Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has been captured and flown out of the country following a large-scale US military strike on Caracas, US President Donald Trump announced on Saturday.
In a statement posted on social media, Trump said the operation involved US forces and law enforcement agencies and that further details would be provided at a news conference scheduled for 11 a.m. Eastern Time.
US officials familiar with the matter said Maduro is being transported to New York, where he is expected to face federal charges related to drug trafficking and weapons offences. US Attorney General Pam Bondi confirmed that the Venezuelan leader has been indicted in Manhattan federal court.
The strike came after explosions and low-flying aircraft were reported across Caracas in the early hours of Saturday, with smoke seen rising from key locations, including La Carlota airport and areas near the Miraflores presidential palace. Residents in several neighbourhoods were seen evacuating buildings amid the unrest.
Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez said the government does not know the whereabouts of Maduro or First Lady Cilia Flores, who Trump said was captured alongside him. She described the US action as an attack that resulted in the deaths of government officials, military personnel and civilians, though no independent casualty figures have been confirmed.
Venezuela’s Foreign Minister, Yván Gil, insisted that Maduro remains the country’s constitutional president and demanded his immediate return, describing his removal as a violation of national sovereignty. The government said state institutions and security forces remain operational nationwide.
Trump later said Maduro and his wife were aboard the USS Iwo Jima en route to the United States, adding that he had personally urged the Venezuelan leader to surrender before authorising the operation. He claimed to have watched the capture in real time from Mar-a-Lago alongside senior military officials.
The US administration said preparations for the operation began in mid-December, with plans focused on removing Maduro from power and preventing what officials described as continued drug trafficking and illicit weapons activity linked to his government.
The strike has drawn sharp international reactions. Several Latin American leaders, including Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, condemned the action as a violation of international law and Venezuelan sovereignty. Russia, Iran and Cuba also denounced the operation, while Spain offered to mediate toward a peaceful resolution.
Within the United States, senior Democratic lawmakers questioned the legality of the strike and called for immediate congressional briefings. House Intelligence Committee ranking member Jim Himes said the administration must explain its legal justification and outline plans to prevent instability in Venezuela.
As diplomatic tensions escalate, the US government has yet to release detailed evidence supporting its claims or clarify next steps for governance in Venezuela, leaving the region on edge amid uncertainty over the country’s political future.