US strikes Venezuela, captures Maduro and his wife
The United States hit Venezuela with a “massive strike” early Saturday, saying President Nicolás Maduro and his wife were captured and sent out of the country. mounting pressure for months An extraordinary overnight operation by Washington – announced on social media by President Donald Trump hours after the attack.
Multiple explosions were heard and low-flying planes flew over the capital Caracas, as the Maduro government immediately accused the United States of attacking civilian and military facilities. The Venezuelan government called it an “imperialist attack” and called on citizens to take to the streets.
Trump announced the developments on Truth Social shortly after 4:30 a.m. ET and said he would hold a press conference at 11 a.m. ET.
Here is the latest situation:
US indicts Maduro on narcoterrorism charges in 2020
During Trump’s first term in office, the Justice Department alleged in several indictments that Maduro effectively turned Venezuela into a criminal enterprise in the service of drug traffickers and terrorist groups as he and his allies stole billions of dollars from the South American country.
The coordinated unveiling of indictments against 14 officials and people affiliated with the government and a $55 million reward for Maduro and four others attacked all the core elements of what then-Attorney General William Barr called the “corrupt Venezuelan regime,” including the Maduro-dominated judiciary and powerful armed forces.
An indictment filed by prosecutors in New York accused Maduro and socialist party boss Diosdado Cabello, president of the constitutional assembly, of conspiring with Colombian rebels and members of the military to “flood the United States with cocaine” and use the drug trade as a “weapon against America.”
Read our 2020 news report on accusations
Ministry of Foreign Affairs officials say ‘The oppressor is gone’
U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau said the military action and capture of Maduro marked “a new dawn for Venezuela” and that “the tyrant is gone.”
He posted X hours after the strike. His boss, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, reposted a July post stating that Maduro “is NOT the President of Venezuela and his regime is NOT the legitimate government.”
Senator Lee says Rubio told him he does not expect any further action in Venezuela
Utah Sen. Mike Lee said Rubio informed him that he “does not expect any further action in Venezuela now that Maduro is in U.S. custody.”
Senator Lee said Rubio informed him that Maduro would be tried in the United States
Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, reported on X that he spoke with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who informed him of the strike. Rubio told Lee that Maduro “was detained by US personnel pending trial in the US on criminal charges.”
The White House did not immediately respond to questions about where Maduro and his wife were sent. Maduro was indicted in the Southern District of New York in March 2020 on “narco-terrorism” conspiracy charges.
Colombia is preparing to receive refugees from Venezuela
Colombian President Gustavo Petro, one of Trump’s harshest critics, said the Colombian government held a national security meeting before dawn on Saturday and sent security forces to the border in preparation for a potential “massive influx” of refugees from neighboring Venezuela.
He also said he would call on the U.N. Security Council to consider “the attack on the sovereignty of Venezuela and Latin America.”
“There is no nation without sovereignty,” Petro wrote on social media.
Russia described US action as ‘an act of armed aggression’
In a statement published on its Telegram channel on Saturday, the Russian Foreign Ministry condemned what it called an “act of armed aggression” by the United States against Venezuela.
“Venezuela must be guaranteed the right to self-determination without any destructive foreign intervention, let alone military intervention,” the statement said.
The ministry called for dialogue to prevent further tensions and said it reaffirmed its “solidarity” with the Venezuelan people and government, adding that it supported Russia’s calls for an urgent UN Security Council meeting.
State Department urges Americans to seek asylum in Venezuela
The State Department issued a new travel advisory early Saturday urging Americans in Venezuela to “shelter in place” due to the situation.
“The US Embassy Bogota is aware of the news of explosions in and around Caracas, Venezuela,” the statement said.
“The US Embassy in Bogota, Colombia warns US citizens not to travel to Venezuela. US citizens in Venezuela should seek refuge there.” The embassy in Bogota has been closed since March 2019 but operates remotely.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio retweeted Trump’s announcement without comment, but his aide, Christopher Landau, posted Trump’s statement, adding that it was a “new dawn for Venezuela.” “The tyrant is gone. Now he will – finally – face justice for his crimes,” Landau said.
Venezuelan vice president demands proof that Maduro is alive
“We do not know the whereabouts of President Nicolás Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores,” says Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez. He added: “We want proof of life.”
Trump announced that his wife Maduro was captured
Trump said, “Maduro was caught and taken out of the country with his wife. This operation was carried out together with the US Law Enforcement. We will follow the details.” He scheduled a news conference for late Saturday morning.
Explosions shook Caracas
Explosions (at least seven explosions) in Venezuela’s capital, Caracas, early on the third day of 2026, brought people to the streets, while others reported on social media that they heard and saw the explosions. It was not immediately clear whether he was injured. The apparent attack itself lasted less than 30 minutes, but it was unclear whether further actions would follow, though Trump said in his post that the attacks were carried out “successfully.”
