Donald Trump says US forces captured Venezuela’s leader after a large-scale military strike on Caracas, with explosions reported across the capital.
CARACAS: Former US President Donald Trump announced that American forces had captured Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro following a large-scale military strike.
Trump stated the operation was successful and that Maduro, along with his wife, had been flown out of the country.
His post on Truth Social came roughly two hours after multiple explosions rocked Venezuela’s capital, Caracas.
The Venezuelan government denounced the action as an “extremely serious military aggression” by the United States.
It accused US forces of targeting residential areas but did not confirm Maduro’s status or whereabouts.
Explosions and the sound of helicopters were reported in Caracas starting around 2:00 am local time.
Blasts continued for nearly an hour, according to AFP journalists on the ground.
The strikes reportedly targeted key military sites including Fuerte Tiuna, the country’s largest military complex, and the Carlota airbase.
Flames and large plumes of smoke were seen billowing from the Fuerte Tiuna complex.
Residents described being awoken by the powerful blasts, with some rushing to pack essential belongings.
“I felt like (the explosions) lifted me out of bed, and I immediately thought, ‘God, the day has come,’ and I cried,” said MarÃa Eugenia Escobar, a 58-year-old resident of La Guaira.
Trump, speaking from his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida, said he would hold a news conference later on Saturday.
In a brief phone interview, he hailed the operation as “brilliant” and involving “a lot of good planning.”
The Venezuelan defense ministry announced a “massive deployment” of its military resources in response.
Neighboring Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro called for an emergency UN meeting and said he was deploying troops to the border with Venezuela.
Trump had previously deployed an aircraft carrier group to the Caribbean as part of an anti-drug campaign.
He had repeatedly threatened military action against Venezuela and its leadership.
The US has accused Maduro of heading a drug cartel, allegations he has consistently denied.
Washington has recently imposed further sanctions and moved to seize tankers carrying Venezuelan oil.
US forces have conducted multiple strikes on boats in the region since September, targeting alleged drug smugglers.
The US military says those strikes have killed at least 107 people.
