In a dramatic escalation of tensions between Washington and Caracas, United States President Donald Trump announced early Saturday that Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, have been captured and flown out of Venezuela following a large‑scale U.S. military and law enforcement operation.
Trump shared the announcement on his Truth Social platform, saying that the United States “successfully carried out a large‑scale strike against Venezuela and its leader” and that Maduro and his spouse were taken into custody during the operation. He added that further details would be provided at a news conference slated for 11 a.m. from his Mar‑a‑Lago residence in Florida.
The reported action marks a significant escalation in U.S.–Venezuelan relations, following months of increasing military and diplomatic pressure by the U.S., including the doubling of a reward for information leading to Maduro’s arrest to $50 million over alleged international drug trafficking links.
The operation — involving airstrikes and explosions heard across Caracas and other parts of Venezuela — prompted the Venezuelan government to denounce the strikes as an “imperialist attack” and declare a national emergency, while Vice President Delcy Rodríguez has demanded proof of life for Maduro and his wife.
Independent verification of the capture and the current whereabouts of Maduro and his wife was not immediately available at the time of the announcement, and international reactions are beginning to unfold.
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