New Delhi: US President Donald Trump, on his social media, claimed that Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, had been captured
during a large-scale US military operation targeting Venezuela, triggering global alarm. Venezuela’s Defence Minister Vladimir Padrino López says that the country will not resist the presence of foreign troops and will not surrender in the face of what he described as the “worst aggression” ever against Venezuela.
In a post on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump said the United States had carried out a “large-scale strike against Venezuela” and that Maduro and Flores were “captured and flown out of the country.” He added that the operation was conducted in coordination with US law enforcement agencies.
The claim came hours after multiple explosions were reported across Caracas and nearby regions in the early hours of Saturday. Journalists and residents reported fires and heavy damage near key military installations, including Fuerte Tiuna, Venezuela’s main military complex, and La Carlota air base. Venezuela’s government later described the events as “military aggression” and declared a state of external disturbance, calling for national mobilisation.
US authorities have not released official details confirming the capture. The State Department has advised US citizens in Venezuela to shelter in place, while the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has barred US commercial flights from Venezuelan airspace, citing safety risks due to ongoing military activity.
Maduro was indicted by US prosecutors in 2020 on charges of narcoterrorism and was designated by the Trump administration in November 2025 as a member of a foreign terrorist organisation. US officials have previously argued that these designations provided legal justification for aggressive action against his regime.
In recent months, Washington has intensified pressure on Caracas through sanctions enforcement, seizures of oil tankers, and strikes on vessels allegedly involved in drug trafficking. However, analysts warn that any confirmed capture of a sitting head of state would mark an unprecedented escalation with far-reaching geopolitical consequences.
As of now, no independent government or international body has verified Trump’s claim, leaving the situation highly fluid and under close global scrutiny.
