The Venezuelan capital of Caracas and several other states were rocked by explosions and the sound of low-flying aircraft in the early hours of Saturday, as the United States confirmed it had carried out “large-scale strikes” against the South American nation.
In a major flare-up of long-standing tensions, US President Donald Trump announced on his Truth Social platform that Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, had been “captured and flown out of the Country” following the operation.
The Venezuelan government swiftly declared a national emergency, accusing the US of “military aggression” and a “flagrant violation of international law.”
Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López announced the deployment of military forces across the country and vowed resistance against what he termed “the worst aggression” ever against Venezuela.
Venezuela’s government urged its citizens to mobilize against the “imperialist attack,” stating that the objective was to “seize control” of the country’s vast oil and mineral resources.
Reports from CBS News, citing US officials, indicated that the US Army’s elite Delta Force carried out the operation to capture Maduro. The strikes reportedly targeted military installations, including Fuerte Tiuna and La Carlota airbase in Caracas, as well as the port of La Guaira.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) prohibiting US commercial flights in Venezuelan airspace due to “ongoing military activity.”
The international community reacted with concern and condemnation. Colombian President Gustavo Petro called for an immediate emergency session of the UN Security Council, stating that Caracas was being “bombed with missiles.”
Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez denounced the events as a “criminal attack by the U.S.” and “state terrorism.”Iran’s foreign ministry also “strongly condemned the American military attack on Venezuela.”
These strikes follow months of a US military buildup in the region, including the deployment of the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier and numerous warships.
The Trump administration has accused Maduro of drug trafficking and leading a “narco-state,” allegations Maduro denies, claiming the US seeks his ouster to control Venezuela’s resources.
