drawing in other international actors.
Maduro’s Leadership and Controversial Presidency
Maduro, 63, has maintained a firm grip on power in Venezuela since 2013, following the death of longtime leader Hugo Chávez. Despite multiple threats and widespread criticism of his governance, he survived a disputed 2024 election, which the U.S. and international observers denounced as fraudulent. Opposition candidate Edmundo González was recognized by the United States as the rightful winner, and sanctions were imposed on election officials accused of rigging the results.
This latest strike represents the most significant challenge to Maduro’s authority to date. With U.S. forces claiming his capture and a reported removal from Venezuela, his long-standing control faces an unprecedented test. However, the Venezuelan government’s call for widespread mobilization and a declared state of emergency indicates that Maduro’s allies are prepared to resist U.S. intervention.
U.S. Political Debate and Global Implications
The military operation has sparked immediate debate in Washington. Democratic Senator Ruben Gallego called the intervention illegal, describing it as the “second unjustified war in his lifetime,” while Republican Senator Mike Lee questioned the constitutional authority of the strike in the absence of congressional approval.
Congressional Democrats and some Republicans had previously pushed for legislation to prevent unilateral military action in Venezuela without congressional authorization, but those measures were voted down, giving the Trump administration free rein for the operation.
International observers are closely monitoring the situation, with Latin American countries warning of regional instability. The capture of Maduro, if confirmed, could shift geopolitical alignments in South America, potentially emboldening opposition forces within Venezuela while drawing condemnation from nations allied with the Maduro government.
What’s Next
As of Saturday morning, details about Maduro’s location and custody remain scarce. President Trump has scheduled a press briefing at Mar-a-Lago to provide further information on the operation. Meanwhile, U.S. military and intelligence agencies continue to monitor Venezuela closely, ready to respond to any escalation.
For Venezuelans, the immediate concern is safety, infrastructure, and potential retaliation. For the international community, the strikes raise critical questions about sovereignty, legality, and the precedent for unilateral military intervention.
The coming days will determine whether Maduro’s capture leads to a swift transition of power or if Venezuela faces prolonged unrest, with the potential for regional destabilization.
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