US military strike and capture of Maduro shocks Venezuela

President Donald Trump claims Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife were captured after a large‑scale strike as explosions rocked Caracas

The US strike and capture of Maduro in Venezuela was announced early on 3 January by US President Donald Trump, who said that a large‑scale military operation had been carried out in the South American country and that Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife had been captured and flown out of the nation.

In a post on the social platform Truth Social, Trump wrote that “The United States of America has successfully carried out a large scale strike against Venezuela and its leader, President Nicolás Maduro, who has been, along with his wife, captured and flown out of the country.” He said further details would follow at a news conference scheduled later in the day at Mar‑a‑Lago.

Multiple explosions were reported in the Venezuelan capital Caracas around 02:00 local time, and witnesses described loud noises and aircraft activity in the city. The apparent US action also affected other regions of Venezuela, with reports of blasts in states including Miranda, Aragua and La Guaira.

The Venezuelan government swiftly condemned the operation as “military aggression” and declared a state of emergency. In an official statement, Caracas said it rejected the reported strikes and urged social and political sectors to mobilise in response to what it described as a serious breach of national sovereignty.

International reaction has been varied: some regional leaders have condemned the strikes and called for urgent action from the United Nations, while others have expressed concern about the legality and broader implications of the US action.

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