The United States has carried out overnight military strikes in Venezuela and captured President Nicolás Maduro, United States President Donald Trump said on Saturday, in what would be Washington's most direct intervention in Latin America since the 1989 invasion of Panama.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said United States forces had launched a "large-scale strike" against Venezuela and that Maduro and his wife had been detained and flown out of the country. He said the operation was conducted in coordination with United States law enforcement and promised further details at a press conference later on Saturday.
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Explosions were reported in Caracas and several other parts of the country in the early hours of the morning, with witnesses describing aircraft overhead, bright flashes in the sky and plumes of smoke rising near military installations. Venezuela's government declared a national emergency and said civilians and military personnel had been killed, without providing figures.
Venezuela's vice president, Delcy Rodríguez, said authorities had no confirmation of Maduro's whereabouts and demanded proof that he was alive. Defence Minister Vladimir Padrino condemned the United States action as a violation of national sovereignty and urged Venezuelans to unite against what he described as foreign aggression.
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The intervention has drawn swift condemnation from Venezuela's allies, including Russia, Cuba and Iran, and revived concerns across Latin America over United States military involvement in the region. The operation could also have political consequences for Trump at home, where questions were raised about the legal authority for the strikes and the risk of wider regional instability.
This is a developing news story...
Further reading: Check out the latest news on Venezuela.