Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez has called on the United States to provide “proof of life” for President Nicolás Maduro following claims by US President Donald Trump that American forces had captured the Venezuelan leader.
Speaking by telephone to state television on Saturday, Rodríguez said the government had no information on the whereabouts of Maduro or his wife, First Lady Cilia Flores, after a wave of US strikes hit Caracas and other parts of the country.
Trump had earlier announced that Maduro and Flores were captured during what he described as a large-scale US military operation and flown out of Venezuela.
Russia has also demanded immediate clarification from Washington over the reported abduction.
In a statement, the Russian Foreign Ministry said it was “extremely alarmed” by reports that the Venezuelan president and his wife were forcibly removed from the country during a US-ordered attack.
“We call for an immediate clarification of the situation,” the ministry said.
Several countries, including Russia and Iran, have condemned the US action, describing it as a violation of Venezuela’s sovereignty. Spain, meanwhile, has offered to mediate in an effort to de-escalate tensions and pursue a peaceful resolution.
The US has yet to release further details or evidence confirming Maduro’s status, as international concern mounts over the implications of the operation.