Shockwaves Across the World as Washington Claims Capture of Venezuela’s President After Overnight Strikes on Caracas
In a development that has stunned governments and analysts worldwide, the United States on Saturday claimed it had carried out large-scale military strikes inside Venezuela and taken President Nicolás Maduro into custody, marking what Washington described as the most dramatic escalation yet in its pressure campaign against Caracas.
It is also being said that the military operation was exactly like a surgical strike to take away Venezuelian President and his wife. Sources say Trump has accused the President Nicolas Maduro of being involved in Narco terrorism; however, it is also being said that it is the oil in Venezuela that the US is eyeing.
The claims, announced by President Donald Trump, immediately plunged the region into uncertainty and raised urgent questions over sovereignty, international law, and regional stability.
Trump’s Early-Morning Claim
Posting on Truth Social shortly after 4:30 am Eastern Time, Trump said US forces had launched a “successful” operation in which Maduro and his wife were “captured and flown out of the country.”
He said the action was conducted “in conjunction with US law enforcement” and promised further details at a later briefing. No immediate operational specifics were released by the White House or the Pentagon.
Explosions and Aircraft Over Caracas
Hours before Trump’s announcement, residents of Caracas reported multiple explosions and low-flying aircraft over the capital.
Witnesses cited by Reuters said blasts were heard from around 2 am local time, with black smoke visible over parts of the city for more than an hour.
Verified videos circulated by Associated Press appeared to show tracer fire, smoke clouds and repeated flashes lighting up hills around the city and along a coastal area.
“The whole ground shook. We heard explosions and planes,” said a young office worker quoted by Reuters.
While armed civilians and pro-government militia members were seen in some strongholds, other neighbourhoods remained largely deserted in the immediate aftermath.
Venezuela Accuses US of “Military Aggression”
Venezuela’s government swiftly condemned the strikes, calling them an “imperialist attack” on civilian and military installations in Caracas and in the states of Miranda, Aragua and La Guaira.
Authorities said power was disrupted in parts of the capital near key military facilities and announced a state of external disturbance, granting expanded emergency powers to the armed forces.
Officials urged supporters to mobilize, though it remained unclear who was exercising full control in Caracas as confusion persisted over Maduro’s status beyond Trump’s claim.
Airspace Closed, Citizens Warned
Citing safety risks linked to ongoing military activity, the Federal Aviation Administration banned US commercial and private flights from Venezuelan airspace and nearby Curaçao.
The US Embassy website for Venezuela, closed since 2019, issued a warning advising American citizens to shelter in place following reports of explosions.
A Campaign Months in the Making
The claimed operation follows nearly five months of intensified US pressure on Caracas.
Washington has accused Maduro of narco-terrorism and ordered a major military buildup off Venezuela’s northern coast, deploying an aircraft carrier, warships and fighter jets in what US officials have described as the largest regional presence in decades.
US forces have also targeted vessels in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific that Washington alleges were transporting drugs, actions Trump has framed as part of an “armed conflict” with trafficking networks.
Alongside military moves, the US has expanded sanctions, seized oil tankers and pursued what Trump has termed a de facto blockade of Venezuelan crude, measures aimed at tightening economic pressure on the government.
International Alarm and Calls for Urgent Meetings
Reaction from abroad was swift. Colombian President Gustavo Petro said Caracas was being bombed and called for emergency meetings of the United Nations Security Council and the Organization of American States.
Iran and Cuba, both allies of Caracas, condemned the strikes, while regional leaders expressed shock at what many described as an unprecedented action against a sitting head of state.
Analysts noted that the last operation often cited as comparable in audacity was the 2011 US raid that killed Osama bin Laden in Pakistan — an operation conducted against a non-state militant leader, not an incumbent president of a sovereign country.
Questions Inside the United States
In Washington, the claims triggered immediate debate over legality. Republican Senator Mike Lee questioned what constitutional authority justified the action without a declaration of war or specific congressional authorization.
Lee later said Secretary of State Marco Rubio had told him Maduro would face trial in the United States, though no official charging documents were immediately released.
Attorney General Pamela Bondi said indictments had been filed in New York alleging narco-terrorism and weapons charges against Maduro and his wife, praising US forces for what she described as a successful mission.
Unanswered Questions
Despite the cascade of statements, major uncertainties remain: whether Maduro is indeed in US custody, who now exercises authority in Caracas, the full extent of damage and casualties, and whether further military action will follow.
The developments came only a day after Venezuelan officials signalled openness to talks with Washington on combating drug trafficking, underscoring the volatility of the moment.
As governments scramble to verify facts and convene emergency consultations, the events of early Saturday — and Washington’s extraordinary claims — threaten to redraw the geopolitical map of Latin America and test the boundaries of international law in ways not seen for decades.
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