Trump announces US has captured Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro amid reported strikes
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President Donald Trump has said the United States has captured Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro and his wife following what he described as a “large scale strike” against the country, a claim that has not been independently verified and has not yet been confirmed by the Venezuelan government.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Mr Trump said Mr Maduro and his wife had been “captured and flown out of the country” in an operation conducted “in conjunction with U.S. Law Enforcement”. He did not provide details on how the operation was carried out, where the couple had been taken, or the legal basis for their detention. A news conference has been scheduled for 11:00 EST (16:00 BST) at Mr Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida.
Caracas announced a state of national emergency shortly after reports of explosions across the capital, denouncing what it described as “military aggression” against Venezuela. As of publication, the government had not directly addressed Mr Trump’s statement or confirmed the status or whereabouts of the president.
Eyewitnesses in Caracas reported loud blasts and fires in multiple parts of the city. “My heart was pumping and my legs were shaking,” one resident told the BBC, describing explosions heard across the capital. Video circulating on social media, which has not been independently verified, shows large plumes of smoke rising above urban areas as fires burn.
The developments follow weeks of heightened tension between Washington and Caracas, during which Mr Trump stepped up pressure on Mr Maduro’s government. The United States has long accused Mr Maduro of leading an international drug trafficking organisation, allegations he has consistently denied. US authorities had previously offered a reward of up to $50m for information leading to his arrest.
That reward, combined with a visible US military build-up in the region over recent months, had been widely interpreted by regional observers as an effort to intensify internal pressure on the Venezuelan leadership, including encouraging defections from within the state apparatus. There has been no public indication so far that such a defection played a role in the events now being claimed.
In his Truth Social post, Mr 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. This operation was done in conjunction with U.S. Law Enforcement. Details to follow.”
US officials have not released corroborating statements, and there has been no confirmation from independent sources regarding the scope of the alleged strike or the capture itself. Analysts caution that, until further information is provided, the situation remains fluid and claims on all sides should be treated with care.
International reaction has so far been muted, with governments likely to await clearer confirmation before responding. Attention is now focused on the promised news conference, which may clarify whether the claims mark a decisive escalation in US–Venezuela relations or reflect a more limited operation than currently suggested.
While Vlad Padrino Lopez, MinDef is not picking up the phone after the strike on hos home, our hearts and minds go out to the simple people of Caracas. War is war. No matter what side you are on, it is the civilians who pay the price of geopolitics pic.twitter.com/pAsmKihEaY
