The United States launched large-scale strikes on Venezuela early Saturday, triggering explosions across Caracas and other cities and sparking a major political and military crisis, after US President Donald Trump claimed that Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife had been captured.
Posting on Truth Social, Trump said the US had carried out a “large scale strike” against Venezuela and its leadership. He claimed that President Nicolas Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores were captured during the operation and flown out of the country. Trump described the action as successful and said it followed months of mounting pressure on the Maduro government.
However, Venezuela’s Vice President Delcy Rodríguez strongly disputed the claim and said the government has no information about Maduro’s whereabouts. “We do not know the whereabouts of President Nicolas Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores. We demand proof of life,” Rodríguez said, challenging the US to provide evidence.
While official confirmation of the explosions being US airstrikes was initially awaited, a CBS News reporter said on X that President Trump had ordered strikes on sites inside Venezuela, including military facilities.
According to reports, loud explosions were heard around 2 am local time in Caracas, with helicopters and aircraft flying over the city for nearly an hour. Videos circulating on social media showed flashes in the sky and widespread power outages in several neighbourhoods, as panic spread among residents.
Venezuelan officials accused US forces of attacking both military and residential areas, putting civilians at risk. Defence Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez condemned the strikes, calling them an invasion and a serious violation of Venezuela’s sovereignty. He announced a nationwide military deployment, involving land, air, naval and missile units.
“We will defend our country against this foreign aggression,” Padrino said, adding that Venezuela would not surrender under pressure.
The strikes mark a sharp escalation in tensions between Washington and Caracas, with uncertainty continuing over the fate of President Maduro and his wife, as well as the full scale of the damage caused by the attacks.
